Texas Longhorns Ranked No. 2 in Big 12 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
The Big 12 conference released the men's basketball preseason rankings on Thursday, as voted on by the head basketball coaches of the conference.
The Texas Longhorns came in at No. 2 on the rankings, as new head coach Chris Beard attempts to bring a new fire and energy to this program.
Here's the complete preseason poll ranking all 10 teams in the conference. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. The number in parentheses represents first-place votes.
1. Kansas (8): 80
2. Texas (2): 70
3. Baylor: 67
4. Texas Tech: 51
5. Oklahoma State: 49
6. West Virginia: 49
7. Oklahoma: 29
8. TCU: 24
9. Kansas State: 22
10. Iowa State: 9
Just like last year, the Big 12 has the potential to be one of the most competitive conferences in the country for the upcoming season. Kansas, Texas, and Baylor all went through a handful of roster changes over the offseason but will still be amongst the top three projected to win the conference tournament in March.
Under Shaka Smart last season, the Longhorns won their first Big 12 men's basketball title in program history. Yet, Texas was eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament, while the Baylor Bears made it all the way to the top by taking down the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the national championship.
The Kansas Jayhawks and legendary coach Bill Self will once again be the biggest threat to taking the conference crown away from the Longhorns. It's clear that the coaches feel this way too, as the Jayhawks received eight of the 10 possible first-place votes.
It's fixing to be an exciting year of Big 12 basketball. Beard, along with his fresh roster of experienced and talented transfers, will be looking to make a statement in the final year at the Frank Erwin Center.
The Longhorns begin their season on Nov. 9 at home against Houston Baptist.
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