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Big 12 Coaches Elect Kansas As Conference Winners

By Cody Daniel

Mar 5, 2014; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks center Joel Embiid (center) celebrates after the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas won the game 82-57. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports1
Mar 5, 2014; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks center Joel Embiid (center) celebrates after the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas won the game 82-57. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports1 /
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The Big 12 coaches have spoken and once again, the Kansas Jayhawks are again the favorite to finish the season atop college basketball’s deepest conference. This marks the 13th time in program history the coaches have elected the Jayhawks as the team to beat in the Big 12.

Rick Barnes’ loaded Texas Longhorns are a close second favorite with the high-scoring Oklahoma Sooners rounding out the top three who of those who received at least one first place vote.

Kansas State and Iowa State were voted as fourth and fifth respectively, while Baylor and West Virginia came in as a tie for sixth place. Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas Tech concluded the conference coaches’ selections.

 2014-15 BIG 12 PRESEASON POLL

 Team (First-place Votes)Points
1.Kansas (6)78
Texas (3)74
3.Oklahoma (1)67
4.Kansas State53
5.Iowa State51
  1.  
Baylor36
 West Virginia36
8.Oklahoma State27
9.TCU15
  1.  
Texas Tech13

The season will begin for nine of the Big 12’s 10 teams on Friday, November 14 with Oklahoma being the odd man out, as their season will get underway Nov. 16. But once conference play rolls around on Saturday, Jan. 3, all hell will break loose amongst the Big 12 just as it did during what became a basketball bloodbath in 2013-14. Even Kansas would have to consider themselves lucky if they walk away with any less than three conference losses before the regular season comes to a close.

Outside of TCU and Texas Tech, any one of these teams could come away with a victory on any given night. Despite not being as stacked as Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma, the Kansas State Wildcats and Iowa State Cyclone are teams who could have made a strong argument for one of the top three teams in any other conference. Baylor will still be a physical club, West Virginia is led by a preseason second team All-American in Juwan Staten and Oklahoma State reeled in enough talent to match with it’s veterans to keep them relevant in the conference chase yet again.

I won’t go as far as to say any of the teams outside of the Jayhawks, Longhorns and Sooners can make a solid case for themselves as conference champs, but with each of them filled out with a roster that will make a strong push towards the NCAA Tournament in 2015, don’t be surprised if the impact these teams have ultimately turns out to be a deciding factor in who rules the conference.