Big 12 Preview: Kansas, Houston, and Texas lead the way with a lot of parity throughout the league
The college basketball season is right around the corner. On3 is going to go through each of the Power 6 conferences to preview the upcoming 2023-24 season. This week, we are diving into the Big 12.
For starters, the league expanded this year and welcomed four new teams. Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF each joined from the American. BYU joined from the WCC. This now makes the Big 12 a 14-team league.
As we dive into the conference, we see clear tiers and a lot of parity. Where this has been a league that Kansas has dominated over the past two decades, it is not that cut and dry anymore. You can add Houston to the top tier of the league this season. Both programs should have national title aspirations heading into the year.
The next tier, Texas, TCU, Baylor, Kansas State, Iowa State, and Texas Tech, are all one step away. It would not be a surprise to see any of the group come together and take a step into the top tier. All six of these teams should have NCAA Tournament hopes as the season starts.
Cincinnati, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and BYU each have interesting rosters. Players will need to take steps forward, and/or newcomers gel quickly, but this tier has the talent to make a surprise conference run or possible NCAA Tournament run if things break right.
West Virginia and UCF both have talent and should not be overlooked on any given night. The Big 12 is very good this year. We have come to expect that from the league, and even with expanding by four teams, there are no easy nights in this conference.
Let’s take a look through the basketball preseason power rankings for the Big 12 in 2023-24.
1. Kansas
Head Coach Bill Self (career 787-237)
2023-23: 28-8 (13-5 No. 1 in Big 12)
PG 6-2 RS-Jr. DaJuan Harris
G 6-4 Sr. Nicolas Timberlake
F 6-7 Sr. Kevin McCullar
F 6-7 Jr. KJ Adams
C 7-2 Sr. Hunter Dickinson
Bench: 6-3 Fr. Elmarko Jackson, 6-10 Sr. Parker Braun, 6-11 Jr. Zach Clemence, 6-7 Fr. Johnny Furphy
The Buzz: Kansas has one of the most talented starting fives in the country. Harris is the consummate point guard, able to guard the ball and touch the paint. He is the straw that stirs the drink. McCullar and Adams are explosive forwards who should each contend for All-Big 12 Defensive honors. Dickinson has been one of the most dominant paint presences in college basketball over the past three seasons. He has averaged 17.2 points and 8.4 rebounds in his career. The hope is for Timberlake’s shooting to carry over, transferring up from the CAA to Big 12. He is a career 38 percent shooter with 233 makes. Depth could be a question, as a lot could be asked of the starters, but the Jayhawks have an interesting mix of young talent (Jackson, Furphy) and older rotation guys who know their roles (Braun, Clemence).
2. Houston
Head Coach Kelvin Sampson (career 657-301)
2022-23: 33-4 (17-1 in American)
PG 6-1 Sr. Jamal Shead
G 6-1 Sr. LJ Cryer
G 6-3 RS-So. Emanuel Sharp
F 6-7 RS-Sr. J’Wan Roberts
F 6-8 Jr. Ja’Vier Francis
Bench: 6-6 So. Terrance Arceneaux, 6-6 RS-Jr. Damian Dunn, 6-7 Fr. JoJo Tugler, 6-2 RS-Sr. Mylik Wilson, 6-4 Jr. Ramon Walker, 6-10 RS-Fr. Cedric Lath
The Buzz: Shead is an extension of Kelvin Sampson on the floor. He has been in the program, knows exactly what is wanted, and he performs at a high level. Cryer brings championship experience and sharpshooting with the ability to guard the ball. There is depth and experience in the frontcourt. Roberts led the team in rebounding last season (7.7), and he and Francis both shot over 60 percent from the field and averaged more than a block per game. This team has depth. Dunn is a career 1,000-point scorer at Temple. Arceneaux is being projected as a draft pick. Tugler is a to-75 recruit who has drawn early raves from the coaching staff. While this team carries a lot of firepower, watch for Sharp; he could have a few scoring explosions.
