Big 12 Update: Week 7

December 23, 2025 0 By Neill White

The Big 12 enters Week 7 with teams showing diverse trending patterns. This analysis examines each team’s performance trends using MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) indicators to identify not just where teams stand, but where they’re headed.

Figure 1: Efficiency margin trends for Big 12 teams throughout the season. Teams trending upward show improving performance, while downward trends indicate struggles.

Conference Snapshot

Week Dates: December 15 – December 21, 2025
Trending Up (Efficiency): Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU
Trending Down (Efficiency): Kansas, Cincinnati

Team-by-Team Analysis

Arizona

Record: 11-0 | Elo: 1735.3 (ranked 5 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +37.53 (ranked 5 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 2 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
FT Rate (FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 40 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 10 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 88 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Arizona State

Record: 9-4 | Elo: 1536.1 (ranked 131 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +10.79 (ranked 85 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

FT Rate (FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 31 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 74 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp 2Pt Rate (Opp 2 Point Attempts/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 40 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Opp 2PM Per Poss (Opp 2 Point Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 61 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

BYU

Record: 11-1 | Elo: 1703.3 (ranked 15 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +34.07 (ranked 8 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

FT Rate (FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 152 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 19 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 40 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 108 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Baylor

Record: 9-2 | Elo: 1641.8 (ranked 36 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +19.39 (ranked 41 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 25 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 4 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 111 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Opp FG Pct (%) (Opp FGM/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 136 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

Cincinnati

Record: 7-5 | Elo: 1549.7 (ranked 114 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +10.33 (ranked 88 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 240 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
FGM Per Poss (Field Goal Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 311 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.

Defensive Trends:

Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 9 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 27 of 365 in D1. Trending down moderately 🟢.

Colorado

Record: 10-2 | Elo: 1580.5 (ranked 90 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +11.93 (ranked 77 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 36 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 38 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp FT Rate (Opp FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 120 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp FGA Per Poss (Opp FG Attempts Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 172 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

Houston

Record: 11-1 | Elo: 1801.6 (ranked 1 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +33.88 (ranked 9 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 114 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 41 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 9 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp FT Rate (Opp FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 255 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Iowa State

Record: 12-0 | Elo: 1718.0 (ranked 11 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +35.62 (ranked 7 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 6 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 18 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp FT Rate (Opp FTA/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 15 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Opp 2Pt Rate (Opp 2 Point Attempts/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 205 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Kansas

Record: 9-3 | Elo: 1662.0 (ranked 23 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +31.66 (ranked 13 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Turnovers (Turnovers): Currently ranked 90 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
3PA Per Poss (3 Point Attempts Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 213 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 3 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 59 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.

Kansas State

Record: 8-4 | Elo: 1563.5 (ranked 105 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +13.26 (ranked 68 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 18 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 92 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp FG Pct (%) (Opp FGM/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 123 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.
Opp 2PM Per Poss (Opp 2 Point Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 141 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

Oklahoma State

Record: 11-1 | Elo: 1589.0 (ranked 78 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +8.07 (ranked 105 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 54 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Adj Off Eff (Adjusted Offensive Efficiency): Currently ranked 97 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp 3PM Per Poss (Opp 3 Point Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 283 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp 3PA Per Poss (Opp 3 Point Attempts Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 337 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

TCU

Record: 9-3 | Elo: 1576.0 (ranked 93 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +15.24 (ranked 55 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 176 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 72 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 86 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Opp 2Pt Pct (Opp 2 Point FGM/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 49 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

Texas Tech

Record: 9-3 | Elo: 1687.1 (ranked 17 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +17.50 (ranked 45 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 64 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
FGM Per Poss (Field Goal Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 39 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Shooting (Opp Shooting): Currently ranked 194 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp FGM Per Poss (Opp FG Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 274 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

UCF

Record: 10-1 | Elo: 1606.4 (ranked 63 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +16.48 (ranked 52 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 32 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Turnovers (Turnovers): Currently ranked 152 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp Turnovers (Opp Turnovers): Currently ranked 142 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 128 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Utah

Record: 8-4 | Elo: 1532.1 (ranked 135 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +2.69 (ranked 139 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 55 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 197 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.

Defensive Trends:

Def Reb Pct (Defensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 231 of 365 in D1. Trending down strongly 🔴.
Opp FGM Per Poss (Opp FG Makes Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 296 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

West Virginia

Record: 8-4 | Elo: 1549.7 (ranked 115 of 365) | Efficiency Margin: +21.02 (ranked 37 of 365)

Offensive Trends:

Shooting (Shooting): Currently ranked 151 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.
Off Reb Pct (Offensive Rebounding): Currently ranked 108 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🟢.

Defensive Trends:

Opp 2Pt Rate (Opp 2 Point Attempts/FGA (%)): Currently ranked 280 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.
Opp 2PA Per Poss (Opp 2 Point Attempts Per Possession (%)): Currently ranked 234 of 365 in D1. Trending up strongly 🔴.

Figure 2: Offensive Four Factors comparison across Big 12 teams. The radar chart shows each team’s shooting efficiency (eFG%), ball security (TOV%), offensive rebounding (OREB%), and free throw generation (FT Rate).

Figure 3: Defensive Four Factors comparison across Big 12 teams. The radar chart shows each team’s opponent shooting defense (Opp eFG%), ball disruption (forcing TOV%), defensive rebounding (DREB%), and opponent free throw prevention (Opp FT Rate).

Figure 4: MACD trends heatmap showing which metrics are improving (green) or declining (red) for each team. Stronger colors indicate more pronounced trends.

Looking Ahead

As Big 12 teams continue their season, the MACD trending indicators will help identify which teams are genuinely improving versus those riding unsustainable momentum. Check back next week for updated analysis.

Metrics Glossary

Four Factors (Dean Oliver’s framework for basketball success):

eFG% (Effective Field Goal %): Field goal percentage adjusted for 3-pointers being worth more (FGM + 0.5×3PM) / FGA. Higher is better offensively, lower is better defensively.
TOV% (Turnover Rate): Turnovers per 100 possessions. Lower is better offensively (taking care of the ball), higher is better defensively (forcing turnovers).
OREB% / DREB% (Offensive/Defensive Rebound Rate): Percentage of available rebounds grabbed. Offensive rebounds create second-chance points; defensive rebounds end opponent possessions.
FTR (Free Throw Rate): Free throws made per field goal attempt (FTM/FGA). Measures ability to get to the line AND convert. Higher is better offensively, lower is better defensively.

Other Metrics:

Elo Rating: Chess-style rating system that updates based on game results and opponent strength. Higher Elo indicates stronger team.
Efficiency Margin: Point differential per 100 possessions (Offensive Efficiency – Defensive Efficiency). Accounts for pace of play.
MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence): Trend indicator comparing 12-game and 26-game exponential moving averages. Positive MACD = improving trend, Negative MACD = declining trend.

Analysis powered by HoopSci’s advanced metrics and MACD trending indicators.

CategoryB12

TagsB12 Big 12 Big 12 Conference