MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — WVU men’s basketball is projected to finish in the middle of the Big 12 Conference entering the 2023-24 season, according to the league’s preseason coaches poll.

Interim head coach Josh Eilert’s team is picked to finish ninth this season.

A familiar squad, Kansas, is picked to win the league after receiving 12 first place votes. Newcomer Houston is picked to finish second and is the only other team receiving first place votes.

The other three newcomers — Cincinnati, BYU and UCF — appear as three of the bottom four teams in the poll.

Last season, seven of the Big 12’s 10 members qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The league also produced back-to-back national title winners in 2021 (Baylor) and 2022 (Kansas).

Head coaches and student-athletes from each team will appear at the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tipoff, presented by Old Trapper in Kansas City, Missouri on Wednesday, October 18. Interviews with Kris Budden, Fran Fraschilla and Hannah Wing will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. CT. A feed of head coaches’ press conferences will be available on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ from 9:10 – 10:50 a.m. CT and 1:30-3:25 p.m. CT. The regular season will start on Monday, November 6 with a full slate of non-conference games.

Big 12 Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll: