Big 12 coaches have made their opening statement on the league race, and Kansas is in the mix near the top while Kansas State finds itself buried near the bottom.
In the conference’s preseason men’s basketball poll released Thursday, the Jayhawks landed at No. 3 with 186 points. Kansas State was slotted 14th, sharing that spot with Colorado at 34 points apiece.
Arizona was picked first after collecting 12 first-place votes and 220 points. Houston followed closely behind with four first-place votes and 214 points, leaving the two teams separated by just six points at the top. Kansas State was projected to finish ahead of only Utah, which came in at No. 16 with 24 points.
Kansas finished just ahead of Iowa State and Texas Tech in the poll. The Cyclones were fourth with 181 points, and the Red Raiders were fifth with 180. After that came BYU, TCU, Cincinnati and West Virginia in a tie for eighth, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Arizona State and UCF.
The preseason honors also brought more recognition to Kansas. For the second year in a row, the Jayhawks have the Big 12 preseason Freshman of the Year, with Tyran Stokes earning the nod.
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas was chosen as preseason Player of the Year, while Arizona State’s Paulius Murauskas was named preseason Newcomer of the Year.
The preseason All-Big 12 team included Ivan Kharchenkov and Krivas from Arizona; Murauskas from Arizona State; Robert Wright III from BYU; Dedan Thomas Jr. and Joseph Tugler from Houston; Tamin Lipsey from Iowa State; Stokes from Kansas; Xavier Edmonds from TCU; and JT Toppin from Texas Tech.
Big 12 men’s basketball preseason poll
- Arizona (12) - 220 points
- Houston (4) - 214 points
- Kansas - 186 points
- Iowa State - 181 points
- Texas Tech - 180 points
- BYU - 148 points
- TCU - 137 points
T8. Cincinnati - 116 points
T8. West Virginia - 116 points
- Baylor - 102 points
- Oklahoma State - 98 points
- Arizona State - 75 points
- UCF - 55 points
T14. Colorado - 34 points
T14. Kansas State - 34 points
- Utah - 24 points
Big 12 men’s basketball preseason honors
Preseason Player of the Year: Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Paulius Murauskas, Arizona State
Preseason Freshman of the Year: Tyran Stokes, Kansas
All-Big 12 Preseason Team
Ivan Kharchenkov, Arizona
Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Paulius Murauskas, Arizona State
Robert Wright III, BYU
Dedan Thomas Jr., Houston
Joseph Tugler, Houston
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Tyran Stokes, Kansas
Xavier Edmonds, TCU
JT Toppin, Texas Tech
In Other News...
Kansas Is Changing Late Night In The Phog In A Big Way
Late Night in the Phog is getting a notable makeover this fall, and for longtime Kansas fans, the biggest change is on the floor. Instead of the usual intrasquad scrimmage, the Jayhawks will play an actual exhibition game against Division II Pittsburg State, giving the season-opening showcase a more traditional game-night feel while still keeping plenty of the familiar flourishes that have made the event a staple in Lawrence.
The format shift also comes with one conspicuous subtraction, as the musical component will no longer be part of the evening. Even so, Kansas is keeping the skits and halftime activities that have long helped make Late Night more than just a basketball preview, and the womens program will again have its own spotlight with a separate Late Night event on Oct. 29 against Washburn. [Read more 🡒]
Jeff Boschees Allen Fieldhouse Return Gives Late Night A Different Feel
Jeff Boschee is headed back to Allen Fieldhouse for the 42nd annual Late Night in the Phog, and his return adds an extra layer to one of Kansas basketballs most familiar traditions. Now the head coach at Pittsburg State, Boschee will bring his team in for an exhibition against the Jayhawks, turning a celebration of the new season into something a little more personal for a former KU starter who helped Kansas reach the 2002 Final Four.
Boschee still owns the Kansas school record for career 3-pointers, so this is a homecoming with plenty of basketball history attached to it. He has reflected on his playing days at KU and has been urging his current team to compete hard in the matchup, which gives Pittsburg State a chance to test itself in a building where Boschee once made his mark and where the spotlight will be waiting again. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Faces Two Urgent Problems Entering The Sunflower Showdown
Kansas heads into the Sunflower Showdown trying to clean up the kind of slow offensive starts that have too often put it in a hole before it can settle in. The Jayhawks have shown the ability to move the ball once the rhythm arrives, but the first few series have been a recurring problem, and against Kansas State there is little margin for another sluggish opening.
Avery Johnson makes the assignment even trickier for Kansas, because the Wildcats quarterback can stress a defense in more than one way and force constant adjustment. The Jayhawks have enough recent evidence to know what kind of trouble that can create, and their response on both sides of the ball will go a long way toward deciding whether they can keep the rivalry game on their terms. [Read more 🡒]