Big 12 MBB power rankings: Arizona, Houston on top as unbeaten Wildcats prepare for multi-week stretch of brutality

Welcome to the Hotline’s Big 12 men’s basketball power rankings, a weekly assessment of the conference using analytics and common sense, with a strand of pasta occasionally heaved at the wall when mayhem is rampant. The power rankings will be published each Tuesday through the end of the regular season. (Last week’s edition focused on coach Bobby Hurley’s looming dismissal by Arizona State.)

Arizona is the No. 1 team in the land and the only undefeated team in the power conferences but only this week became the betting favorite ...