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Unprecedented preseason hype has morphed into an acceptable midseason reality for the Big 12, which placed a record five teams in the top 10 of the Associated Press preseason poll.

Number of Big 12 teams in the AP Top 10 this week: uno.

Iowa State has been tremendous, but Kansas, Houston, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and Baylor all sustained more losses than expected in nonconference games, leading to the current state of affairs.

For the most accurate reflection of the Big 12, we suggest directing your attention to the other end of the conference.

The bottom feeder in the latest NET rankings is No. 124 Kansas State, which is 7-7 overall and has not sustained any Quadrant IV losses.

As bottoms go, that's fairly impressive.

In fact, only one power conference, the mighty SEC, has a higher-ranked bottom feeder (No. 94 South Carolina).

The lowest-ranked Big Ten team is No. 157 Minnesota.

The lowest-ranked Big East team is No. 200 Seton Hall.

The ACC has five teams ranked lower than Kansas State.

We tend to focus on the top of a conference when judging overall strength when, in fact, the bottom can be more revealing.

To the Hotline's latest Big 12 power ratings ...

1. Iowa State (13-1/3-0)

Results: beat Baylor 74-55 and Utah 82-59

Best win: Marquette

Worst loss: Auburn

NET ranking: 6

Comment: We have wondered how the Cyclones, who win every game handily, will respond when required to execute in the final minute. Because the pressure cookers are coming, sooner than later.

2. Houston (11-3/3-0)

Results: beat BYU 86-55 and TCU 65-46

Best win: BYU

Worst loss: San Diego State

NET ranking: 4

Comment: The losses (Auburn, Alabama and SDSU) are more impressive than the wins, but the Cougars have a chance to flip that script with a trip to Lawrence in two weeks.

3. Kansas (11-3/2-1)

Results: beat UCF 99-48 and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ State 74-55

Best win: Duke

Worst loss: Creighton

NET ranking: 10

Comment: The defense is ahead of the offense at this point, but only because KU's defense is ahead of every defense in Division I save for a handful.

4. Baylor (10-4/2-1)

Results: lost at Iowa State 74-55, beat Cincinnati 68-48

Best win: Cincinnati

Worst loss: UConn

NET ranking: 18

Comment: A split on this week's swing through Tempe and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ would constitute a successful excursion for the Bears, who have a load of winnable games once they return from the desert.

5. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ (9-5/3-0)

Results: won at Cincinnati 72-67 and at West Virginia 75-56

Best win: West Virginia

Worst loss: Oklahoma

NET ranking: 14

Comment: UCLA's downturn isn't helping ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s résumé one iota. But as much as the programs dislike each other, we're skeptical the Bruins are losing on purpose.

6. West Virginia (11-3/2-1)

Results: beat Oklahoma State 69-50, lost to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ 75-56

Best win: Kansas

Worst loss: Louisville

NET ranking: 33

Comment: Few teams — not only in the Big 12 but anywhere — can claim a collection of wins comparable to the Mountaineers' trio of Gonzaga, Kansas and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. And none of them were in Morgantown.

7. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ State (10-4/1-2)

Results: beat Colorado 81-61, lost to Kansas 74-55

Best win: Saint Mary's

Worst loss: BYU

NET ranking: 51

Comment: That 17-point loss to Florida on a neutral court in mid-December looks even better now after the Gators dismantled top-ranked Tennessee on Tuesday evening.

8. Texas Tech (11-3/2-1)

Results: won at Utah 93-65 and at BYU 72-67

Best win: BYU

Worst loss: Saint Joseph's

NET ranking: 16

Comment: Finally, a Quad I win (in Provo) for the Red Raiders to support their ridicu -- ahem, lofty NET ranking.

9. BYU (10-4/1-2)

Results: lost at Houston 86-55 and to Texas Tech 72-67

Best win: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ State

Worst loss: Providence

NET ranking: 50

Comment: Any chance mega-recruit AJ Dybantsa can reclassify and be in uniform Saturday in Fort Worth?

10. Cincinnati (10-4/0-3)

Results: lost to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ 72-67 and at Baylor 68-48

Best win: Dayton

Worst loss: Kansas State

NET ranking: 35

Comment: Given the upcoming schedule, it could be weeks before the Bearcats claim their first conference win. The loss at KSU was particularly debilitating.

11. Colorado (9-5/0-3)

Results: lost to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ State 81-61 and UCF 75-74

Best win: UConn

Worst loss: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ State

NET ranking: 83

Comment: The outlook in Boulder is bleak and rapidly fading to black. But the Buffs will always have Maui.

12. TCU (8-6/1-2)

Results: beat Kansas State 63-62, lost at Houston 65-46

Best win: Xavier

Worst loss: Santa Clara

NET ranking: 76

Comment: Imagine the state of affairs if Noah Reynolds hadn't made that layup with 12 seconds left to beat KSU.

13. UCF (11-3/2-1)

Results: lost to Kansas 99-48, beat Colorado 75-74

Best win: Texas Tech

Worst loss: Kansas

NET ranking: 84

Comment: UCF drew the short straw as the next team on the schedule after the Jayhawks' home loss to West Virginia.

14. Kansas State (7-7/1-2)

Results: lost at TCU 63-62 and Oklahoma State 79-66

Best win: Cincinnati

Worst loss: Liberty

NET ranking: 124

Comment: Life on the edge looks like three losses by a total of six points. Then again, the Wildcats have four losses by double digits, so it's tough to make the case that they are anything more than a .500 team.

15. Oklahoma State (9-5/1-2)

Results: lost at West Virginia 69-50, beat Kansas State 79-66

Best win: Kansas State

Worst loss: FAU

NET ranking: 112

Comment: The deeper you dive into OSU's résumé, the worse it looks. Our advice: Look away.

16. Utah (8-6/0-3)

Results: lost to Texas Tech 93-65 and at Iowa State 82-59

Best win: None

Worst loss: Iowa

NET ranking: 89

Comment: The bell, it prepares to toll.