Big 12 Basketball Rankings and Predictions

Headlined by the National Runner up Houston, this conference had numerous teams make runs in March last season. Teams like BYU have improved considerably by most predictions due to their addition of potential  #1 overall NBA Draft pick AJ Dybantsa. We’ll be giving our rankings and predictions for this season. 

1. Texas Tech - With returning Big 12 Player of the Year J.T. Toppin and coming off a year where they ranked 5th in KenPom offense, this team looks to potentially climb to the top of the Conference. They also return key guard Christian Anderson who was key during their Elite 8 run. Incoming transfers Lejuan Watts and Donovan Atwell can potentially fill in roles that can bring them back to that elite level of offense. Considering Houston has lost their leading scorer and also their leading rebounder, we think they may have a bit of a transition period compared to this program. 

2 - Houston - this team returns starters Milos Uzan, Emmanuel Sharp and Joseph Tugler all who played a huge part in their near Championship run just last season. Even after losing guard and leading scorer LJ Cryer and leading rebounder J’Wan Roberts, it's hard to pick against their consistently elite team defense ranking second in KenPom last year. The worry here is offensively where they finished just 12th and also had potential transfer guard Pop Isaacs decommit. Isaacs has March Madness experience that could have really helped Houston offensively. It’ll be interesting to see if their core can bring them back to the Final Four. 

3 - BYU - When you add the potential #1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft in Aj Dybantsa to a KenPom offense that finished 9th last season, it's likely going to make them even more equipped this year. They also return deep range specialist Richie Saunders and are coming off of a Sweet 16 run, the best run since 2011. 

4 - Kansas - they’ve added the #1 overall prospect Darryn Peterson who has looked dominant during their most recent exhibition game. This could end up being a too low rating if he continues to be this great as the year continues. 

5 - Arizona - with returners Jaden Bradley and Tobe Awaka along with top 15 prospects Brayden Burries and Koa Peat, they hope to return to their 11th ranked KenPom offense and build on their Sweet 16 run last season. 

6 - Iowa State - they had a top 20 defense and offense last season and return forward Joshua Jefferson, Milan Momcilovic and guard Tamin Lipsey. 

7 - Kansas State - adding the AAC player of the year in PJ Haggerty, the country’s leading player in three pointers made in Abdi Bashir Jr., a player who has March Madness experience in Nate Johnson and a number of other highly sought after transfers gives this team enough to make a potential run in March. They’re only a few seasons removed from an Elite 8 appearance and arguably have an even more equipped team this time around.

8 - Baylor - a team that went 10-10 in conference last season will have a completely new roster this season with a number of transfers, can they get back to being a top 10 KenPom offense which they were just a few seasons ago? They added forward Michael Rataj who averaged 16 ppg at Oregon State and guard Obi Agbim who provided Wyoming 17 ppg last season.

9 - TCU - they went 9-11 in conference last season and hope Providence transfer Jayden Pierre who averaged 12 ppg and forward Brock Harding averaged 8 ppg for top 20 offense Iowa last year can help them get to a winning record. 

10 - Oklahoma State - they added the leading scorer in the nation last season in an 11 game sample in guard Anthony Roy along with Isaiah Coleman who provided Seton Hall 15 ppg last season. Their guards could carry them higher in the conference standings compared to their 7-13 finish last year. 

11 - Cincinnati - another team with a 7-13 finish last year in conference, has a 7’ 2 sophomore center in Moustapha Thiam and had a KenPom defense that ranked 22nd last year. 

12 - Utah - a team that finished 8-12 in conference last season was outside the top 75 KenPom offensively and defensively. They’ve added guard Terrence Brown who provided 20 ppg at Fairleigh Dickinson and guard Don McHenry who gave 17 ppg at Western Kentucky. 

13 - Colorado - they’ve added Barrington Hargress, a player who averaged 20 ppg at UC Riverside. They went a poor 3-17 last season in conference and hope they can greatly improve with new added transfer talent. 

14 - UCF - they went and added three players who averaged 13 ppg or more in their previous program including two from Milwaukee in guard Themus Fulks and forward Jamichael Stillwell. 

15 - West Virginia - a team that was 15th in KenPom defensive ranking but 134th offensively. They add tall guard Treysen Eaglestaff who provided North Dakota 18 ppg last season and guard Honor Huff who helped lead Chattanooga to the NIT Championship. 

16 - Arizona State - a team that was 4-16 in conference last season not great on either ends of the floor has added 4 transfers who averaged over 13 ppg last season. 

This is easily one of the most talented conferenced in the country once again and its likely going to be extremely close throughout. With such an elite offense that ranked 5th last season in KenPom, a ranking even higher than Purdue or Gonzaga and having returning conference Player of the Year J.T. Toppin, its hard to pick against Texas Tech as our pick. Considering Houston also has lost their leading scorer and their leading rebounder from last season we have to give the edge to Texas Tech here, a team that almost made it to the Final Four if it wasn't for eventual champion Florida. Guard Christian Anderson also now has tremendous experience in March considering they were shorthanded in last seasons run. Look for this program to likely dominate all year.