Big 12 Reveals Arizona Wildcats’ Preseason Ranking, All-Conference Selections
The Arizona Wildcats were selected to finish fifth in the Big 12 men’s basketball preseason coaches poll, which was unveiled on Thursday.
The Wildcats received 179 points, with one first-place vote.
Arizona guard Caleb Love was the lone Wildcat selected to the All-Big 12 preseason team as a first-team selection.
Kansas was selected the favorite with nine first-place votes and 215 points. Two other teams received first-place votes. Houston was second with five first-place vote and 211 points, with Iowa State finishing third with a first-place vote and 194 points.
While Baylor didn’t receive a first-place vote, the Bears were fourth with 185 points.
Just 30 points separated the first four teams in the poll. Include Arizona and it was 36 points.
Arizona is joining the Big 12, along with three other Pac-12 schools, after the conference fell apart over several issues, including television rights fees and the initial spark of USC and UCLA leaving for the Big Ten.
Love, a fifth-year senior, was selected an all-American by six different outlets as he finished last season with a team-leading 18 points per game. He also led the team in 3-pointers made (92), field goals (218) and free throws (120).
He was named the Pac-12 player of the year. He contemplated going to the NBA before opting to return for one more season.
Head coach Tommy Lloyd is entering his fourth season at the helm and will navigate the Wildcats through a 20-game leading schedule that starts at home on New Year’s Eve against TCU. Arizona wraps up the regular season on March 8 at Kansas.
Arizona will face every team in the Big 12 at least once, a league that sent eight teams to the NCAA Tournament a season ago, along with three teams to the men’s postseason NIT. The Big 12 has finished the season with the nation's best average NET ranking for four consecutive seasons, cementing its status as the top league in the sport.
Arizona reached last year’s Sweet 16 under Lloyd and has been to the NCAA Tournament each year under the former Gonzaga assistant’s leadership.
Preseason Big 12 Poll
Kansas (9 first-place votes) - 215 points
Houston (5) - 211
Iowa State (1) - 194
Baylor - 185
Arizona (1) - 179
Cincinnati - 140
Texas Tech - 135
Kansas State - 133
BYU - 116
TCU - 90
UCF - 83
Arizona State - 64
West Virginia - 62
Oklahoma State - 46
Colorado - 37
Utah - 30
Preseason All-Big 12 First Team
Caleb Love, Arizona
LJ Cryer, Houston
J'Wan Roberts, Houston
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas*
*- unanimous selection
Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team
Norchad Omier, Baylor
Jeremy Roach, Baylor
Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State
Dajuan Harris Jr., Kansas
Coleman Hawkins, K-State
Preseason Player of the Year: Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
Preseason Co-Newcomer of the Year: Jeremy Roach, Baylor
Preseason Co-Newcomer of the Year: Coleman Hawkins, K-State
Preseason Freshman of the Year: VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
