Kellis Robinett's weekly Big 12 Report: Breaking down the league championship race

Kansas vaulted to the top of the Big 12 championship race with a 76-72 victory at Oklahoma on Saturday, but the competition is far from over.

The final three weeks of the regular season are sure to provide more fireworks as six teams within two games of first push for a league title.

The Jayhawks are the favorites to win at least a share of the crown for a 12th straight season, but West Virginia and Oklahoma are positioned to overtake them. Baylor, Iowa State and Texas aren’t far behind. No one is giving up.

“Our guys will fight back,” Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said. “They will compete. At this point of the course it is tough to lose to Kansas, but our guys understand you have to keep going.”

If the conference season has taught us anything, it’s that the current standings mean little.

At this time a month ago, Baylor was all alone in first and on a five-game winning streak. Kansas lagged behind after losing three straight road games by double digits. Today, the Bears are in a jumbled tie for fourth, fresh off a humbling 18-point loss at home to Texas Tech. The Jayhawks have won five straight to tie the Mountaineers atop the league standings.

Kansas State beat Oklahoma. Oklahoma State beat Kansas. TCU beat Texas. Texas Tech beat Iowa State. It sometimes feels as though these teams are playing poker instead of basketball, going from one game to the next with a newly shuffled deck. Anything can happen.

Remaining schedules could be the great equalizer.

Kansas appears to be playing the best basketball, but its closing slate is as difficult as anyone’s. The Jayhawks finish with important games at Kansas State, Baylor and Texas. They also host Iowa State. Running the table seems like unlikely.

West Virginia also closes against several fellow contenders, going to Texas and Baylor, while hosting Oklahoma and Iowa State.

Oklahoma’s next two games are on the road against Texas Tech and West Virginia. Lose either, and it’s hard to see the Sooners staying in the mix. Iowa State still has to go to Kansas and Baylor and West Virginia. Its margin for error is all but gone.

“In this league you have to always worry about the next game and worry about getting better,” Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said. “When we are right like we were the other night, we can be really good.”

Baylor and Texas benefit from the friendliest remaining schedules. Baylor hosts Iowa State, Kansas and West Virginia. Texas gets Kansas, Oklahoma and West Virginia at home. If either team can win their remaining home games, they will have a chance.

They may be currently chasing the Jayhawks and their 11-year streak on conference championships, but there is time to catch up.

“All of our goals are still right out there in front of us,” Texas coach Shaka Smart said. “Our guys understand that.”

Big 12 honors Graham

Kansas guard Devonte Graham was named Big 12 player of the week on Monday, after leading the Jayhawks with 27 points in a victory over Oklahoma.

Graham also played strong defense on OU guard Buddy Hield.

“Devonte played the best game of his young career,” KU coach Bill Self said. “Not only did he do a good job defending Buddy, he had enough left in the tank to help us score near the end of the game when we had some makeshift lineups on the floor. We definitely wouldn’t have won that game without him.”

Power rankings

1. Kansas (21-4, 9-3): Jayhawks back in their usual spot — the driver’s seat.

2. West Virginia (20-5, 9-3): Winning by 31 is impressive, even against TCU.

3. Oklahoma (20-4, 8-4): Sooners probably need to win twice on the road this week to stay in the hunt.

4. Iowa State (18-7, 7-5): Cyclones are all over the place. Great one night. Lousy the next.

5. Texas (16-9, 7-5): Early losses to TCU, Texas Tech haunting Longhorns in title chase.

6. Baylor (18-7, 7-5): Bears lost to Texas Tech by 18 at home as a double-digit favorite.

7. Texas Tech (15-9, 5-7): Red Raiders can make NCAA Tournament with a strong finish.

8. Kansas State (14-11, 3-9): Luster from the Oklahoma win is long gone.

9. Oklahoma State (12-13, 3-9): Is Travis Ford on the heat seat?

10. TCU (11-14, 2-10): Trent Johnson’s team occasionally tough at home. Never on the road.

This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Kellis Robinett's weekly Big 12 Report: Breaking down the league championship race."