As the Big 12 regular season enters its final stretch, the Texas Tech Red Raiders find themselves in a tight spot. Ranked No. 16 nationally, they're in a battle to climb the conference standings with only a few games left. The Arizona Wildcats, however, are poised to take control, holding a solid lead over their closest competitors, Houston and Kansas.
Kansas recently secured a crucial victory over Houston, creating a tie for second place in the conference. This loss marks Houston's third consecutive defeat, raising questions about their momentum as the season winds down.
Here's a snapshot of the current Big 12 standings as Texas Tech gears up to face the Cincinnati Bearcats, a team that recently handed Kansas a significant 16-point loss:
Big 12 Basketball Standings:
- Arizona Wildcats - 25-2 overall, 12-2 Big 12
- Houston Cougars - 23-5 overall, 11-4 Big 12
- Kansas Jayhawks - 21-7 overall, 11-4 Big 12
- Iowa State Cyclones - 23-4 overall, 10-4 Big 12
- Texas Tech Red Raiders - 20-7 overall, 10-4 Big 12
- BYU Cougars - 20-7 overall, 8-6 Big 12
- UCF Knights - 19-7 overall, 8-6 Big 12
- TCU Horned Frogs - 17-10 overall, 7-7 Big 12
- West Virginia Mountaineers - 16-11 overall, 7-7 Big 12
- Cincinnati Bearcats - 15-12 overall, 7-7 Big 12
- Colorado Buffaloes - 15-12 overall, 5-9 Big 12
- Arizona State Sun Devils - 14-13 overall, 5-9 Big 12
- Oklahoma State Cowboys - 16-11 overall, 4-10 Big 12
- Baylor Bears - 14-13 overall, 4-10 Big 12
- Kansas State Wildcats - 11-16 overall, 2-12 Big 12
- Utah Utes - 10-17 overall, 2-12 Big 12
Though Texas Tech is tied for the fifth spot, the path to the top is a steep climb with limited games left. Yet, a victory against Cincinnati is crucial.
Not only does it impact their seeding in both the conference and NCAA tournaments, but it also helps maintain the momentum from their recent commanding win over Kansas State. With a showdown against Iowa State looming, every game counts for the Red Raiders.