Big 12 Basketball: Which Schools Are Part Of This Elite Group?

what schools are in the big 12 basketball

The Big 12 Conference is an American collegiate athletic organization that sponsors 23 sports, 10 men's and 13 women's. Basketball is one of only three men's sports with full participation by the entire conference, the others being football and golf. The Big 12 Conference includes schools such as Brigham Young University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Houston, the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of Colorado, and the University of Utah.

Characteristics Values
Number of schools in the Big 12 Conference 13 before 2023 expansion
Sports sponsored by the Big 12 Conference 23 (10 men's, 13 women's)
Sports with full participation by the entire conference Basketball, football, golf (men's); basketball, cross country, soccer, tennis, indoor track, outdoor track (women's)
Schools Brigham Young University, University of Central Florida, University of Cincinnati, University of Houston, University of Texas, University of Oklahoma, Arizona, Arizona State University, University of Colorado, University of Utah, West Virginia, Texas Christian, Kansas, Kansas State
Schools with the most wins and/or the highest win percentage in NCAA Division 1 men's basketball Kansas, Cincinnati, Utah, BYU, Arizona, West Virginia, Houston, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

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Big 12 Conference members

The Big 12 Conference is an American collegiate athletic organization that sponsors 23 sports, 10 men's and 13 women's. The only men's sports with full participation by the entire conference are basketball, football, and golf. Swimming and diving have the lowest participation, with only seven universities fielding a team. The only women's sports with full participation are basketball, cross country, soccer, tennis, indoor track, and outdoor track. Oklahoma State is the only member that does not sponsor volleyball, and only Utah and West Virginia do not sponsor golf.

As of the 2023–2024 season, nine current Big 12 members are among the teams with the most wins and/or the highest win percentage in NCAA Division 1 men's basketball: Kansas, Cincinnati, Utah, BYU, Arizona, West Virginia, Houston, Oklahoma State, and Kansas State.

The conference's structure has changed several times since its formation. In 2010, Colorado left to join the Pacific-12 Conference, and Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference. In 2012, Missouri and Texas A&M left to join the Southeastern Conference and were replaced by West Virginia and Texas Christian. In 2023, Brigham Young University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Houston all joined the Big 12. In 2024, the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma left the conference to join the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were replaced by the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of Colorado, and the University of Utah.

The Big 12 Conference has also announced partnerships with other organizations for community engagement and entertainment activities. For example, in March 2023, the conference announced a partnership with Rucker Park, which included hosting men's and women's summer exhibition games and other entertainment and community engagement activities.

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Schools with the most wins

The Big 12 Conference includes men's basketball, which is one of only three men's sports with full participation by all members. The others are football and golf. As of the end of the 2023-2024 season, nine current Big 12 members were among the teams with the most wins and/or the highest win percentage in NCAA Division 1 men's basketball.

Kansas is the school with the second-most wins and the third-highest win percentage. They also have the fifth-most Final Four appearances. Cincinnati is ranked 12th for wins and 19th for percentage, and they are tied for eleventh for Final Four appearances. Utah is 15th for wins and 22nd for percentage. BYU is 17th for wins and 31st for percentage. Arizona is 19th for wins and tenth for percentage.

West Virginia is another school with a high number of wins, ranking 20th, and a win percentage of #36. Oklahoma State has 39 wins and is tied for eleventh for Final Four appearances. Kansas State has 42 wins, the most of the schools mentioned.

The first football game in conference play was between Texas Tech and Kansas State in 1996, with Kansas State winning 21-14.

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Schools with the highest win percentage

As of the end of the 2023-2024 season, several current Big 12 members are among the teams with the most wins and/or the highest win percentage in NCAA Division 1 men's basketball. Here is a list of schools with the highest win percentage:

  • Kansas (#2 in wins, #3 in win percentage)
  • Cincinnati (#12 in wins, #19 in win percentage)
  • Arizona (#19 in wins, #10 in win percentage)
  • Houston (#37 in wins, not specified rank in win percentage)
  • Oklahoma State (#39 in wins, #11 in Final Four appearances)

Kansas stands out as the school with the highest win percentage, consistently ranking in the top 3. They are closely followed by Cincinnati and Arizona, which have slightly lower win percentages but still impressive records. It's worth noting that Oklahoma State also stands out, ranking #11 in Final Four appearances, demonstrating their consistent success in reaching the latter stages of the tournament.

