Iowa State has dropped one spot in the latest NCAA NET Rankings, now sitting at No. 6, despite a dominant win over Baylor. The Cyclones are the second-highest-ranked team from the Big 12 Conference, trailing only Houston, which holds the No. 4 position.

At the top of the NET Rankings, Auburn takes the lead, followed by Duke in second and Tennessee in third. Gonzaga made a move up to fifth, just ahead of Iowa State. The rest of the Top 10 includes Illinois, Florida, Alabama, and another Big 12 team, Kansas.

Iowa State boasts an impressive record of 12-1 this season. Their resume includes two road wins, a 2-1 record in neutral-site games, and three crucial Quad 1 victories. They’ve also earned three Quad 2 wins and are undefeated in six Quad 4 matchups. The only blemish on their season so far is a loss to Auburn during the Maui Invitational back in November.

The NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) Rankings are critical for determining NCAA Tournament seeding and selection. Teams earn higher rankings for Quad 1 wins, which come against tough opponents—Top 30 teams in home games or Top 50 teams in away games. With their current No. 6 spot in the NET Rankings, Iowa State would likely secure a No. 2 seed if the tournament were to begin today.

The Big 12 Conference as a whole is showcasing its strength this year, with seven teams ranked in the NET Top 30. Alongside Houston, Iowa State, and Kansas are Arizona (No. 16), Texas Tech (No. 21), Baylor (No. 24), and West Virginia (No. 25). Cincinnati and BYU are also close behind, ranked No. 32 and No. 47, respectively.

These rankings highlight just how competitive the Big 12 is this season, making it one of the strongest conferences in college basketball.