The Big 12 Conference tends to be a powerhouse in men's basketball, but that reputation is equally appropriate for the women's programs as well.

Five Big 12 women's teams are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, more than any other conference in the nation. In this week's poll, all five teams are ranked in the top 19.

Every team in the Big 12 Conference finished with at least a .500 record in non-conference play this season, with three teams losing only once.

The Big 12's 96-36 (.727) record in non-conference games is third among all Division-I conferences.

Not only are the teams among the nation's best, but the players are as well. A nation-leading five Big 12 players are among the 20 listed on the John R. Wooden Award mid-season list. Baylor is one of only two schools in the nation to have two players on the list.

With only a handful of games remaining in the regular season, teams are trying to improve their seedings for the Big 12 Tournament, which will be held March 8-12 in Kansas City, Mo.

Here are the current Big 12 Standings with capsules on each team.

1. Baylor: The No. 7 Bears lead the conference with a 10-2 record, their best start in conference play. They are 20-3 overall, the program's fifth year in a row with at least 20 wins. Leading the team is Sophia Young and Steffanie Blackman. Young leads the team in scoring (17.9 PPG) and rebounding (9.5 RPG) while Blackman averages 15.4 PPG and 8.3 RPG. Baylor will host Iowa State in a key conference battle on Saturday. A win would all but secure first place.

2. Iowa State: The No. 18 Cyclones are 9-3 in conference, one game behind Baylor. Their overall record of 19-4 has propelled them into the national spotlight. They were upset by Nebraska last week, shooting just 38.6 percent from the field, while Nebraska shot 55.9 percent. The Cyclones are a perfect 13-0 at home this season and were averaging a league high 79.8 points per game, before falling to the Cornhuskers. The Cyclones can move into a tie with the Bears for the Big 12 Conference lead if they win on Saturday.

3. Texas Tech: Fresh off a 66-53 victory over the Jayhawks on Wednesday night, the No. 15 Red-Raiders are 9-3 in conference play. They have an overall record of 18-5. Texas Tech is first in the Big 12 Conference in scoring margin, outscoring its opponents by 21.7 points per game. The Red Raiders are also first in scoring defense, allowing only 52.3 points per game. They host Texas A&M; on Saturday at 7 p.m.

4. Texas: No.13 Texas gained a big time win Wednesday when the team beat Kansas State in Manhattan, 64-60. That win moved the Longhorns into fourth place in conference, and dropped Kansas State to fifth. They are also 9-3 in conference play, and are 16-7 overall. Leading Texas is sophomore Tiffany Jackson, who is averaging 17.7 points per game, the 4th highest in the Big 12. The Longhorns travel to Oklahoma State on Saturday.

5. Kansas State: The No. 18 Wildcats dropped from third to fifth in the Big 12 standings after falling to Texas. They have an 8-4 record in conference play, and a 17-6 record overall. Senior Kendra Wecker is a leading candidate for Big 12 Player of the Year. She leads the conference in both points and rebounds, averaging 20.6 and 9.5 per game. Kansas State will host Colorado on Saturday.

6. Nebraska: Thanks to a 73-59 win over Texas A&M; on Wednesday, the Cornhuskers improved their conference record to 8-4. Their overall record is 16-8. Last Saturday they recorded one of the best wins in school history when they beat then-No.14 Iowa State by 29 points, 88-59, in Lincoln. Seven of Nebraska's eight losses have come against teams ranked in the Top 25, with six of the losses coming on the road. They will travel to Lawrence to face the Jayhawks on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be aired live on Fox Sports Net.

7. Oklahoma: The Sooners improved to 6-6 in conference play, when they defeated Colorado 77-61, on Wednesday night in Boulder. Their overall record is 14-9. They defeated then-No.16 Kansas State 77-61, but lost on a last second shot to No. 7 Baylor, 73-72. Against Baylor, All-American candidate Dionnah Jackson scored the team's final 16 points on the way to a career-high 30 points. She dished out nine assists against Kansas State. Oklahoma faces Missouri on Saturday.

8. Kansas: The Jayhawks continue to surpass pre-season expectations with every win. Predicted to finish 11th in the Big 12, they are off to their best start since the 1999-2000 season. They lost by 13, 66-53 to No. 15 Texas Tech, on Wednesday. In that game, junior forward Crystal Kemp became the 18th player in Kansas women's basketball history to score 1,000 points. She also exceeded 500 rebounds, and is only the 11th player to reach both marks. Kansas will host Nebraska on Sunday.

9. Texas A&M;: After losing to the Cornhuskers on Wednesday, the Aggies dropped to 3-9 in conference. Overall, they are 13-10. Their 13 wins are tied for the most wins they have had in a season since joining the league. They are looking for their first postseason berth since 1996. A&M; will travel to Lubbock on Saturday to face Texas Tech.

10. Missouri: The Tigers fell to Baylor, 74-57, on Wednesday, dropping their conference record to 3-9. Their overall record is 9-14. Earlier this season, they lost eight straight games, including two to the Jayhawks. The losing streak was their longest since 1991. Missouri beat Texas A&M; at home last week, 63-46, their first home win since Jan 5. They travel to Oklahoma on Saturday,.

11. Oklahoma State: On Wednesday, the Cowgirls lost, 90-65, to Iowa State. They are now 2-10 in Big 12 play, and 7-15 overall.

Nina Stone paces the team with seven consecutive games in double figures. Oklahoma State is 0-3 this season in televised games, and 0-14 in three seasons under coach Julie Goodenough. They host Texas on Saturday.

12. Colorado: Rounding out the standings is Colorado. They have lost eight straight games, owning a conference record of 1-11. The team's overall record is a more respectable 8-15. Their 11 conference losses are their most since going 4-12 during the 1999-2000 season. They have lost six in a row at home. They will look for an upset on Saturday, when they head to Kansas State.