Kansas Is Pick to Win Big 12

The Kansas Jayhawks are the No.1 choice almost every preseason basketball publication, now they are also the unanimous pick to win the Big 12 championship by the league coaches, according to the poll released Wednesday.

The Jayhawks, who return all five starters and pretty much all of their scoring from a season ago, received all 11 possible first-place votes by the Big 12 coaches (head coaches can not vote for their own team). In addition to the retuning starters, which include All-Big 12 First Team selections Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, Kansas also brings aboard one of the top recruiting classes in the nation.Collins and Aldrich have also been selected the preseason co-Players of the Year.

Texas, which obviously received KU coach Bill Self's first-place, was picked second in the poll and has the lone remaining first place vote. The Longhorns return four starters from last season have been largely regarded as a top five team nationally by most basketball experts.

Following the Jayhawks and Longhorns are Oklahoma (third), Kansas State (fourth) and Texas A&M (fifth).

Team (First place votes) Points
1. Kansas (11)* 121
2. Texas (1) 111
3. Oklahoma 95
4. Kansas State 92
5. Texas A&M 74
6. Oklahoma State 69
7. Missouri 66
8. Iowa State 57
9. Texas Tech 34
10. Baylor 33
11. Nebraska 27
12. Colorado 13




Preseason Co-Players of the Year
Cole Aldrich, Kansas, C, 6-11, 245, Jr., Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson
Sherron Collins, Kansas, G, 5-11, 205, Sr., Chicago, Ill./Crane

Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Marquis Gilstrap, Iowa State, F, 6-7, 215, Sr., Covington, Ga./East Side/Gulf Coast CC [Fla.]

Preseason Freshman of the Year
Avery Bradley, Texas, G, 6-2, 180, Fr., Tacoma, Wash./Findlay Prep [Nev.]

2009-10 Preseason All-Big 12 Team

Name School Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown/Previous school(s)

Craig Brackins, Iowa State** F 6-10 230 Jr. Palmdale, Calif./Brewster Academy [N.H.]
Cole Aldrich, Kansas C 6-11 245 Jr. Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson
Sherron Collins, Kansas** G 5-11 205 Sr. Chicago, Ill./Crane
Willie Warren, Oklahoma G 6-4 199 So. Fort Worth, Texas/North Crowley
James Anderson, OSU G/F 6-6 205 Jr. Junction City, Ark./Junction City
Damion James, Texas G/F 6-7 225 Sr. Nacogdoches, Texas/Nacogdoches

** - Unanimous Selection.
A tie in the voting created six spots on the preseason squad