TCU had a chance to really shake up the Big 12 standings Monday night. Instead, the Frogs laid enough bricks from the free throw line to finish renovating the Greek life buildings on campus. So we march on, seemingly resigned to a mid-table finish, as Kansas can once again set its sights on making a late run and stealing a Big 12 title out from everyone’s noses. The more things change, the more they stay the same, et cetera, ad nauseam. Whatever. To the standings! We’ll switch it up from our normal alphabetical order and instead look at the teams in their current order. Kansas State (18-5, 8-2 Big 12): The Wildcats won both games on their schedule last week, including a rollicking 74-67 win at home over Kansas that solidified KSU’s spot atop the conference standings. Kansas State followed that up by beating Baylor on the road by seven. The Wildcats will play Texas on the road, Iowa State at home and West Virginia away this week. I have no jokes here — I’m honestly impressed that Kansas State hasn’t regressed after its Elite Eight run last season. The Wildcats can beat anyone on any given night, and there’s a reason they’re leading the Big 12 right now. Must be nice! Kansas (19-6, 8-4 Big 12): Yeah, yeah, we know, no need to dwell on it. The Jayhawks also picked up a win over Oklahoma State last week, for the record. Kansas will play West Virginia at home Saturday — that game should be a walk in the park, although WVU beat the Jayhawks earlier this year. KU then has a week off before massive games at Texas Tech and at home against Kansas State. Texas Tech (19-5, 7-4 Big 12): Tech took care of business in its lone game since the most recent edition of this column. The Red Raiders beat Oklahoma on the road, 66-54, and have a manageable game Wednesday at Oklahoma State before gearing up for a home game against Baylor Saturday. Tech is a good team. I’m not sure how the Red Raiders are ranked No. 15 in the country, because I don’t think they’re that good, but clearly AP voters know something I don’t. (Note: I am ready and willing to fill out a ballot, AP, all you gotta do is ask.) Iowa State (18-6, 7-4 Big 12): The Cyclones played just one game in the last seven days, which they lost at home to TCU. Losing at home in the Big 12 is a grave disaster; losing to TCU, which admittedly has a crippling inability to play on the road, is an even worse sign. Iowa State has just one game this week, as well, at Kansas State on Saturday. They Cyclones need to win that game if they want to have any sort of prayer at making a run at a regular season title. Baylor (16-8, 7-4 Big 12): Come on, Baylor. I was saying nice things about you in the last edition, and then you go and lose to Texas and Kansas State in back to back games. Only a win over Oklahoma salvaged what was a pretty awful week for the Bears. (editor’s note: nice job on the reverse jinx, Grant!) Baylor’s not out of the Big 12 title race yet, although it might be after this week. The Bears have back-to-back games on the road against Texas Tech (Saturday) and Iowa State (next Tuesday). Good luck with that, y’all. Texas (14-10, 6-5 Big 12): The Longhorns earned a big win Wednesday against Baylor before dispatching West Virginia with ease on Saturday. Texas might not make the NCAA Tournament, and simultaneously might finish in the top half of the conference. Your guess is as good as mine. The Longhorns host Kansas State tonight and have another home game against Oklahoma State Saturday. TCU (17-7, 5-6 Big 12): Everything was going right for TCU, until it wasn’t. The Frogs survived a scare against Oklahoma State Wednesday before marching into Ames and knocking off the Cyclones. The campus was jacked up for Big Monday against Kansas, TCU got off to a quick 7-0 lead, and for moment it seemed like the Jamie Dixon Era was about to reach its apex. Then, you know, overtime happened and all that. The Frogs have four games in a row that are must-wins, starting with a home game against Oklahoma Saturday and a road contest at Oklahoma State Monday. Games against Iowa State and West Virginia follow. It’s put up or shut up time. Oklahoma (15-10, 3-9 Big 12): As the kids say — yikes! Oklahoma has lost five straight games, including contests against Texas Tech and Baylor in the last week. The Sooners are collapsing, and a road game against TCU won’t make things easier on Saturday. Luckily, they’ll have another whole week to regroup before playing Texas later this month. Trae Young dragging this team to the tournament last year looks even more amazing in hindsight. Oklahoma State (9-14, 2-8 Big 12): Poor Oklahoma State. The Cowboys can still compete with most teams, as evidenced by their two-point loss at TCU. But the consistency and the finishing just isn’t there, and OSU hasn’t won a conference game since beating West Virginia on Jan. 12. This week, the Cowboys have to play Texas Tech at home Wednesday, Texas away Saturday and TCU in Stillwater on Monday. It’s not looking good. West Virginia (10-14, 2-9 Big 12): In the past seven days, the Mountaineers have lost two games by a combined 55 points and dismissed two starters in Esa Ahmad and Wes Harris for rule violations. Bob Huggins needs a nap, is what I’m saying. And now West Virginia plays Kansas on the road and Kansas State at home this week, to add insult to injury. Sending thoughts to the good people of Morgantown.<doc-sep>There was a moment Monday night, while Kansas was going back and forth with TCU, when ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla promised that if the Jayhawks could somehow secure this road victory they would ultimately capture at least a share of their 15th consecutive Big 12 title despite losing Udoka Azubuike and Silvio De Sousa for the season, and Legerald Vick for an indefinite amount of time. Final score: Kansas 82, TCU 77 in overtime. So now the Jayhawks are 19-6 overall, 8-4 in the conference and, for what it's worth, projected by KenPom to finish tied with Kansas State and Texas Tech atop the Big 12 even though they're currently two games back of Bruce Weber's Wildcats in the loss column of the conference standings. In other words, it's been a bumpier-than-usual road. But, like Fraschillia said, Kansas is still on pace to collect another trophy just like it always does. KU is No. 13 in Tuesday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. The Jayhawks are one of four Big 12 schools included -- with the others being No. 14 Texas Tech, No. 21 Kansas State and No. 24 Iowa State. Tennessee remains No. 1 for the 52nd consecutive morning. Tuesday's Top 25 And 1<doc-sep>
Midway through the 2018-19 Big 12 Basketball season, no team has fewer than two losses. What are the key takeaways up to this point? Who exactly is the favorite to win the Big 12 Basketball Regular Season title this season? This question was being asked last year when it felt like several teams could dethrone Kansas and end the streak. But this time around, the Jayhawks truly are vulnerable. They don’t have Udoka Azubuike for the rest of the season with an injury, while Silvio De Sousa is officially out due to NCAA violations. One big difference with this Kansas team is that they’re being led by freshmen guards, rather than Big 12 Player of the Year caliber perimeter stars. Other teams have sensed the Jayhawks’ weakness, including rival Kansas State. They went through a rut when star forward Dean Wade was hurt but the Wildcats are now tied with Baylor for first place at 6-2. Texas and TCU’s inconsistencies have each of them under .500 at the moment in the Big 12 and are squarely on the bubble. Two teams who are under .500 on the season are West Virginia and Oklahoma State, each looking to play spoiler the rest of the way for a bubble team who can’t afford a loss to them. All of these teams have shown the ability to win – and lose to one another. But this past week’s results cast a light on some Big 12 teams both good and bad. Here are some key takeaways from the conference that’ll have an impact later on.