I bleed Big 12 basketball. The conference put seven teams into the NCAA Tournament last season, with four making the Sweet 16, and the Houston Cougars went all the way to the National Championship, only to lose to Florida. This league has been dominated by the Kansas Jayhawks since Bill Self took over, but since joining, Kelvin Sampson has had a stranglehold on the conference. Let’s get into our Big 12 basketball preview and see if the Cougars can three-peat as regular season champions.
Kelvin Sampson and Houston lost last year’s National Championship
Big 12 Basketball History
Past 10 Big 12 Regular Season Champions
- 2025: Houston Cougars (Big 12 Tournament Champs)
- 2024: Houston Cougars
- 2023: Kansas Jayhawks
- 2022: Kansas Jayhawks & Baylor Bears (Kansas: Big 12 Tournament Champs)
- 2021: Baylor Bears
- 2020: Kansas Jayhawks
- 2019: Texas Tech Red Raiders & Kansas State Wildcats
- 2018: Kansas Jayhawks (Big 12 Tournament Champs)
- 2017: Kansas Jayhawks
- 2016: Kansas Jayhawks (Big 12 Tournament Champs)
Although the conference is known for beating up on each other in both basketball and football, there still seems to be some familiar faces on top at the end of each season. The Cougars certainly have the firepower to repeat as conference champions, and according to the oddsboard, might find themselves back in the national title game.
Big 12 Basketball Betting Odds
Milos Uzan and Houston look to get back to the National Championship
Odds to Win the NCAA Basketball National Championship (Big 12 Schools)
Odds are courtesy of BetOnline as of October 30, 2025 at 4:42 p.m. eastern. Use Promo Code BNBOL55 for an instant 55% deposit bonus in your account.
- Houston Cougars +900
- BYU Cougars +2200
- Texas Tech Red Raiders +2200
- Kansas Jayhawks +3000
- Arizona Wildcats +4000
- Iowa State Cyclones +4500
The next teams listed are the Baylor Bears at 80-1, who return absolutely nobody from the previous season, and the Kansas State Wildcats at 150-1, led by exciting transfer PJ Haggerty. Houston is the second overall team on the board, trailing only the Purdue Boilermakers who return plenty of talent.
Odds to Win the Big 12 Regular Season
- Houston Cougars +140
- BYU Cougars +400
- Texas Tech Red Raiders +450
- Kansas Jayhawks +750
- Arizona Wildcats +800
- Iowa State Cyclones +900
There’s a bit of a drop off after those six schools. The Baylor Bears come next at 25-1, followed by the Cincinnati Bearcats at 45-1. After that, we have three teams all priced at 75-1 to win the Big 12: the West Virginia Mountaineers, the TCU Horned Frogs, and the Kansas State Wildcats. Lastly, Oklahoma State is 150-1, while Utah, UCF, Arizona State and Colorado bring up the rear, all priced at 200-1 to win the conference.
Big 12 Team Previews and Predictions
Let’s get to know the relevant teams in this conference.
No. 1 Houston Cougars
Houston is a title contender this season. Milos Uzan withdrew from the NBA draft to return to the Cougars, along with sharp shooter (pun intended) Emanuel Sharp, and Joseph Tugler, who was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year last season. Add in freshman sensation Chris Cenac Jr., and Houston remains the team to beat in this conference, by a landslide.
Sharp and Uzan combined for 24 points and 2.3 steals per game last year, each adding three boards, with Uzan also suppling over 4.3 assists. Each guard shot over 40.5% from beyond the arc and 78% from the free throw line in what is a very efficient offense. With even bigger roles, expect that backcourt to lead the Cougars again this year.
JT Toppin could win a second Big 12 Player of the Year award
No. 2 Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech returns JT Toppin, the Big 12 Player of the Year last season, who will likely win that award again this year. Toppin nearly averaged a double double with 18.2 points and 9.4 boards. Christian Anderson will be the lead guard, going for 10.6 points, three boards and 2.2 assists. Despite losing Darrion Williams and Kevin Overton, they added Donovan Atwell who was a double digit scorer and started all 64 games the past two years at UNC-Greensboro.