3. Texas
Head Coach Rodney Terry (career 234-126)
2022-23: 29-9 (12-6 2nd in Big 12)
PG 6-0 Jr. Tyrese Hunter
G 6-0 Sr. Max Abmas
F 6-8 So. Dillon Mitchell
F 6-9 Sr. Dylan Disu
C 6-11 Sr. Kadin Shedrick
Bench: 6-3 So. Chendall Weaver, 6-5 Fr. Chris Johnson, 6-5 Sr. Ithiel Horton, 6-8 Jr. Ze’Rik Onyema, 6-6 Sr. Brock Cunningham
The Buzz: A lot of the success for this team will deal with the health of Disu and Shedrick. Both have been injured through the off-season. Shedrick is a natural shot-blocker, and Disu brings toughness and experience to the blocks. The strength of this team lies in the guards. Abmas and Hunter should be in line for big seasons. Hunter has had a season and an off-season under Terry’s system and should have a full understanding of what is being asked. Abmas is the NCAA’s leading career scorer heading into the season. He has scored 2,561 career points and knocked down 420 career threes at a 38.8 percent clip. Dillon Mitchell brings positional versatility on defense. Weaver and Horton should see good minutes at the guard and wing spots. Onyema has 32 career starts under his belt. He will be asked to provide an interior presence until Shedrick and Disu get to full health.
4. TCU
Head Coach Jamie Dixon (career 467-220)
2022-23: 22-13 (9-9, fifth in Big 12)
PG 6-2 Sr. Jameer Nelson Jr
G 6-2 Sr. Avery Anderson
F 6-7 Jr. Chuck O’Bannon
F 6-7 Sr. Emanuel Miller
C 6-11 So. Ernest Udeh
Bench: 6-8 Sr. Micah Peavy, 6-3 Sr. Trevian Tennyson, 6-9 Sr. Xavier Cork, 6-8 Jr. JaKobe Coles, 6-9 Sr. Essam Mostafa, 6-5 Fr. Jace Posey
The Buzz: The depth of this team is impressive for Jamie Dixon. Nelson comes from Delaware, where he finished top-20 in scoring (20.2) last season, along with earning CAA All-Defense first-team honors. Udeh is a Kansas transfer and a natural rim protector. Anderson transferred from Oklahoma State, where he had 80 career starts and 1,061 career points. Miller finished 18th in the Big 12 in points last season while finishing top-10 in rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage. O’Bannon enters his seventh year of college. He has 72 career starts at TCU. Peavy, Cork, Coles, and Mostafa all provide experience and depth in the frontcourt. Posey, a former track star, is the son of James Posey. Tennyson has scored 1,93 career points and is a 39.1 percent three-point marksman.
5. Baylor
Head Coach Scott Drew (career 442-244)
2022-23: 21-11 (11-7, third in Big 12)
PG 6-2 Sr. RayJ Dennis
G 6-5 Fr. Ja’Kobe Walter
G 6-5 RS-So. Langston Love
F 6-9 Sr. Jalen Bridges
F 6-8 Sr. Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua
Bench: 7-0 Fr. Yves Missi, 6-4 Jr. Jayden Nunn, 6-4 Fr. Miro Little, 6-2 Jr. Dantwan Grimes, 6-8 Sr. Caleb Lohner
The Buzz: Baylor lost all three starters in the backcourt. Dennis comes in as the reigning MAC Player of the Year after averaging 19.5 points and 5.8 assists per contest. Walter is a very good perimeter defender and an adept scorer. Tchamwa Tchatchoua is a stout defensive presence. Love played a backup role last season and is ready to take on more. Is he healthy enough? Bridges has started 86 games in his college career and has a lot of tools. Missi and Nunn will play big roles off the bench. Little, Grimes, and Lohner provide the necessary depth. Health could play a role here, so could freshmen stepping into major roles.
