{"id":130972,"date":"2026-01-20T22:14:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T22:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/130972\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T22:14:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T22:14:12","slug":"big-12-womens-basketball-power-rankings-for-jan-20-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/130972\/","title":{"rendered":"Big 12 Women\u2019s Basketball Power Rankings for Jan. 20, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Big 12 women\u2019s basketball season no longer has an undefeated team. Texas Tech<\/a> fell on Saturday, ending their 19-game winning streak to start the season.<\/p>\n

How does that change this week\u2019s power rankings? How does TCU<\/a>\u2019s loss to Ohio State change the rankings? What about Iowa State\u2019 five-game losing streak? A lot of questions to answer. But, there is now a new \u201chottest team in the conference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are this week\u2019s power rankings.<\/p>\n

Tier 1 Big 12 Women\u2019s Basketball Rankings<\/p>\n

1. Baylor (17-3, 6-1) \u2014 (Last ranking: 2)<\/p>\n

2. TCU (18-2, 6-1) \u2014 (Last ranking: 3)<\/p>\n

3. Texas Tech (19-1, 6-1) \u2014 (Last ranking: 1)<\/p>\n

Baylor<\/a> is now the hottest team in the conference, as the Bears have won six straight since their conference-opening loss to Texas Tech in December. Baylor doesn\u2019t get another shot at Tech until February, but combined with the Lady Raiders\u2019 first loss of the season to Kansas State, and TCU\u2019s loss to Ohio State on Monday, the Bears slide up to the top for now. It\u2019s a good example of why quality teams like Baylor don\u2019t panic after a loss.<\/p>\n

To sort TCU and Tech, I had to look at the opponent. TCU lost to a Top 25 team and Texas Tech lost to a .500 team in conference play. I don\u2019t like the \u201cgood loss\/bad loss\u201d lexicon, but the quality of the opponent is what nudges the Horned Frogs over the Lady Raiders for now. Maddie Scherr didn\u2019t play on Monday after landing on her back in TCU\u2019s last Big 12 game, so her status is worth monitoring.<\/p>\n

As for Texas Tech, the trip to Utah this week is critical. Coach Krista Gerlich wants to see her team bounce back against BYU and Utah. I covered their game with Kansas State, and it was an off-day, performance wise. Now we see how the Lady Raiders adjust.<\/p>\n

Tier 2<\/p>\n

4. West Virginia (15-4, 5-2) \u2014 (Last ranking: 4)<\/p>\n

5. Utah (14-5, 5-2) \u2014 (Last ranking: 5)<\/p>\n

6. Oklahoma State (16-4, 5-2) \u2014 (Last ranking: 6)<\/p>\n

7. Arizona State (17-2, 4-2) \u2014 (Last ranking: 8)<\/p>\n

We have quality, NCAA Tournament-bound teams on this tier. The only thing keeping them from Tier 1 is two league losses for each team. It\u2019s worth noting that every team has a loss to a Top 25 Big 12 team. The only one without a win over a ranked Big 12 team is Arizona State, which is why, for the moment, the Sun Devils bring up the rear of this tier. Coach Molly Miller and ASU get their next chance on Wednesday against West Virginia. It\u2019s a tough one in Morgantown for both teams.<\/p>\n

I expect all four of these teams to have 20 wins by the Big 12 Tournament, which is the magic number for reaching postseason play, most likely the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n

Tier 3<\/p>\n

8. BYU (14-4, 3-3) \u2014 (Last ranking: 7)<\/p>\n

9. Kansas State (10-9, 3-3) \u2014 (Last ranking: 11)<\/p>\n

10. Colorado (12-7, 3-4) \u2014 (Last ranking: 10)<\/p>\n

11. Iowa State (14-5, 2-5) \u2014 (Last ranking: 9)<\/p>\n

BYU has been alternating between wins and losses since conference play began. But how the Cougars handle the next four games may determine whether they make the NCAA Tournament \u2014 home against Texas Tech and West Virginia, a road trip to Oklahoma State and a home game against Utah to end January. Ten days to punch a ticket for March Madness? That might be the case for BYU.<\/p>\n

Kansas State gets a bump after going into Lubbock and beating Texas Tech. Colorado holds steady despite its most recent loss and Iowa State plummets further as the Cyclones are on a five-game losing streak. Iowa State gets a rematch with Cincinnati and then faces Arizona this week, both at home. Winning both games is essential.<\/p>\n

Tier 4<\/p>\n

12. Cincinnati (7-12, 2-5) \u2014 (Last ranking: 13)<\/p>\n

13. UCF (10-8, 2-5) \u2014 (Last ranking: 15)<\/p>\n

14. Kansas (11-8, 1-6) \u2014 (Last ranking: 12)<\/p>\n

15. Arizona (10-7, 1-5) \u2014 (Last ranking: 14)<\/p>\n

16. Houston (6-12, 0-7) \u2014 (Last ranking: 16)<\/p>\n

The team that really surprises me on this tier is Kansas. Coach Brandon Schneider put together one of the most talented recruiting classes in the conference before this season and had three quality holdovers including S\u2019mya Nichols. But nothing has come together. It\u2019s to the point where one must question whether Schneider will be back next season, as Kansas is pointed toward a second straight season missing the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n