Big 12 Basketball Midweek Rundown: Kansas In Free Fall, Houston Still King

Welcome back to the Big 12 Basketball Midweek Rundown.

Here is a look at the results from the conference from Monday through Wednesday. As next week will be the start of March, every game is gaining new importance.

Big 12 Men's Basketball Monday Results:

No. 19 Arizona 74, Baylor 67

Arizona bounced back in a big way Monday night, securing a 74-67 road win over Baylor to take sole possession of second place in the Big 12. Tobe Awaka led the way with a dominant 14-point, 12-rebound double-double, while Caleb Love and Henri Veesaar each added 13 points. The Wildcats shook off back-to-back losses last week and responded with a strong first half, using a big run to take a 41-33 lead into the break.

Baylor fought hard behind VJ Edgecombe’s 24-point effort, but Arizona held its ground in the final minute, making seven straight free throws to keep the Bears at bay. Arizona looked composed in crunch time, while Baylor couldn’t quite complete the comeback.

Feb 17, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) scores a layup against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Utah 74, Kansas State 69

Utah pulled out a hard-fought 74-69 win over Kansas State on Monday night, using clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch to seal the victory. Ezra Ausar led the Utes with 21 points and eight rebounds. After a back-and-forth first half that ended tied at 32, Utah came out strong in the second, building a nine-point lead.

Kansas State battled back behind Brendan Hausen’s 17 points, tying the game late, but Utah responded with key buckets. The Wildcats had a chance in the final seconds, but Utah iced the game from the free-throw line. The Utes showed resilience, while Kansas State, now losers of two straight, couldn’t quite finish their comeback.

Big 12 Men's Basketball Tuesday Results:

TCU 69, No. 9 Texas Tech 66

TCU pulled off a gritty 69-66 upset over No. 9 Texas Tech on Tuesday night, with Noah Reynolds delivering in the clutch. Reynolds, who finished with 16 points, scored the Horned Frogs’ final seven, including a turnaround jumper with 11.6 seconds left that put them up for good.

The Red Raiders had a chance to force overtime, but David Punch blocked JT Toppin’s last-second three-point attempt, sealing the win. Texas Tech, led by Darrion Williams’ 21 points, saw its momentum stall after winning nine of its last ten. TCU showed toughness down the stretch, while Texas Tech couldn’t capitalize in crunch time.

Feb. 18, 2025-TCU basketball player Noah Reynolds (21) celebrates with TCU fans after beating No. 9 Texas Tech 69-66. | X: @TCUBasketball

No. 5 Houston 80, Arizona State 65

No. 5 Houston had little trouble handling Arizona State, rolling to an 80-65 victory on Tuesday night. L.J. Cryer led the Cougars with 18 points as Houston built a commanding 16-point halftime lead and never looked back.

Fresh off a tough win over Arizona, the Cougars looked sharp on both ends, forcing turnovers and capitalizing in transition. Arizona State, despite getting Jayden Quaintance back from injury, struggled to keep up and has now dropped six straight. The Cougars extended their road winning streak to 12 games and continue to look like one of the most complete teams in the country.

No. 8 Iowa State 79, Colorado 65

No. 8 Iowa State continued its dominance over Colorado, securing a 79-65 victory on Tuesday night—their third win over the Buffaloes this season. Milan Momcilovic and Dishon Jackson led the Cyclones with 13 points each.

Iowa State controlled the game from the start, showing the same efficiency that helped them cruise past Colorado in their previous matchups. The Buffaloes, who have struggled in Big 12 play, got a career-high 20 points from Bangot Dak, but it wasn’t enough to keep up.

BYU 91, No. 23 Kansas 57

BYU delivered a statement win on Tuesday night, crushing No. 23 Kansas 91-57 behind a dominant shooting display and suffocating defense. Richie Saunders led the charge with 22 points, while Trevin Knell and Mawot Mag added 15 and 13, respectively, as the Cougars buried 11 three-pointers.

BYU set the tone early with a 14-2 run and never looked back, building a 20-point halftime lead before extending the margin to as much as 38 in the second half. It was stunning to see the Jayhawks trail by that many points.

Kansas struggled to generate offense and had no answers for BYU’s pace. The Cougars have now won three straight and looked every bit like a team hitting its stride at the right time, while the Jayhawks will need to regroup after one of their most humbling losses in years.

Big 12 Men's Basketball Wednesday Results:

West Virginia 62, Cincinnati 59

West Virginia held on for a tense 62-59 victory over Cincinnati on Wednesday night, nearly letting a comfortable lead slip away in the final moments. Amani Hansberry powered the Mountaineers with 17 points and 13 rebounds, leading a decisive 21-6 run that put them ahead by nine with under 10 seconds to play.

However, Cincinnati made things interesting with two wild three-pointers from Dan Skillings Jr. off a tipped inbounds pass, followed by a late turnover that set up a potential game-tying shot. Tyler Betsey’s last-second attempt bounced off the rim, allowing West Virginia to escape with the win and complete a season sweep.

Feb 19, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Darian DeVries yells from the bench during the second half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State 104, UCF 95

Oklahoma State outlasted UCF in a high-scoring battle, securing a 104-95 victory behind a career-best 25 points from Bryce Thompson. Thompson caught fire in the second half, scoring 14 of his points to help the Cowboys fend off a late push from the Knights. Oklahoma State built a 19-point first-half lead and capitalized on UCF’s mistakes, outscoring them 20-0 off turnovers before taking a 53-40 lead into halftime.

UCF, led by Keyshawn Hall’s 34 points and Darius Johnson’s 23, made a strong second-half push, cutting the deficit to five with five minutes left, but Thompson and the Cowboys responded with a quick 6-0 run to put the game away.

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