712 Digital Group - top

Baylor is the preseason pick to win Big 12 men’s basketball title

Sports

October 13th, 2022 by admin

For the second time in three years, Baylor was chosen by the league’s head coaches to win the Big 12 men’s basketball regular season title. The Bears were also the preseason favorite in 2020-21 and went on to win both the Big 12 and NCAA championships.

Baylor received five first-place votes and totaled 77 points to edge out Kansas for the top spot. The Jayhawks had four first-place nods and 73 points to place second. Texas was picked third with the final first-place vote and 64 points. TCU was chosen fourth followed by a tie for fifth between Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. The remainder of the poll included Oklahoma in seventh, Iowa State eighth, West Virginia ninth and Kansas State 10th.

The Big 12 has won the last two national championships as Kansas brought home the 2022 trophy following Baylor’s title in 2021. Big 12 teams have played in the last four Final Fours and the last three national championship games. The Big 12 is the first conference to win back-to-back national championships since 2009 and 2010 and is the only conference to have three different teams play in three consecutive championship games. Sixty percent of Big 12 institutions have advanced to the Final Four since 2002, the highest percentage among conferences.

Head coaches and student-athletes from each team will appear at the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tipoff, presented by Old Trapper in Kansas City on Wednesday October 19. Interviews from the event will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ from 9:00 a.m. – Noon CT. The regular season will start on Monday, November 7 with conference play beginning on New Year’s Eve.

2022-23 Big 12 Preseason Poll

Team (First-place votes) Points
1. Baylor (5) 77
2. Kansas (4) 73
3. Texas (1) 64
4. TCU 58
T5. Oklahoma State 42
Texas Tech 42
7. Oklahoma 32
8. Iowa State 30
9. West Virginia 20
10. Kansas State 12

Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own team.