Big 12 men’s basketball power rankings entering conference play

The Wildcats are off to a rocky start in head coach Jerome Tang’s third season. Three straight losses to St. John’s, Drake and Wichita State have K-State desperately needing a turnaround if it intends to return to the Elite 8.

Next game: Dec. 30 vs. No. 17 Cincinnati Bearcats, 5 p.m. MT (CBS Sports Network)

Fortune has favored the Utes with eight wins in 11 contests, though with a pillow-soft schedule that may leave their most impressive win being over Queens. Senior guard Gabe Madsen has carried much of the scoring load and will need to continue if Utah wants to compete.

Next game: Dec. 31 at No. 25 Baylor Bears, noon MT (ESPN+)

The Cowboys may be overachieving thus far, with solid wins over the Seton Hall Pirates and Miami Hurricanes and admirable performances despite losses to the Florida Atlantic Owls and Oklahoma Sooners. However, eked-out victories over the Tarleton State Texans and Southern Illinois Salukis leave much to be desired.

Next game: 12/30 vs. No. 15. Houston Cougars, 6 p.m. MT (ESPN+)

Consistency across the board will be key if the Horned Frogs want to be anything more than a middle-of-the-pack unit. TCU took down a Xavier Musketeers team whose only other losses thus far are to ranked opponents but stumbles against the Colorado State Rams and Santa Clara Broncos sour trust in head coach Jamie Dixon’s Horned Frogs squad.

Next game: Dec. 30 at Arizona Wildcats, 6 p.m. MT (ESPN+)

The Knights opened their season with a bang, upsetting the then-No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies and rolling through their nonconference slate’s homestretch. However, it may be tricky to envision UCF playing itself into the upper echelon of the Big 12 due to its inexperience.

Next game: Dec. 31 at Texas Tech Red Raiders, noon MT (ESPN+)

The Buffs have perhaps the most stunning win of any team in the conference this season, taking down the UConn Huskies in the Maui Invitational last month. However, head coach Tad Boyle’s group sometimes struggled to take care of business handily despite its homecourt advantage.

Next game: Dec. 30 vs. No. 3 Iowa State Cyclones, 7 p.m. MT (CBS Sports Network)

The Wildcats’ placement may be due to past performance, but this is a unit that needs to get itself together to avoid what could be a major collapse. Arizona is 0-5 against Power Five competition this season, including losses to the UCLA Bruins and West Virginia Mountaineers.

Next game: Dec. 30 vs. TCU Horned Frogs, 6 p.m. MT (ESPN+)

The Red Raiders somewhat coasted through a middling nonconference schedule, suffering a reality check loss to Saint Joseph’s on Nov. 21 but later recovering to take care of the Syracuse Orange and DePaul Blue Demons. TTU destroyed the vast majority of its mid-major competition and could be a dark horse to compete at the top of the Big 12.

Next game: Dec. 31 vs. UCF Knights, noon MT (ESPN+)

Despite being walloped by the Duke Blue Devils in a preseason exhibition, ASU looks the best thus far among its Big 12 newcomers. Its only losses have come to the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Florida Gators.

Next game: Dec. 31 at BYU Cougars, 2 p.m. MT (ESPN2)

Plenty of intrigue has surrounded this remodeled BYU bunch over the past several months, and its nonconference slate may be exactly what it needed to tune up for the harsh Big 12 winter. Dismal defeats to the Providence Friars and Ole Miss Rebels were mixed with an impressive win over the North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Next game: Dec. 31 vs. Arizona State Sun Devils, 2 p.m. MT (ESPN2)

The Bearcats have one blemish to their season thus far, a road loss to the Villanova Wildcats, but this group may not quite have the talent to compete in the upper crust of the conference. They may be ones to play a nip-and-tuck style already with close wins over Xavier and the Dayton Flyers, but it’s yet to be seen if Cincy can survive consistent tightrope walks.

Next game: Dec. 30 at Kansas State Wildcats, 5 p.m. MT (CBS Sports Network)

The Mountaineers are the biggest surprise of the conference thus far, rattling off impressive victories over the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Arizona, though they suffered stumbles against ACC foes in the Pittsburgh Panthers and Louisville Cardinals. WVU gets a big test to open Big 12 play, traveling to Allen Fieldhouse to face the Kansas Jayhawks.

Next game: Dec. 31 at No. 7 Kansas Jayhawks, noon MT (ESPN+)

Houston was tested early but failed to pass most of them, falling to the Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide in November. However, the Cougs were competitive in all their losses, with advanced metrics still in their favor. This unit could easily be back in the top three in short order.

Next game: Dec. 30 at Oklahoma State Cowboys, 6 p.m. MT (ESPN+)

Baylor faced a formidable nonconference schedule and emerged on the right foot, with two ranked wins against the Arkansas Razorbacks and St. John’s. Head coach Scott Drew has a disciplined group with one nonconference game remaining before its Big 12 journey.

Next game: Dec. 27 vs. Arlington Baptist Patriots, 5 p.m. MT (ESPN+)

The Jayhawks looked as powerful as advertised to start their campaign but inexplicably lost two straight to the Creighton Blue Jays and Missouri Tigers in early December. If this unit can stay healthy, Kansas will be a force. It also owns big wins over fellow blue-bloods in the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels.

Next game: Dec. 31 vs. West Virginia Mountaineers, noon MT (ESPN+)

What separates the Cylones from the rest of the pack is their advanced metrics combined with quality wins over Dayton, the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road. ISU is inches from being unbeaten, with their only loss being by two points against Auburn.