Big 12 Power Rankings: League’s reputation takes a hit with losses to SEC
Kansas guard Devonte' Graham (4) is called for a foul on Oklahoma guard Trae Young (11) while trying to knock away a pass from Oklahoma forward Khadeem Lattin (3) during the second half at Lloyd Noble Center on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018 in Norman, Oklahoma.
The Big 12’s reputation took a serious hit this past weekend, with the midwest league that appeared deep and competitive during the past several weeks coming up on the losing end of the Big 12/SEC Challenge, 6-4.
The perceived lower-tier teams in the conference so often dominated by Kansas weren’t the only ones to blame, either. Oklahoma’s road loss at Alabama, West Virginia’s home defeat against Kentucky and TCU’s misstep at Vanderbilt makes one question just how well the top of the Big 12 actually stacks up with the rest of the country.
The Mountaineers, who had looked so solid for much of the year, now have dropped four of their past five games.
OU followed up a win over Kansas with a loss to an Alabama squad that might be the eighth-best team in the SEC.
Baylor, ranked as high as No. 16 in the AP Top 25 in November, had dropped seven of its previous nine games.
Selection Sunday is now just under six weeks away and the Big 12 overall looks vulnerable.
WINNERS – 2018 BIG 12/SEC CHALLENGE
Kansas, 79-68, vs. Texas A&M
Texas Tech, 70-63, at South Carolina
Texas, 85-72, vs. Ole Miss
Kansas State, 56-51, vs. Georgia
Kentucky, 83-76, at West Virginia
Alabama, 80-73, vs. Oklahoma
Florida, 81-60, vs. Baylor
Tennessee, 68-45, at Iowa State
Vanderbilt, 81-78, vs. TCU
Arkansas, 66-65, vs. Oklahoma State
Here’s a rundown of the Big 12’s most NCAA Tournament-ready teams as of late January, ranked from first to 10th.
Each team’s best victories and its losses — good, bad and in between — are considered in this process, using KenPom.com’s ratings, to classify the league’s most and least impressive squads to date.
Big 12 Power Rankings — Jan. 29, 2018
No. 1 – Kansas (17-4)
Kenpom ranking: No. 9
Average point differential in Big 12 play: +0.9
Top-50 wins: No. 25 Kentucky, at No. 26 TCU, No. 43 Syracuse, at No. 42 Texas, No. 35 Kansas State, at No. 14 West Virginia, No. 36 Texas A&M
Losses: No. 91 Washington, No. 28 Arizona State, No. 11 Texas Tech, at No. 22 Oklahoma
No. 2 – West Virginia (16-5)
Kenpom ranking: No. 14
Average point differential in Big 12 play: +6.2
Top-50 wins: No. 49 Missouri, No. 2 Virginia, at No. 35 Kansas State, No. 22 Oklahoma, No. 42 Texas
Losses: No. 36 Texas A&M, at No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 9 Kansas, at No. 26 TCU, No. 25 Kentucky
No. 3 – Oklahoma (15-5)
Kenpom ranking: No. 22
Average point differential in Big 12 play: +1.0
Top-50 wins: No. 48 USC, at No. 19 Wichita State, at No. 26 TCU, No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 26 TCU (OT), No. 9 Kansas
Losses: No. 47 Arkansas, at No. 14 West Virginia, at No. 35 Kansas State, at No. 68 Oklahoma State (OT), at No. 56 Alabama
No. 4 – Texas Tech (17-4)
Kenpom ranking: No. 11
Average point differential in Big 12 play: +2.6
Top-50 wins: No. 18 Nevada (OT), at No. 9 Kansas, No. 35 Kansas State, No. 14 West Virginia
Losses: No. 32 Seton Hall, at No. 22 Oklahoma, at No. 42 Texas, at No. 116 Iowa State
No. 5 – Kansas State (16-5)
Kenpom ranking: No. 35
Average point differential in Big 12 play: +3.1
Top-50 wins: No. 22 Oklahoma, No. 26 TCU
Losses: No. 28 Arizona State, No. 135 Tulsa, No. 14 West Virginia, at No. 11 Texas Tech, at No. 9 Kansas
No. 6 – TCU (15-6)
Kenpom ranking: No. 26
Average point differential in Big 12 play: +2.4
Top-50 wins: No. 44 SMU, No. 18 Nevada, No. 14 West Virginia
Losses: No. 22 Oklahoma, No. 9 Kansas, at No. 42 Texas (2OT), at No. 22 Oklahoma (OT), at No. 35 Kansas State, at No. 92 Vanderbilt
No. 7 – Texas (14-7)
Kenpom ranking: No. 42
Average point differential in Big 12 play: -2.6
Top-50 wins: No. 30 Butler, No. 26 TCU (2OT), No. 11 Texas Tech
Losses: No. 4 Duke (OT), No. 7 Gonzaga (OT), No. 24 Michigan, No. 9 Kansas, at No. 51 Baylor, at No. 68 Oklahoma State, at No. 14 West Virginia
No. 8 – Baylor (12-9)
Kenpom ranking: No. 51
Average point differential in Big 12 play: -3.1
Top-50 wins: No. 23 Creighton, No. 42 Texas
Losses: at No. 12 Xavier, No. 19 Wichita State, at No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 26 TCU (OT), at No. 14 West Virginia, at No. 116 Iowa State, at No. 9 Kansas, No. 35 Kansas State, at No. 21 Florida
No. 9 – Oklahoma State (13-8)
Kenpom ranking: No. 68
Average point differential in Big 12 play: -4.9
Top-50 wins: No. 20 Florida State, No. 42 Texas, No. 22 Oklahoma (OT)
Losses: No. 36 Texas A&M, No. 19 Wichita State, No. 14 West Virginia, No. 22 Oklahoma, at No. 35 Kansas State, at No. 51 Baylor, at No. 11 Texas Tech, at No. 47 Arkansas
No. 10 – Iowa State (11-9)
Kenpom ranking: No. 116
Average point differential in Big 12 play: -5.6
Top-50 wins: No. 11 Texas Tech
Losses: at No. 49 Missouri, No. 217 Milwaukee, No. 35 Kansas State, No. 42 Texas (OT), at No. 68 Oklahoma State (OT), at No. 9 Kansas, at No. 26 TCU, at No. 42 Texas, No. 10 Tennessee
Previous rankings:
• Jan. 9 — Top 3: WVU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma