Big 12 Conference Preview

The following preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the most thorough preview available of the upcoming season, order the 2002-03 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.   Blue Ribbon Forecast No.   Team  '01-02 Conf. Rec. (Overall) 1. Kansas  16-0 (29-3)  2. Oklahoma  13-3 (27-4)  3. Texas  10-6 (20-11)   4. Missouri  9-7 (22-11)  5. Oklahoma State  10-6 (23-8)  6. Texas Tech  10-6 (23-8)  7. Iowa State  4-12 (12-12)  8. Kansas State  6-10 (213-16)  9. Texas A&M  3-13 (9-22)  10. Nebraska  6-10 (13-15)  11. Colorado  5-11 (15-14)  12. Baylor  4-12 (14-16)  Kansas PF Nick Collison Elsa/Getty Images

All-Conference Team Did You Know? G: Kirk Hinrich SR, Kansas G: Hollis Price JR, Oklahoma G: T.J. Ford SO, Texas F: Nick Collison SR, Kansas F: Arthur Johnson JR, Missouri Player of the Year Nick Collison SR, Kansas Newcomer of the Year Kevin Bookout FR, Oklahoma Top Backcourts 1. Oklahoma 2. Kansas 3. Texas Top Frontcourts 1. Colorado 2. Kansas 3. Missouri 2002-03 Conference Tournament March 13-16, American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX 2001-02 Champions Kansas (Reg. Season) Oklahoma (Conf. Tournament) 2001-02 NCAA Tournament Postseason Record 13-6 (.648) NCAA Oklahoma (Final Four) Kansas (Final Four) Missouri (Elite Eight) Texas (Sweet 16) Oklahoma State Texas Tech The Big 12 Tournament moves from Kansas City to Dallas this year. It will be played at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas in 2003 and '04 before returning to the Kemper Arena in Kansas City for another season. After that, bidding will take place for future Big 12 Tournaments.   Three of the Big 12's first-team all-conference players return this season: Kansas' Kirk Hinrich, Oklahoma's Hollis Price and Texas Tech's Andre Emmett. Also back are second-team All-Big 12 players Nick Collison of Kansas and T.J. Ford of Texas. Emmett led the league in scoring in conference games, averaging 21.5 points.   Seventeen of the top 30 scorers in the league return this season, while 14 of the top 20 rebounders are back. Kansas' Hinrich and Nick Collison were chosen to the Playboy Preseason All-America team, along with Price, Ford, and Oklahoma coach Kelvin Samson.   There are five active Big 12 coaches who have won the AP Coach of the Year Award: Iowa State's Larry Eustachy (2000), Kansas' Roy Williams (1992), Sampson (1995), Texas Tech's Bob Knight (1975, '76, '89 at Indiana), and Oklahoma State's Eddie Sutton (1978 at Arkansas, 1986 at Kentucky).   Kansas will represent the Big 12 in the Preseason NIT. The Jayhawks will play Holy Cross on Nov. 19. In six seasons of Big 12 basketball, 11 different teams have advanced to the postseason. Last year Kansas and Oklahoma became the first Big 12 teams to reach the NCAA's Final Four in the six-year history of the conference. The Jayhawks and Sooners are the only two teams in the league to have participated in all six NCAA Tournaments in the league's six year existence.   When Kansas beat Missouri 95-92 on March 3, it became the first Big 12 team to post an undefeated record in the conference. The Jayhawks went 16-0.   Colorado freshman David Harrison set the Big 12 single-season record for field-goal percentage (.638) last season.

 

Related information

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video