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Conference play starts next weekend, so here’s the final rankings before then.
1) Kansas- The Jayhawks need much better shooting to win a national championship. But with Udoka Azubuike set to come back, they should win yet another Big 12 title.
2) Texas Tech- They played Duke well for 35 minutes. Chris Beard has a good case for national coach of the year.
3) TCU- Jamie Dixon might have been the only coach capable of turning things around this quickly at TCU.
4) Oklahoma- Maybe this is too high for the Sooners, but they have the third best resume in the league.
5) Iowa State- Credit to the Cyclones for not falling apart without Lindell Wigginton. KenPom loves this team.
6) Kansas State- The Wildcats have been the most disappointing team in the league. They need to survive without Dean Wade, then hope to make a run in March.
7) West Virginia- These rankings are predictive, so that’s why the Mountaineers remain ahead of the Longhorns. Bob Huggins could use Sagaba Konate back.
8) Texas- Shaka Smart continues to underachieve. This team—like all of Smart’s teams—should be better on offense.
9) Baylor- Make more open threes. If the Bears can do that, they can still have a fine season. If not, they’ll move to 10th on the list.
10) Oklahoma State- This isn’t a terrible team, but they look like the worst team in the conference.