Team of the week

Christian Royston: Houston

Houston is the No. 1 team in the nation. The Cougars proved that as they took on the gauntlet and came out unscathed.

Although a home win and an overtime road win does not look insanely impressive on paper, the teams they took down is what speaks volumes. Houston made quick work of a hot top-10 Iowa State team before hitting the road and locking in to secure a win over a Baylor team that is just outside the top 10.

Having an undefeated week in the Big 12 is already hard to do, but being undefeated against two top-15 teams is even more difficult. Also given how tough it is to win on the road in the Big 12, as Houston is familiar with, the win over Baylor is enough to earn it team of the week.

With UConn and Purdue losing in recent weeks, Houston has sprinted to the top spot in the nation.

Logan Shanks: TCU

With the regular season coming to an end, the Horned Frogs have made a strong case to snag a top-four seed in the Big 12 Tournament and are getting hot at the right time. Although they split their games this past week, they looked solid in both affairs and are putting together a solid resume to end the season.

On the road against Texas Tech, a fellow contender for a pair of byes in the conference tournament, TCU traded shots back and forth throughout the game, ultimately resulting in a one-point loss. The Horned Frogs kept the turnovers low, which had been a problem for them in conference play, finishing with 12 in the late loss to the Red Raiders.

In need of a bounce-back game to stay relevant, TCU found that in a near 20-point victory at home against Cincinnati. After heading into halftime with a seven-point lead, the Horned Frogs outscored the Bearcats 36-25 in the second half in their third win in their last four outings.

The Horned Frogs have made their case as a contender in the Big 12 recently. They have come a long way since dropping a pair of games to Iowa State and Texas. While this seems to be the pattern for the Horned Frogs in recent years, ultimately resulting in early exits in March, you can’t count them out just yet.

Rankings

Royston

1. Houston (24-3, 11-3)
2. Iowa State (21-6, 10-4)
3. Kansas (21-6, 9-5)
4. TCU (19-8, 8-6)
5. Baylor (19-8, 8-6)
6. Texas Tech (19-8, 8-6)
7. Oklahoma (19-8, 7-7)
8. BYU (19-8, 7-7)
9. Texas (17-10, 6-8)
10. Kansas State (16-11, 6-8)
11. UCF (14-12, 5-9)
12. Cincinnati (16-11, 5-9)
13. West Virginia (9-18, 4-10)
14. Oklahoma State (12-15, 4-10)

Shanks

1. Houston (24-3,11-3)
2. Iowa State (21-6, 10-4)
3. Kansas (21-6, 9-5)
4. Baylor (19-8, 8-6)
5. Texas Tech (19-8, 8-6)
6. TCU (19-8, 8-6)
7. BYU (19-8, 7-7)
8. Oklahoma (19-8, 7-7)
9. Kansas State (16-11, 6-8)
10. Texas (17-10, 6-8)
11. UCF (14-12, 5-9)
12. Cincinnati (16-11, 5-9)
13. Oklahoma State (12-15, 4-10)
14. West Virginia (9-18, 4-10)

Ranking highlights

Royston

Not much has changed with the top of the rankings, but I did drop Baylor below TCU. Baylor dropped two games in the last week, although they were good losses, while TCU has been looking better and better. The Horned Frogs have proven they can compete on the road and even win, which is a valuable asset in the Big 12.

One big shift I had was Kansas State rising and Cincinnati falling. Cincinnati had a disastrous week, dropping a game at home to Oklahoma State and on the road to TCU. On the other hand, Kansas State has been surviving, which is all you can ask for in the Big 12.

I know I did put Oklahoma State above West Virginia in recent weeks, but since West Virginia gave Iowa State a run for its money at Hilton, I cannot overlook how good this Mountaineer team could potentially be. Since the team has become fully healthy and eligible to play, they have not looked as bad as their record shows. In the final weeks, I could see West Virginia pulling out a couple more wins.

Shanks

A pretty quiet week in the Big 12 all things considered. There were a couple near upsets, with Oklahoma edging out a win against the in-state rival Cowboys, and Houston staying on top with an overtime win against Baylor.

As we get closer to the Big 12 Tournament and March Madness, a couple of teams are starting to make a name for themselves and put them in contention for a Cinderella run. TCU and Kansas State are still question marks to me, as they have looked solid these last few weeks but have failed to look like they can compete with the top of the conference.

What will be exciting to see is the final weeks of the season leading up to the conference tournament. Who will grab the fourth seed is a mystery at this point. Houston, Kansas and Iowa State are basically locks at this point with a few others looking to grab the final spot for a bye in the first two rounds.

A few teams that I am still watching out for though are BYU, Oklahoma and Texas. BYU and Oklahoma have had points when they look like a solid team and could upset some teams down in Kansas City. You can never count Texas out, despite how they have looked all season, we have to remember they are the defending Big 12 champions.