The first week of Big 12 women’s basketball play is in the books.
Kansas State and TCU are still leading the pack, but Oklahoma State and Colorado are on the rise after making early statements.
Let’s get into this week’s conference power rankings:
1. Kansas State
Last week: 1
This week: at Houston (Wednesday)
No. 11 Kansas State (13-1, 1-0 Big 12) began conference play on Sunday with a 76-59 home win over Cincinnati. The Wildcats showed their stellar ball movement with Serena Sundell, who recorded 11 points and 11 assists, leading the way.
2. TCU
Last week: 3
This week: vs. Brown (Sunday); vs. Colorado (Wednesday)
No. 12 TCU (12-1, 1-0 Big 12) continued to light up the scoreboard in its 92-52 road win over UCF on Saturday. Madison Conner and Sedona Prince scored 24 points and 22 points, respectively, for the red-hot Horned Frogs.
3. Oklahoma State
Last week: 5
This week: at Baylor (Wednesday)
In what marked its biggest test yet this season, Oklahoma State (11-1, 1-0 Big 12) made a statement with its 81-75 home win over Iowa State on Saturday. The Cowgirls can score at will with their duo of Micah Gray and Anna Gret Asi, and they should be viewed as one of the top Big 12 title contenders.
4. West Virginia
Last week: 2
This week: vs. UCF (Wednesday)
No. 18 West Virginia (10-2, 0-1 Big 12) stumbled in its 65-60 road loss to Colorado on Saturday. All it took was a bad fourth quarter for the Mountaineers’ elite defense, which gave up 25 points and blew a 16-point lead.
5. Baylor
Last week: 6
This week: vs. Oklahoma State (Wednesday)
No. 23 Baylor (11-2, 1-0 Big 12) dominated in its 86-66 road win over Kansas on Saturday. The Bears have won seven straight games, and they’ll look to make another statement in a home game against Oklahoma State on Wednesday.
6. Colorado
Last week: 8
This week: at TCU (Wednesday)
Colorado (10-2, 1-0 Big 12) pulled off the upset of the week with its 65-60 home win over then-No. 14 West Virginia on Saturday. Frida Formann racked up a game-high 22 points, while Lior Garzon scored 12 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter.
7. Kansas
Last week: 4
This week: at Iowa State (Wednesday)
Kansas (10-2, 0-1 Big 12) struggled in its 86-66 home loss to then-No. 21 Baylor on Saturday. S’Mya Nichols scored 25 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field (57.1%), but the rest of the Jayhawks only went 11 for 44 (25%).
8. Utah
Last week: 7
This week: at Arizona (Tuesday)
Utah (10-2, 1-0 Big 12) earned a 102-82 home win over Arizona State on Saturday. The Utes shouldn’t be taken lightly in conference play as long as they have Gianna Kneepkens, who’s averaging 18.1 points per game on 42.5% shooting from deep.
9. Texas Tech
Last week: 11
This week: at Arizona State (Wednesday)
After getting outscored in the first quarter, Texas Tech (12-2, 1-0 Big 12) ultimately earned a 74-59 home win over Houston on Sunday. Ball control remains a concern for the Lady Raiders, who have committed a conference-high average of 17.9 turnovers this season.
10. Iowa State
Last week: 9
This week: vs. Kansas (Wednesday)
Iowa State (9-5, 0-1 Big 12) suffered an 81-75 road loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday. The Cyclones’ schedule has been brutal so far, and next up is a home game against a good Kansas team on Wednesday.
11. Arizona
Last week: 13
This week: vs. Utah (Tuesday)
Arizona (10-4, 1-0 Big 12) earned a 57-53 road win over BYU on Saturday. The deciding factor was the Wildcats’ dominance down low, where Breya Cunningham led the way by scoring a career-high 21 points.
12. BYU
Last week: 10
This week: at Cincinnati (Wednesday)
BYU (9-3, 0-1 Big 12) suffered a 57-53 home loss to BYU on Saturday. Delaney Gibb recorded 23 points and a career-high eight rebounds, but she was the only double-digit scorer for the Cougars.
13. Cincinnati
Last week: 12
This week: vs. BYU (Wednesday)
Cincinnati (8-3, 0-1 Big 12) suffered a 76-59 road loss to then-No. 12 Kansas State on Sunday. Jillian Hayes is averaging a team-high 16.4 points per game, but she has only scored a combined six points in her last two outings.
14. UCF
Last week: 14
This week: at West Virginia (Wednesday)
UCF (7-4, 0-1 Big 12) endured a 92-52 home loss to then-No. 12 TCU on Saturday. The Knights have lost four of their last five games, and next up is a tough road game against No 18. West Virginia.
15. Arizona State
Last week: 15
This week: vs. Pennsylvania (Monday); vs. Texas Tech (Wednesday)
Arizona State (5-7, 0-1 Big 12) suffered a 102-82 road loss to Utah on Saturday. The Sun Devils have allowed a conference-high 74.3 points per game, while no other team has allowed more than an average of 66 points.
16. Houston
Last week: 16
This week: vs. Kansas State (Wednesday)
Houston (4-8, 0-1 Big 12) left Lubbock with a 74-59 loss to Texas Tech on Sunday. The Cougars have only scored a conference-low 60.9 points per game, while every other team has scored an average of at least 67 points.