Entering the 2009-10 season, the Big 12 has had as many as seven teams ranked in the various preseason predictions by national media outlets. In addition, numerous players have been touted for preseason All-America honors.
Kansas has been selected as the consensus No. 1 team in the country, while Texas is a near-consensus top five selection. In addition, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas A&M and Baylor have been rated among the top squads in the nation heading into the new campaign.
Individually, numerous student-athletes have been listed among the top players at their position, including seven who have received some form of All-America accolades.
A minimum of six teams (and in some cases seven) have been predicted to earn NCAA bids, with some outlets ranking the Big 12 as the No. 1 conference in the nation for the upcoming season.
Seven of the 10 members of last year’s All-Big 12 First and Second Teams will play again during the upcoming season. In addition, five of seven Big 12 student-athletes that won major awards (Big 12 Player of the Year, etc.) a year ago will take the court in 2009-10.
Joining the returnees will be five of the top 15 players in the ESPNU Top 100, including the No. 1 player on the list (Avery Bradley to Texas). The five top 15 players on that list are more than any other conference. Overall, the Big 12 leads all conferences with 21 players among the ESPNU/Scouts Inc. list of top 90 recruits in the nation.
The Big 12 has the nation’s best winning percentage in NCAA competition over the last two years and during the past seven seasons (since 2003).