While the list primarily focuses on win percentage, it's interesting to note that some schools, like Utah (#15 wins, #22 percentage) and BYU (#17 wins, #31 percentage), have a higher number of wins but a lower win percentage, indicating a strong record with some notable victories.

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Schools that host football pro days

The NFL Combine is the main opportunity for high-profile college football players to showcase their skills before NFL scouts. It is hosted in Indianapolis, and players who don't make it to the Combine or aren't invited can attend a Pro Day instead.

Pro Days are hosted by schools and are a chance for players to show scouts that they have what it takes to play professionally. Common activities at a Pro Day include the 225-pound bench press, the 40-yard dash, the three-cone drill, and other position-specific activities.

In 2024, instead of schools hosting separate pro days for their football players, there will be only one conference-wide scouting event before the NFL draft. The event will be held at the Dallas Cowboys' training complex, Ford Center at The Star.

The Big 12 Conference includes nine current members that are among the teams with the most wins and/or the highest win percentage in NCAA Division 1 men's basketball: Kansas, Cincinnati, Utah, BYU, Arizona, West Virginia, Houston, Oklahoma State, and Kansas State.

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Schools that sponsor volleyball

The Big 12 Conference is an American collegiate athletic organization that sponsors 23 sports, including 10 men's and 13 women's sports. The conference initially comprised two six-team divisions, one of which included the two Oklahoma and four Texas schools. Over the years, the structure of the conference has changed, with new schools joining and others leaving. As of 2025, the Big 12 Conference includes the following schools:

  • University of Arizona
  • Arizona State University
  • University of Colorado
  • University of Utah
  • Brigham Young University
  • University of Central Florida
  • University of Cincinnati
  • University of Houston
  • West Virginia
  • Texas Christian University
  • Oklahoma State

While the specific details of each school's athletic programs may vary, volleyball is one of the sports sponsored by the Big 12 Conference. Oklahoma State is the only member that does not sponsor volleyball, and beach volleyball has one of the lowest participation rates, with only four full members.

The Big 12 Conference places a strong emphasis on volleyball, with both men's and women's teams. The volleyball title is determined based on regular-season play, and the conference actively promotes the sport through various initiatives. For example, in June 2023, the "Big 12 Mexico" event was announced, which included volleyball matches alongside other sports.

In addition to volleyball, the Big 12 Conference offers a range of other sports, such as basketball, football, baseball, softball, tennis, soccer, and swimming. The conference also supports less traditional sports like rifle, equestrian, and lacrosse. The variety of sports sponsored by the Big 12 Conference provides opportunities for students to excel in their chosen athletic disciplines and represents the conference's commitment to promoting a diverse range of athletic pursuits.

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Frequently asked questions

The Big 12 Conference includes many well-known schools, and its membership has changed over time. As of 2025, the schools in the Big 12 Conference include:

- Brigham Young University (BYU)

- University of Central Florida

- University of Cincinnati

- University of Houston

- University of Arizona

- Arizona State University

- University of Colorado

- University of Utah

- West Virginia

- Texas Christian University

- Kansas

- Kansas State

Several universities have left the Big 12 Conference over the years, including the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma, which left in 2024 to join the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Other departures include Colorado, which left to join the Pacific-12 Conference, and Nebraska, which joined the Big Ten Conference.

As of the end of the 2023-2024 season, nine current Big 12 members are among the teams with the most wins and/or the highest win percentage in NCAA Division 1 men's basketball. These include Kansas, Cincinnati, Utah, BYU, Arizona, West Virginia, Houston, Oklahoma State, and Kansas State.

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