6. Kansas State
Head Coach Jerome Tang (career 26-10)
2022-23: 26-10 (11-7, third in Big 12)
PG 5-11 Sr. Tylor Perry
G 6-3 Jr. Cam Carter
F 6-7 Jr. Arthur Kaluma
F 6-10 Sr. Nae’Qwan Tomlin
C 6-9 Sr. David N’Guessan
Bench: 6-0 Sr. Ques Glover, 6-4 So. Dorian Finister, 6-1 Fr. Dai Dai Ames, 6-3 Fr. RJ Jones, 6-7 RS-Fr. Taj Manning, 6-10 RS-So. Jerrell Colbert, 6-7 Fr. Macaleab Rich
The Buzz: What an electric year Kansas State had last season. The team had to replace 117 starts in the off-season and brought in seven newcomers battling for rotation spots. Perry earned Conference USA Player of the Year honors last season after averaging 17.3 points on 41.3 percent from three. Tomlin is one of the more intriguing players in the country with his length, mobility, and shooting upside. N’Guessan is a hustle guy and a versatile defender. He should be pushed for minutes by Colbert and Manning. Kaluma has as much upside as anyone on the roster; he has started 67 games and averaged 11.1 points in two seasons at Creighton. Rich and Jones are very talented freshmen. Glover should be a sparkplug, earning a lot of minutes off the bench.
7. Iowa State
Head Coach TJ Otzelberger (career 140-90)
2022-23: 19-14 (9-9, fifth in Big 12)
PG 6-1 So. Tamin Lipsey
G 6-4 Jr. Keshon Gilbert
G 6-4 Sr. Curtis Jones
F 6-8 Fr. Omaha Biliew
F 6-7 Sr. Tre King
Bench: 6-2 So. Jackson Paveletzke, 6-7 So. Demarion Watson, 6-8 Fr. Milan Momcilovic, 6-9 Sr. Hason Ward, 6-10 Sr. Robert Jones
The Buzz: There is a lot of excitement about these backcourt pieces as the projected starting lineup features three new faces. Biliew is a five-star and McDonald’s All-American. His defensive presence should play well in Otzelberger’s system. Lipsey is going to be the straw that stirs the drink. He started 33 games as a freshman last season and led the team in assists (4.4) and steals (2.2). Gilbert is a paint touch guard who is, like Lipsey, a ball-hawk on defense. Those two can be interchangeable on the ball. Jones started 31 games at Buffalo last season, averaging 15.0 points and knocking down 2.4 threes per contest. Paveletzke should be the first guard off the bench with his ability to dribble, shoot, and pass. Momcilovic is a highly skilled freshman. Ward, Watson, and Jones should each provide solid backup minutes. We know they can defend, but can they get consistent enough scoring?
8. Texas Tech
Head Coach Grant McCasland (career 352-121)
1st season at Texas Tech
PG 6-2 So. Pop Isaacs
G 6-4 So. Lamar Washington
F 6-6 So. Darrion Williams
F 6-6 Sr. Devan Cambridge
C 7-0 Sr. Warren Washington
Bench: 6-3 Jr. Chance McMillan, 6-3 Sr. D’Maurian Willaims, 6-0 Sr. Joe Toussaint, 6-8 So. KyeRon Lindsay, 6-5 Sr. Kerwin Walton. 6-7 So. Robert Jennings
The Buzz: Grant McCasland enters his head coaching tenure at Texas Tech with a defensive reputation. He has a team filled with guys who can move their feet and get into the passing lanes. Isaacs will be the focal point of the offense. He is the team’s leading returning scorer and assist-man; he also shot 37.8 percent from three as a freshman. Williams is the reigning MWC Freshman of the Year. He simply makes plays. Lamar Washington can defend and score points. Warren Washington averaged 6.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks last season. Cambridge has knocked down 115 threes in 68 career starts. Toussaint brings experience and energy off the bench with a rugged defensive reputation. Jennings and Lindsay have a lot of upside. Walton has the reputation of a shooter; he and Williams should provide some backcourt/wing depth.
9. Cincinnati
Head Coach Wes Miller (career 226-163
2022-23: 23-13 (11-7, 4th in American)
PG 6-0 Jr. Day Day Thomas
G 6-6 So. Dan Skillings
G 6-8 Jr. Simas Lukosius
F 6-11 RS-Jr. Viktor Lakhin
C 7-0 Sr. Aziz Bandaogo
Bench: 6-11 Sr. Jamille Reynolds, 6-1 Fr. Jizzle James, 6-3 Sr. CJ Frederick, 6-7 So. Josh Reed, 6-7 Fr. Rayvon Griffith, 6-5 Sr. John Newman, 6-9 Sr. Ody Oguama
The Buzz: Lakhin and Bandaogo form one of the better two interior defenders in the conference. Lakhin averaged 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals, while Bandaogo finished 11th in D1 with 10.4 rebounds and 5th in D1 with 2.9 blocks last season. Lukosius is a versatile wing, able to initiate offense from different levels. Thomas is a score-first guard who plays with athleticism and toughness. Skillings is a skilled scorer. In the Bearcats’ five post-season games (Conference Tournament and NIT), he averaged 8.0 points on 47.1 percent from the field. Oguama and Reynolds provide some experienced beef to the front court. Newman is an experienced veteran. Frederick is a noted shooter who transferred from Kentucky. Reed and Griffith provide length on the wing. James, son of NFL Hall of Famer Edgerrin James, is the point guard of the future. This team should be very good on defense; how quickly can the backcourt get up to speed?
10. Oklahoma
Head Coach Porter Moser (career 327-275)
2022-23: 15-17 (5-13, ninth in Big 12)
PG 6-4 So. Milos Uzan
G 6-2 Jr. Javian McCollum
G 6-5 So. Otega Oweh
F 6-7 Jr. Jalon Moore
C 6-10 RS-Jr. John Hugley
Bench: 6-4 Sr. Le’Tre Dorthard, 6-5 Fr. Kaden Cooper, 6-6 Sr. Rivaldo Soares, 6-10 Sr. Sam Godwin, 6-9 RS-Sr. Yaya Keita, 6-7 Fr. Jacolb Cole
The Buzz: There is some excitement around the backcourt. Uzan returns for year two as the starting point guard. As a freshman, he avered 3.0 assists and shot 40.8 percent from three. Oweh started the final nine games of the season and averaged 8.4 points and 1.3 steals during that period. McCollum averaged 15.9 points and 3.9 assists as a sophomore at Siena last year. While each of the three saw success, they will all need to take a step forward as well. Moore is a lengthy forward from Georgia Tech; he has started 16 games in college and has some nice tools that could surprise. Hugley can be a load on the block. In his 38 career starts, Hugley has averaged 13.9 and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 47 percent from the field. Dorthard averaged almost 14 per game last season and is a career 37.8 percent three-point shooter. Soars transferred in from Oregon, where he started 35 games. Cooper and Cole are both four-star recruits. Godwin and Keita should provide depth up front. The team has solid depth; the starters each need to take a step.
11. Oklahoma State
Head Coach Mike Boynton (career 107-89)
2022-23: 20-16 (8-10, seventh in Big 12)
PG 6-1 Sr. John-Michael Wright
G 6-3 Jr. Javon Small
G 6-6 Sr. Bryce Thompson
F 6-8 Fr. Eric Dailey Jr.
C 6-11 Fr. Brandon Garrison
Bench: 6-4 Sr. Jarius Hicklin, 6-5 So. Quion Williams, 7-1 RS-Fr. Isaiah Miranda, 6-10 RS-Sr. Mike Marsh, 6-3 Fr. Jamyron Keller, 6-8 Fr. Justin McBride
The Buzz: Mike Boynton brings back experience in the backcourt as Thompson and Wright have combined to start 186 career college games. Thomas was the team’s leading scorer last season, averaging 11.8 points and shooting 37 percent from thee. Wright, a fifth-year senior, has scored over 1,800 career points and dished 324 career assists. Dailey and Garrison both come in with international experience with USA Basketball. Dailey has a polished mid-range game with good length. Garrison is a throw-back big who sets good screens, has good hands, and rebounds his area. Small led East Carolina in scoring and assists last year while adding 1.2 steals per contest. Hicklin is a career 38.1 percent three-point shooter, averaging 84.5 makes per season. Marsh is a big center who started 14 games and averaged double-figures last season. The rest of the bench does not have much college experience, but they do have talent. How quickly can they find their roles?