If anyone can take down Houston, it’s the Red Raiders.
No. 3 BYU Cougars
The talk of BYU is freshman AJ Dybantsa, and for good reason. The man is going to potentially be the No. 1 overall draft pick in the NBA next year. Leading scorer Richie Saunders returns, shooting 51.8% overall and 43.2% from deep for 16.5 points, 4.5 boards and 1.6 assists last year. Dawson Baker is another “three and D” player who will see more time, and forward Keba Keita returns to guard the rim.
Adding Baylor transfer Robert Wright III to run the offense pairs perfectly with plenty of scoring options. Wright had 11.5 points and 4.2 assists with two boards off the Bear’s bench last season. The point guard can certainly get his, but he has tons of help around him in Provo.
Darryn Peterson has 24 points on 8/11 shooting with six three pointers in the first half against Louisville
No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks
Bill Self will rely on tons of transfers and freshmen this year. Darryn Peterson has been projected to be a top pick in the NBA draft next year, and he is joined by forward Bryson Tiller and Kohl Rosario, both of whom could see themselves as starters. The Jayhawks returned Flory Bidunga, who is set for a huge sophomore season, as well as adding some senior transfers for some leadership.
Tre White scored double digit points the past two seasons, at Louisville and Illinois, while adding over five boards in all three college seasons. The journey man will certainly be a go-to scoring option for Kansas. Jayden Dawson spent the past three years at Loyola Chicago, and is known for being a lockdown defender, who scored 13.9 points per game last year as well.
No. 5 Iowa State Cyclones
The Cyclones return three of their top five scorers: Joshua Jefferson, Milan Momcilovic and point guard Tamin Lipsey. Those three combined for 35.1 points per game, each putting up double digits, 13.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 4.5 steals. Without Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert, those three will see increased roles, as well as Nate Heise who shot 41% from deep last season.
Virginia transfer Blake Buchanan helps Jefferson in the front court with his 6′ 10″ 230 pound frame. Dominick Nelson scored 14.4 points for Utah Valley last year and Eric Mulder put up 8.4 points and 6.7 boards for Purdue Fort Wayne, adding to the Cyclones depth.
No. 6 Arizona Wildcats
Arizona has to replace a ton of production. Leading scorer Caleb Love is finally done playing college basketball. Henri Veesar and KJ Lewis both transferred, Carter Bryant got drafted in the top 15 and Trey Townsend’s time also ran it’s course. However they still have Jaden Bradley and last year’s leading rebounder, Tobe Awaka. Those two will team up with Harvard transfer Evan Nelson who has shot at least 39% from deep the past three years, including 40.4% and over 91% from the stripe last season.
Anthony Dell’Orso and Addison Arnold will see increased roles, as well as 7’2″ center Motiejus Krivas, who is returning after playing just eight games last season before being injured.
Can Jerome Tang get a group of misfit transfers focused?
No. 7 Kansas State Wildcats
PJ Haggerty alone can lead Kansas State into the NCAA Tournament. The second team All American averaged 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists for Memphis last year. He was the AAC Player of the Year, and has averaged 20+ points per game the last two years at Memphis and Tulsa. The Wildcats paid a large sum of money for him to lead Jerome Tang’s squad, so expectations are plenty high.
Nate Johnson was the MAC Player of the Year for the Akron Zips, putting up 14.0 points, 4.9 boards and 3.4 assists as they went 17-1 in conference play. Abdi Bashir Jr. was a 20 point scorer for Monmouth last year, and Khamari McGriff added 11.5 points and 4.0 rebounds at UNC-Wilmington. Can Tang get all of these transfers on board?
This is still Houston’s conference to lose, and to be quite honest, I don’t see anyone really challenging them. The top five teams are way better than the rest of the league in my opinion.
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