The 2026-27 Big 12 men’s basketball season is already shaping up to be another gauntlet, as the Arizona Wildcats edged the Houston Cougars atop the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll released Thursday. Arizona received 12 first-place votes to Houston’s four, while traditional powers Kansas, Iowa State and Texas Tech rounded out a loaded top five. Once again, the Big 12 enters the season as one of the deepest and most competitive conferences in college basketball, with multiple teams expected to contend for a conference championship, NCAA Tournament bids and a potential Final Four run.
The gap between the top teams and the rest of the league is equally slim. Kansas landed third with 186 points, followed closely by Iowa State (181) and Texas Tech (180). Just six points separate the Cyclones and Red Raiders, highlighting what figures to be another crowded battle near the top of the standings.
BYU checked in sixth with 148 points, while TCU was seventh at 137. Cincinnati and West Virginia tied for eighth with 116 points each, giving both programs a chance to outperform expectations in a league where depth has become a defining characteristic.
Perhaps the most notable surprise is Baylor‘s placement at No. 10. Under Scott Drew, the Bears had become one of the conference’s premier programs in recent seasons, but after a tough couple of years, coaches clearly no longer view the Bears as a Big 12 contender. Oklahoma State sits just behind Baylor at No. 11 and could be one of the league’s more intriguing dark-horse contenders.
Arizona State, UCF, Colorado, Kansas State, and Utah round out the poll.
The rankings reinforce what Big 12 fans have come to expect: there is little separation from top to bottom. While Arizona and Houston headline the preseason conversation, five teams finished within 40 points of first place, suggesting the conference title race is wide open. And as the Big 12 has shown repeatedly in recent years, preseason expectations often look very different by March.
Big 12 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Arizona (12) – 220 points
2. Houston (4) – 214 points
3. Kansas – 186 points
4. Iowa State – 181 points
5. Texas Tech – 180 points
6. BYU – 148 points
7. TCU – 137 points
T8. Cincinnati – 116 points           Â
T8. West Virginia – 116 points
10. Baylor – 102 points
11. Oklahoma State – 98 points
12. Arizona State – 75 points
13. UCF – 55 points
T14. Colorado – 34 points
T14. Kansas State – 34 points
16. Utah – 24 points
Big 12 Basketball 2025-26 Season Recap
The Big 12 once again showcased its strength during the 2025-26 season, but it was Arizona that stood atop the league. In its second season as a conference member, the Wildcats won both the Big 12 regular-season championship and the Big 12 Tournament title, immediately establishing themselves as one of the conference’s premier basketball programs. Arizona navigated a league that featured perennial contenders such as Houston, Kansas, Iowa State and Texas Tech, further underscoring the difficulty of winning the conference. The Wildcats’ success likely played a major role in their selection as the preseason favorite for 2026-27, although the narrow voting margin over Houston suggests coaches expect another fiercely competitive race for the Big 12 crown.