12. BYU
Head Coach Mark Pope (career 164-97)
2022-23: 19-16 (7-9, fifth in WCC)
PG 6-4 So. Dallin Hall
G 6-5 Sr. Spencer Johnson
F 6-7 Sr. Jaxson Robinson
F 6-6 Jr. Fousseyni Traore
C 6-11 Jr. Aly Khalifa
Bench: 6-11 Sr. Noah Waterman, 6-2 Jr. Trey Stewart, 6-10 Jr. Atiki Ally Atiki, 6-5 So. Robbie Saunders, 6-5 RS-Jr. Trevin Knell, 6-8 Fr. Marcus Adams, 6-4 Jr. Dawson Baker
The Buzz: This could be a sneaky BYU team. They will have ball movement, improved shooting, and some solid depth across the board. Khalifa is one of the more skilled bigs in the country. The 6-foot-11 big shot 38.1 percent from three and has averaged 3.1 assists in his college career. The path is clear for Johnson to take a step forward. He averaged 11.1 points and shot 46.1 percent from three last season. Hall is back for season two as the starting point guard. He started 21 games as a freshman. Traore was the team’s leading scorer (12.9) and rebounder (7.8) last season. Robinson, Knell, and Saunders are all expected to take a step forward. Baker could push for starters minutes. The second-team All-Big West guard averaged 15.3 points and shot nearly 37 percent from three last season. Adams is a talented freshman. Waterman and Ally Ariki will provide bench minutes.
13. West Virginia
Head Coach Josh Eilert (first season)
2022-23: 19-15 (7-11, eighth in Big 12)
PG 6-3 Sr. Kerr Kriisa
G 6-2 Jr. Seth Wilson
G 6-5 Sr. RaeQuan Battle
F 6-10 Sr. Akok Akok
C 6-11 Sr. Jesse Edwards
Bench: 6-9 Sr Quinn Slazinski, 6-3 Jr. Kobe Johnson, 6-5 RS-Fr. Jeremiah Bembry, 6-7 So. Josiah Harris, 6-8 Sr. Patrick Suemnick
The Buzz: While lacking viable depth, this team did acquire some talent in the off-season. Four projected starts all came out of the transfer portal. The best of the bunch might be Edwards, who could push for All-League honors. He was first-team All-Defense in the ACC last season after finishing sixth in NCAA Division 1 with 2.7 blockers per game. Battle could be an x-factor on the season; he has not yet gained eligibility as a multiple transfer player, but he averaged 17.7 points and was first-team All-Big Sky last season. Akok started 31 games, and his 2.0 blocks finished second in the Big East last season. Wilson and Slazinski will be asked to provide some scoring pop. Johnson, Bembry, Harris, and Suemnick do not have much college experience, but West Virginia will need a couple of those guys to step up into some productive minutes.
14. UCF
Head Coach Johnny Dawkins (career 287-202)
2022-23: 19-15 (8-10, seventh in American)
PG 6-1 Jr. Darius Johnson
G 6-4 Sr. Shemarri Allen
G 6-4 Jr. Jaylin Sellers
F 6-8 Sr. CJ Walker
C 6-10 Sr. Omar Payne
Bench: 6-4 Sr. Demarr Langford, 6-11 Sr Thierno Sylla, 6-3 Fr. Nils Machowski, 6-10 Sr. Ibrahima Diallo, 6-6 Sr. Antwann Jones, 6-5 Fr. Comeh Emuobor
The Buzz: Johnny Dawkins brought in some backcourt players who have experienced production in their careers. in 33 career starts, Sellers has averaged 13 points and shot 45.0 percent from three. Allen averaged 17.0 points per contest at UMKC last season while also making first-team Summit All-Defense. Johnson is the lone returning starter from last season. He averaged 10.0 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.2 steals. Langford, a former four-star recruit, averaged 8.8 points while starting 54 career games at Boston College. While Sellers provides some shooting, Allen and Johnson will be able to guard the ball. The frontcourt may be a more by-committee approach. Walker, Payne, Sylla, and Diallo all have size, length, and some athleticism. Walker, Payne, and Diallo are all in their fifth years. Sylla has a nice upside. Jones is at his fifth school and should provide some depth. It would be helpful if Machowski or Emuobor could add some productive minutes. This is an interesting mixture of players with a lot of new faces. How will a new team with new faces handle a new league?