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Big 12 basketball power rankings: Houston stays in solid shape after win at Arizona

BYU, Utah moving up; Kansas State trending downward
Buck Ringgold|
Houston point guard Milos Uzan (with ball)
Houston point guard Milos Uzan (with ball) | Troy Taormina/Imagn Images

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Houston CougarsArizona WildcatsTexas Tech Red RaidersIowa State CyclonesKansas JayhawksBYU CougarsUtah Runnin' UtesKansas State WildcatsBaylor BearsTCU Horned FrogsWest Virginia MountaineersCincinnati BearcatsUCF KnightsOklahoma State CowboysArizona State Sun DevilsColorado Buffaloes

Houston now has the inside track to winning the Big 12 regular-season basketball championship following last weekend’s win at Arizona.

Still, the Cougars have some work to do before being able to clinch the top seed at next month’s conference tournament in Kansas City. They play two ranked opponents at home and have three road games left, including Tuesday night at Arizona State.

Meanwhile, the state of Utah’s Big 12 representatives are gaining momentum heading into March, while the state of the teams from Kansas are going in an opposite direction.

Here, now, are the latest Big 12 men’s basketball power rankings with games through Feb. 17:

1. Houston (21-4, 13-1) 

Previously: 1

First-year point guard Milos Uzan, an Oklahoma transfer, has definitely settled in for the Cougars. In his last 145-plus minutes, Uzan has dished out 22 assists while committing just one turnover.

Houston in control of the Big 12 after downing Arizona on the road: 4 takeaways

2. Arizona (18-8, 12-3)

Previously: 2

The Wildcats didn’t have much time to dwell on Saturday’s home loss to Houston. Two days later, they pulled off a hard-fought 74-67 win against Baylor in Waco behind Tobe Awaka’s double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds).

3. Texas Tech (20-5, 11-3)

Previously: 3

A very impressive win in Stillwater on Saturday, as the Red Raiders walked out of Gallagher-Iba Arena 38-point winners with five players in double figures, led by - you guessed it - JT Toppin with 32. Tech has to navigate another tricky road trip Tuesday at TCU.

4. Iowa State (20-5, 10-4)

Previously: 4

The Cyclones seem to have righted the ship, and they posted another impressive win last Saturday against surging Cincinnati. Tuesday night, Iowa State is home again to face Colorado before a dangerous stretch takes shape, starting this Saturday with a visit to league-leading Houston.

5. Kansas (17-8, 8-6)

Previously: 5

The Jayhawks are No. 5 at the moment. Tuesday night, we’ll see if they can maintain that ranking or slip even more should Kansas go 0-for-Utah and fall at BYU after losing at Utah last weekend.

6. BYU (17-8, 8-6)

Previously: 7

What were the odds that a BYU player would get a double-double last Saturday against Kansas State and it wasn’t projected 6-foot-9 NBA lottery pick Egor Demin but 6-5 forward Richie Saunders? And that Saunders ended up getting 13 more rebounds than Demin (a career-high 14)? And the Cougars still won handily?

7. Utah (15-11, 7-8)

Previously: 11

Gabe Madsen had another big game at home Monday against Kansas State, but the Utes got an even bigger night from Ezra Ausar, who led the way with 21 points and went 7-of-7 from the foul line, and Lawson Lovering, who had a double-double of 15 points and 10 boards.

8. Baylor (16-10, 8-7)

Previously: 8

A missed opportunity for the Bears on Monday to get into position for a higher seed at next month’s conference tournament. One thing that doomed them in the loss to Arizona was a lack of 3-point shooting, as Baylor made just 5-of-22 shots from beyond the arc.

9. TCU (14-11, 7-7)

Previously: 9

After his miracle 3 at the buzzer to beat Oklahoma State, Vasean Allette nearly had a double-double in Saturday’s win at Arizona State. But the Horned Frogs also got a big night off the bench from Jace Posey, who had a team-high 20 points and was 6-of-8 from the field and 8-of-10 from the line.

10. Kansas State (13-13, 7-8)

Previously: 6

The Wildcats were swept in the state of Utah, first on Saturday by BYU and then on Monday by Utah. Now, they have to wait until Sunday to play again, a potential get-right game at home against Arizona State.

11. West Virginia (15-10, 5-9)

Previously: 10

Mountaineers really need to pick up a victory. Especially at home Wednesday against equally desperate Cincinnati.

12. Cincinnati (15-10, 5-9)

Previously: 12

The Bearcats took it on the chin at Iowa State over the weekend. But a win Wednesday at suddenly vulnerable West Virginia can keep Cincy’s postseason hopes alive.

13. UCF (13-12, 4-10)

Previously: 13

Knights are officially in a tailspin, but their only saving grace is they somehow are still above .500. So a postseason tournament bid is still there for the time being.

14. Oklahoma State (12-13, 4-10)

Previously: 14

The Cowboys suffered their worst loss ever at historic Gallagher-Iba Arena with Saturday’s 38-point defeat to Texas Tech. It could actually be worse Wednesday if they can’t handle business at home against slumping UCF.

15. Arizona State (12-13, 3-11)

Previously: 15

Just when things can’t get any worse for the reeling Sun Devils, senior guard Adam Miller was ejected from Saturday’s loss to TCU after picking up two technical fouls early in the second half. He took an early shower for the second time in his last three contests. And can it actually get even worse for the Sun Devils? Well, first-place Houston comes to Tempe Tuesday night.

16. Colorado (10-15, 1-13)

Previously: 16

Break up the Buffs! Colorado finally got that elusive first Big 12 win on Saturday, beating UCF as Andrej Jakimovski led three players in double figures with 15 points. Now, would winning their second straight game Tuesday night at Top 10-ranked Iowa State be a bit too much to ask?

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