Mon Oct 14 17:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Kansas Crowned Preseason Big 12 Favorite as Conference Gears Up for Competitive Season
**IRVING, Texas** – The Big 12 Conference is set for another exciting season, with the Kansas Jayhawks emerging as the preseason favorite in a vote by the league’s coaches. Kansas, who earned nine of the 15 possible first-place votes, will be looking to defend their strong performance from last season, which saw nine Big 12 teams make the NCAA Men’s Tournament.
The Jayhawks’ dominance is further highlighted by the selection of their center, Hunter Dickinson, as the preseason player of the year. Dickinson, a 7-foot-2 giant, averaged an impressive 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds last season.
Houston, Iowa State, and Baylor are hot on Kansas’ heels, each garnering votes for the top spot. The newcomers to the conference, Arizona, Cincinnati, and BYU, have also been placed among the league’s elite, rounding out the top 10.
Adding to the intrigue of the upcoming season, the preseason All-Big 12 team features a mix of returning stars and talented newcomers. L.J. Cryer and J’Wan Roberts (Houston), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), and Caleb Love (Arizona) join Dickinson on the prestigious team.
The preseason newcomer of the year award was shared by Jeremy Roach (Baylor) and Coleman Hawkins (Kansas State), both of whom made significant contributions to their respective teams’ Elite Eight runs last season.
Finally, VJ Edgecombe of Baylor was named the preseason freshman of the year, adding another layer of excitement to a conference already brimming with talent and anticipation. The Big 12 promises to be a thrilling battleground for college basketball throughout the upcoming season.
First Piper 