Texas Tech is 19-0. Honestly, if you had that on your 2026 bingo card back in November, you’re either a genius or a liar. But that’s exactly where we are with women’s Big 12 basketball right now. The league has transformed into this massive, 16-team gauntlet where the traditional hierarchy isn’t just being challenged—it’s being shoved into a locker.
The move to 16 teams was supposed to make the Big 12 a "power conference," but it’s actually made it a nightly survival horror game for top seeds. You’ve got the newcomers from the Pac-12—Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State—trying to figure out why they have to fly to Morgantown or Ames on a Tuesday. Meanwhile, the old guard is just trying to protect their home court.
The Texas Tech Perfection Nobody Saw Coming
Let’s talk about the Lady Raiders. Most people sort of overlooked them during the preseason, focusing instead on the star power at Iowa State or the championship pedigree at Baylor. Big mistake.
Texas Tech is currently the only undefeated team in the conference, sitting at a perfect 19-0 overall and 6-0 in league play. Bailey Maupin has been playing like she’s possessed. Just last week, she dragged her team to back-to-back road wins over West Virginia and Cincinnati.
Check out these numbers:
- Maupin dropped 27 on the Mountaineers.
- She followed that up with 17 against the Bearcats.
- She’s basically the frontrunner for Big 12 Player of the Year at this point.
What’s wild is that the Lady Raiders aren't just winning; they’re winning in places they haven't touched in a decade. That win in Morgantown? Their first since 2015. The win over Cincinnati? Their first in program history.
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The Messy Middle and the "New" Rivalries
If Texas Tech is the ceiling, the rest of the conference is a crowded elevator. TCU is right on their heels at 17-1. Mark Campbell has turned that program around so fast it’ll give you whiplash. Having a guard like Olivia Miles—the Notre Dame transfer—running the point makes everything look easy. Her vision is sort of like a quarterback's. She’s always on time and usually on target.
But then you look at women’s Big 12 basketball standings and see Iowa State at 14-3 but only 2-3 in the conference. How does that happen?
Simple. They hit a wall.
The Cyclones lost three straight to Baylor, Cincinnati, and West Virginia. It’s a reminder that even if you have a superstar like Audi Crooks—who is literally averaging 28.3 points per game—you can still get picked off if your defense isn't locked in.
Why the standings are a nightmare:
- Texas Tech is 6-0 (The clear outlier).
- TCU and Baylor are both 5-1.
- Oklahoma State, West Virginia, and Utah are all 4-2.
It’s basically a toss-up every single night.
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The Arizona Schools and the "Valley" Vibes
Arizona’s transition into the Big 12 hasn't been a cakewalk. Becky Burke finally got her first conference win against BYU recently (75-72), but then they turned around and dropped a heartbreaker to UCF.
It’s a different kind of physical in this league. In the old Pac-12, it was about speed and spacing. In the Big 12, it's about whether or not you can handle a 6'3" center leaning on you for 40 minutes in a gym that smells like popcorn and intensity.
Arizona State is actually faring a bit better at 16-2 overall. They’ve managed to stay quiet while racking up wins, but their schedule is about to get significantly meaner.
Audi Crooks is Not From This Planet
We have to spend a second on Audi Crooks. If you aren't watching her play, you’re missing out on the most efficient offensive force in the country. She’s shooting over 50% from the field.
Think about that.
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Every other time she touches the ball, it’s two points. Bill Fennelly has built the entire Iowa State offense around her gravity. When she’s on the floor, the defense has to collapse, which should open up shots for Addy Brown and Jada Williams. Lately, those shots haven't been falling, which explains the Cyclones' recent slide. But nobody wants to see them in the conference tournament in March.
What to Watch For Next
The next two weeks are going to decide who actually has a shot at the regular-season title. We have some massive matchups coming up that will probably break the internet (or at least Big 12 Twitter).
- January 18: Oklahoma State at Iowa State. This is a "must-win" for the Cyclones to stop the bleeding.
- January 24: Texas Tech at Utah. The ultimate test for the undefeated Lady Raiders. Can they handle the altitude and the Utes' defense?
- February 12: TCU at Baylor. This is the one everyone has circled. Cross-town-ish rivals fighting for top-two positioning.
Honestly, the biggest misconception about women’s Big 12 basketball is that there’s a "safe" game on the schedule. There isn't. Even the teams at the bottom, like Cincinnati or Kansas, have shown they can knock off a Top 25 opponent on any given Wednesday.
If you're looking for a safe bet, don't look here. This conference is a beautiful, high-scoring mess, and it’s arguably the most entertaining brand of basketball in the country right now.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans:
- Watch the Road Record: In the Big 12, winning on the road is the only metric that matters for NCAA seeding. Keep an eye on Texas Tech's away games.
- Follow the Freshman: Jaliya Davis at Kansas is the real deal. She’s won Freshman of the Week back-to-back for a reason.
- Check the Net: The Big 12 usually gets 6-8 teams into the big dance. Watch the NET rankings closely as February approaches to see who's on the bubble.
Get your tickets now, or at least make sure your streaming login works. This season is only getting weirder.