Arizona (11-2, 17-7)

Arizona is entering a critical phase of its season. Coming off a loss at Kansas State, Tommy Lloyd’s team faces No. 6 Houston in Tucson and then goes on the road to play Baylor.

The Wildcats have not posted back-to-back losses since November and the crowd at McKale Center will be electric.

But there’s a risk that the Cats could lose to both Houston and Baylor.

At a minimum, Arizona’s margins have been narrowed because of injuries to several contributors.

BYU (7-6, 16-8)

BYU’s blowout loss to Cincinnati was quickly overcome by a road win at West Virginia. Getting the split on the Rust Belt road trip keeps BYU on the right side of the Bubble.

But the situation remains tenuous. A homestand with the Kansas schools is up next.

Wins against either Kansas State or Kansas would be respected. If the Cougars find a way to sweep KSU and KU, then they could be viewed as a lock for the NCAA Tournament.

Utah (5-8, 13-11)

Utah still can’t win on the road. The Utes have always struggled to win away from Salt Lake City and this year is no different.

The defeats last week to West Virginia and Cincinnati were par for the course. Utah is now 1-6 on the road in Big 12 games and might have hit its ceiling.

But the perceptions can easily change with upset wins at home. This week, Kansas and Kansas State come to the Huntsman Center.

Arizona State (3-10, 12-12)

Taking Texas Tech to double overtime in Lubbock gained Bobby Hurley some respect.

The way the Sun Devils played in that game was impressive and could be a sign that ASU is starting to trend in the right direction.

Arizona State may be 3-10 in the Big 12, but the roster is talented and capable of beating anyone in the Conference.

Saturday’s game against TCU in Tempe is a “must-win” for the Sun Devils to build momentum heading into March.

Colorado (0-13, 19-15 )

The Buffs face UCF in Boulder on Saturday. The matchup with the Knights might be CU’s best chance of getting a win in Conference play.

After that, Tad Boyle’s team faces Iowa State, Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, and Texas Tech before closing the year out against TCU at home.

But forget the losing streak. And forget the brutal upcoming schedule. Colorado can beat UCF this weekend and end its 0-13 nightmare.

Houston (12-1, 20-4)

The Cougars face Arizona in Tucson for one of the Big 12’s top games of the season.

In sole possession of first place in the league’s standings, beating the Wildcats at McKale Center would reinforce the perception that Houston runs the Conference.

A defeat, on the other hand, would re-energize the race for the Regular Season Championship.

Tipping off at Noon local time, the environment will be hostile and influence the game. The question is: How does Houston handle it?

Texas Tech (10-3, 19-5)

There are no games off in the Big 12.

The Red Raiders probably overlooked Arizona State and were lucky to come away with the win.

But the double overtime victory acted as a useful reality check to keep the roster focused.

Every game from here until the end of the season should be treated like a Tournament game. Facing Oklahoma State and TCU on the road this week, Texas Tech should go 2-0.

Iowa State (9-4, 19-5)

The Cyclones are back on track with back-to-back double-digit wins over TCU and UCF.

Milan Momcilovic’s return from injury has been key. He scored 14 points against the Horned Frogs in his first game back since January 11th.

Moving forward, Iowa State is a different team than it was for the last month of Big 12 play. It will probably take some more time for Momcilovic to get back up to his normal self.

But with March right around the corner, the timing couldn’t be better.

Kansas (8-5, 17-7)

Kansas has five losses in the Big 12 and is fifth in the Conference standings.

But despite going 3-3 over their last six games, the Jayhawks are still ranked in the AP Top 25. The poll may be meaningless but it indicates the power a brand has.

Generally, more powerful brands get better seeding in the NCAA Tournament and are treated with favoritism.

As one of the true “Blue Bloods” in College Basketball, Kansas is a direct beneficiary of its own image.

The road trip to the Utah schools will show what this team is really made of.