Predicted Order of Finish
1. Oklahoma – When forward Blake Griffin announced his intention to return for his sophomore season in Norman, Jeff Capel knew he was going to have an exciting season. Add spectacular freshman guard Willie Warren and this is the best Sooner basketball team in quite a while.
2. Texas – After losing Kevin Durant to the NBA draft two seasons ago, the Longhorns didn’t miss a beat. Now, point guard D.J. Augustin has joined Durant at the next level, but the Longhorns are still loaded and ready for another run.
3. Kansas – The Jayhawks may take their lumps early in the season as a boatload of newcomers adjust to the college game, but by the Big 12 season, this should be a dangerous team.
4. Baylor – The Bears were a great story last year and, returning most of that team, figure to be an exciting and dangerous squad again this season.
5. Texas A&M – Mark Turgeon had an up-and-down first year in College Station, but veterans Josh Carter and Donald Sloan have been to a few rodeos and their experience should carry the Aggies to the NCAA tournament.
6. Missouri – While the Mike Anderson era has not gone smoothly so far, the combination of Leo Lyons and DeMarre Carroll will present tough matchups for most opponents.
7. Oklahoma State – Travis Ford takes over a team full of talented guards, but quite thin up front. They may be an exciting team, but they will wear down due to the lack of size over the course of the season.
8. Texas Tech – Pat Knight’s first full season as the Red Raider’s head coach will likely showcase the fact that Bobby’s son will need to start hitting the recruiting trail.
9. Kansas State – It was fun while it lasted, but NBA talents like Michael Beasley and Bill Walker are not easily replaced.
10. Colorado – A thin, small, under-talented team that will win a few games they shouldn’t due to style of play, coaching and altitude.
11. Nebraska – Some talented guards surround a big hole in the middle, left by graduate Aleks Maric.
12. Iowa State – While Coach Greg McDermott brought in a strong recruiting class, this squad is still at least a year away from inching up the standings.
Preseason All-Conference
PG Byron Eaton Sr Oklahoma State
SG Willie Warren Fr Oklahoma
SG Josh Carter Sr Texas A&M
SF Damion James Jr Texas
PF Blake Griffin So Oklahoma
PG AJ Abrams Sr Texas
SG Curtis Jerrels Sr Baylor
SG Justin Mason Jr Texas
PF Leo Lyons Sr Missouri
SF DeMarre Carroll Sr Missouri
PG Jacob Pullen So Kansas State
PG Sherron Collins Jr Kansas
SG Abe Dagunduro Sr Nebraska
SF James Anderson So Oklahoma State
C Cole Aldrich So Kansas
SG Willie Warren Oklahoma
SF Anthony Jones Baylor
PF LA Pomlee Iowa State
PF Marcus Morris Kansas
PF David Loubeau Texas A&M
Possible opponents: Providence, Arizona State/Charlotte, Wake Forest/St. Mary’s
Possible opponents: Washington, Syracuse/Florida
Kansas State – Las Vegas Invitational
Possible opponents: Kentucky, Iowa/West Virginia
Missouri – Puerto Rico Tip-Off
Possible opponents: Xavier, Virginia Tech, USC/Seton Hall/Memphis
Possible opponents: Mississippi Valley State, Davidson, Arizona/UAB, Boston College/Purdue
Possible opponents: Gonzaga, Maryland/Michigan State, Wichita State/Georgetown/Siena/Tennessee
Possible opponents: St. Joe’s, Notre Dame, North Carolina/Oregon/Alabama
Possible opponents: Pitt, Mississippi State/Washington State
12/4 USC @ Oklahoma
Just one of several very compelling Big 12/Pac-10 matchups, this one between teams with March (and April) dreams.
12/4 Oklahoma State @ Washington
A good early chance to see where two interesting teams stand.
12/4 UCLA @ Texas
Another Big 12/Pac-10 matchup between national title contenders
12/6 Baylor @ Washington State
A rematch of what was a great interconference battle last season.
12/9 Villanova @ Texas
This is just one stop in a murderer’s row of a non-conference schedule for the Longhorns, featuring top 25 opponents at every turn.
12/20 Michigan State @ Texas
Yet another instance of a Big 12 team facing a foe with national title aspirations.
12/23 Texas @ Wisconsin
To cap a grueling non-conference run, the Longhorns have to travel up north to face a rugged Badger team.
1/3 Tennessee @ Kansas
Just when you thought Texas had a monopoly on brutal non-conference schedules, Kansas kicks off a trifecta of intense games, just before their conference schedule begins.
1/6 Siena @ Kansas
At first glance, this may not look like much, but Siena is one of the best “mid-majors” this season, and to make matters worse, this is the meat in a Tennessee/at Michigan State sandwich.
1/10 Kansas @ Michigan State
As Kansas’ reward for getting through this tough roadies, the Jayhawks will get to head home to open Big 12 play against in-state rival Kansas State three nights later.
Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Baylor, Texas A&M
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