BYU picked by league coaches to finish 9th in Big 12, Utah picked to finish last
By Trent Wood,
5 hours ago
BYU fans cheer on the Cougars during victory over Texas in the Marriott Center in Provo on Jan. 27, 2024. The addition of new coach Kevin Young and some top-tier recruits have excited the fanbase in Provo. | Nate Edwards, BYU Photo
With a new head coach and some notable new players, a lot of excitement surrounds the BYU basketball team ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Big 12 coaches aren’t exactly buying into the hype surrounding the Cougars, though.
BYU was picked to finish No. 9 in the Big 12 this season in the Big 12 men’s basketball preseason poll, voted upon by the league’s coaches.
The Cougars received 116 votes in total and no first-place votes, landing them ahead of TCU, UCF, Arizona State, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Colorado and Utah, but behind Kansas, Houston, Iowa State, Baylor, Arizona, Cincinnati, Texas Tech and Kansas State.
Kansas was picked to win the conference, with 215 total points, and nine first-place votes. Houston was picked to finish No. 2 (the Houston Cougars received five first-place votes) and the expected top five in the conference were rounded out by Iowa State (one first-place vote), Baylor and Arizona (one first-place vote).
The Jayhawks were picked as the league favorite for the second-consecutive year, with Houston picked to finish No. 2 in the league for the second-straigt season.
BYU was the last team included in what could be considered the upper half of the Big 12.
Every team ranked beneath the Cougars failed to get more than 90 points, while the Cougars and every team ahead of them garnered over 115 points.
The Runnin’ Utes, entering their first year in the Big 12, found themselves at the very bottom of the poll with 30 points.
Expectations for Utah are seriously lacking this season, even as the Runnin’ Utes enter the fourth year under Craig Smith.
Much of that is the result of defections via the transfer portal, though Utah did effect a rebuild over the offseason and could — in theory — surprise.
Under Smith, Utah has improved every season, going from 11 wins to 17 to 21 last season.
Big 12 coaches also voted on preseason All-Big 12 teams (first and second), as well as player of the year, and newcomer of the year.
No BYU player cracked the first or second all-conference teams — Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson was the only unanimous selection — which were dominated by players from Kansas, Houston, Baylor and Iowa State, especially.
Dickinson was tabbed as the Big 12 preseason player of the year, while Baylor’s Jeremy Roach and Kansas State’s Coleman Hawkins shared preseason newcomer of the year honors.
Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe was picked as the preseason freshman of the year.
The complete Big 12 preseason poll can be found below, along with the all-conference teams.
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