Big 12 Basketball Midweek Rundown: Top Teams Roll

The Big 12's best played their best basketball and showed why the conference has a couple national title contenders.
Jan 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Mercy Miller (25) drives against Utah Utes forward Jake Wahlin (10) during the second half at Fertitta Center. The Cougars defeated the Utes 70-36. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Jan 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Mercy Miller (25) drives against Utah Utes forward Jake Wahlin (10) during the second half at Fertitta Center. The Cougars defeated the Utes 70-36. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Welcome back to the Big 12 Basketball Midweek Rundown. 

First, a look at where each ranked Big 12 team sits in the latest version of the AP Poll, and then we will go over the results from Tuesday and Wednesday's games. Which teams looked impressive? Which ones need to improve? 

Big 12 in the AP Poll: Week 12

No. 3 Iowa State
No. 7 Houston
No. 12 Kansas
No. 23 West Virginia

Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) goes for a layup around UCF Knights forward JJ Taylor (2) during the first half in
Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) goes for a layup around UCF Knights forward JJ Taylor (2) during the first half in the Big-12 men’s basketball at Hilton Coliseum onTuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 in Ames, Iowa. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Big 12 Men's Basketball Tuesday's Results:

No. 3 Iowa State 108, UCF 83

Joshua Jefferson’s season-best 30 points powered No. 3 Iowa State to a dominant 108-83 win over UCF on Tuesday, showcasing the Cyclones' offensive depth and efficiency. Keshon Gilbert added 21 points as the Cyclones bounced back strong from their loss at West Virginia.

Iowa State’s balanced attack and Jefferson’s breakout performance highlight why they’re one of the top teams in the nation. Their ability to score from all areas of the court and capitalize on defensive lapses makes them a legitimate contender in the Big 12 and beyond. UCF was led by Jordan Ivy-Curry’s 24 points but struggled to keep pace against a team firing on all cylinders.

Arizona State 65, No. 23 West Virginia 57

Basheer Jihad scored 17 points, and freshman Jayden Quaintance recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds as Arizona State defeated No. 23 West Virginia 65-57 on Tuesday. The Sun Devils snapped a four-game losing streak with the win.

West Virginia was led by Javon Small’s 14 points but struggled offensively late in the first half, managing just six points in the final eight minutes. Arizona State took the lead before halftime and held off the Mountaineers in the second half.

Texas Tech 81, Cincinnati 71

JT Toppin scored 20 points, 14 in the second half, while Christian Anderson added 18 with four 3-pointers as Texas Tech beat Cincinnati 81-71 on Tuesday.

Jizzle James led Cincinnati with 17 points, and Dillon Mitchell chipped in 12. The Bearcats started strong with a seven-point lead early, but Texas Tech’s hot shooting flipped the game, giving them a 42-38 halftime advantage that they never looked back from.

Arizona 92, Oklahoma State 78

Caleb Love scored 27 points as Arizona beat Oklahoma State 92-78 on Tuesday, marking head coach Tommy Lloyd’s 100th career win.

Love, who surpassed 2,400 career points, hit key shots to extend Arizona’s lead early in the second half. The Wildcats never looked back after going up by double digits. Oklahoma State shot well but struggled at the free-throw line, which hurt their chances to stay in the game.

Jan 14, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd yells toward players during the first half of the
Jan 14, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd yells toward players during the first half of the game against the Baylor Bears at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images / Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

BYU 83, Colorado 67

Richie Saunders scored 25 points as BYU rolled past Colorado 83-67 on Tuesday night. BYU opened the second half with a 23-2 run to pull away.

Colorado endured a 14-minute scoring drought, helping extend its winless start in conference play to seven games. There are not a lot of bright spots around this Colorado team at the moment.

Big 12 Men's Basketball Wednesday's Results:

No. 12 Kansas 74, TCU 61

Hunter Dickinson scored 16 points, leading five Kansas players in double figures as the 12th-ranked Jayhawks rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat TCU 74-61 on Wednesday night.

AJ Storr contributed 12 points and sparked a 14-2 run with a key stepback jumper. Flory Bidunga had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks for his first career double-double.

Noah Reynolds led TCU with 14 points. It was a disappointing ending for the Frogs in a game that started off with such promise.

Jan 22, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA;  Kansas Jayhawks guard Shakeel Moore (0) dunks the ball against TCU Horned Frogs guard
Jan 22, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Shakeel Moore (0) dunks the ball against TCU Horned Frogs guard Noah Reynolds (21) during the second half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images / Chris Jones-Imagn Images

No. 7 Houston 70, Utah 36

Houston extended its win streak to 11 with a dominant 70-36 victory over Utah. Milos Uzan led the Cougars with 14 points while L.J. Cryer added 13. Houston improved to 33 straight home wins. It is a monumental task to beat Houston on its home floor.

Meanwhile, Utah shot just 30% from the field, including 5 of 17 from beyond the arc, snapping its three-game winning streak.

Baylor 70, Kansas State 62

VJ Edgecombe scored 20 of his career-high 30 points in the second half, helping Baylor rally for a 70-62 win over Kansas State. Down by 12, Baylor responded with a 19-5 run, including key 3-pointers by Jalen Celestine, who finished with 18 points.

Kansas State closed the gap to one, but Baylor extended its lead late. It was an important win for the Bears, but another crushing loss for Kansas State. The Wildcats' 1-6 conference record is not what they had in mind at the start of the year.


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Tanner Johnson
TANNER JOHNSON

Tanner Johnson is an accomplished sports writer and journalist with extensive experience covering a wide range of collegiate and professional sports. He brings a well-rounded perspective to his national reporting, drawing on his knowledge of teams from across the country. Tanner has provided in-depth coverage of teams such as the Tennessee Titans, Tennessee Volunteers, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Arkansas Razorbacks, Florida State Seminoles, and TCU Horned Frogs. His experience spans various sports, including football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, and track and field; reflecting his broad interest and commitment to sports journalism.