Shanna Rose I WV Sports Chat
On Thursday, the Big 12 Conference released its men’s basketball preseason poll, with Houston emerging as the favorite to win the league. After advancing to the NCAA Championship last season, the Cougars earned the top spot for the first time in program history, having finished at No. 2 in each of their first two years in the conference.
Despite having a solid 2023–24 campaign, West Virginia University landed at No. 11 in the preseason polls. However, the Mountaineers are on their fourth head coach in the last three seasons and a number of uncertainties remain with a new roster.
Texas Tech’s JT Toppin was named Preseason Player of the Year, after deciding to return to Lubbock following his postseason Player of the Year honors in 2024-25. The junior forward is the second Red Raider to be named Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, and first since the 2003-04 season. Toppin averaged 18.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
Kansas’ Darryn Peterson was picked as the Preseason Freshman of the Year, becoming the 10th Jayhawk to earn the honor. The Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year, he comes to Lawrence after averaging 30.4 points per game at Napa Christian High School. The Canton, Ohio native was a McDonald’s All-American that was tabbed as the No. 1 recruit in the nation by 247Sports.com and On3.com.
LeJuan Watts is another Texas Tech star that earned a preseason honor, being named Preseason Newcomer of the Year. The Washington State transfer averaged 13.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for the Cougars in 2024-25. Watts is the fourth Red Raider player to be voted as the conference’s top newcomer in the preseason, and the first since 2020.
Toppin and Peterson were joined by BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Houston’s Milos Uzan as unanimous selections to the preseason All-Big 12 Team. Richie Saunders (BYU), Emanuel Sharp (Houston), Joseph Tugler (Houston), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), P.J. Haggerty (Kansas State) and Christian Anderson (Texas Tech) complete the 10-man team. Lipsey is making his second consecutive appearance on the Preseason All-Big 12 team.
WVU did not have any members of the men’s basketball team selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
Preseason Poll
- Houston (14) – 224
- BYU (1) – 204
- Texas Tech – 200
- Arizona (1) – 179
- Iowa State – 170
- Kansas – 163
- Baylor – 137
- Cincinnati – 120
- K-State – 117
- TCU – 90
- West Virginia – 79
- Oklahoma State – 77
- Utah – 50
- UCF – 39
- Colorado – 37
- Arizona State – 34
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
AJ Dybantsa, BYU*
Richie Saunders, BYU
Emanuel Sharp, Houston
Joseph Tugler, Houston
Milos Uzan, Houston*
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Darryn Peterson, Kansas*
P.J. Haggerty, K-State
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
JT Toppin, Texas Tech*
*-unanimous selection
Preseason Player of the Year: JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: LeJuan Watts, Texas Tech
Preseason Freshman of the Year: Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
