Story Links
Houston took the top spot in the debut of the Big 12 men’s basketball preseason media poll. The poll was selected by media who cover men’s college basketball and the Big 12 on a regular basis.
The press corps predicts that Houston will capture their third consecutive Big 12 regular season title, as the Cougars are coming off a season where they won both the Big 12 regular season and tournament, then advanced to the NCAA National Championship Game.
Texas Tech was selected second, who features the Conference’s Preseason Player of the Year, JT Toppin, as previously voted on by the group of head coaches. BYU checks in at the third position, with Arizona projected to receive the final double-bye at the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament, March 10-14 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
Iowa State, Kansas, Baylor and K-State were voted to finish fifth through eighth, with Cincinnati, TCU, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Utah, UCF, Colorado and Arizona State rounding out the selections.
The Big 12 men’s basketball season begins on Monday, Nov. 3, as the season begins with a record-tying six teams in the Preseason AP Top 25. Conference play begins on Friday, Jan. 2 and continues through Saturday, March 7.
Big 12 Men’s Basketball Preseason Media Poll
Houston
Texas Tech
BYU
Arizona
Iowa State
Kansas
Baylor
Kansas State
Cincinnati
TCU
West Virginia
Oklahoma State
Utah
UCF
Colorado
Arizona State