The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men’s Basketball ranked No. 12 in preseason USA TODAY Sports coaches poll
10.26.2022 | Men's Basketball
The Longhorns host No. 10/10 Arkansas in a charity exhibition game at Moody Center on Saturday, Oct. 29.
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas Men's Basketball team is ranked No. 10 in the USA TODAY Sports preseason coaches' poll announced this week.
The Longhorns are one of five Big 12 Conference teams selected in the preseason coaches' poll. Kansas is No. 5 and is followed by Baylor at No. 6, TCU at No. 16 and Texas Tech at No. 24. In addition, four other non-conference opponents for the Longhorns are in the preseason poll, including No. 2 Gonzaga, No. 9 Creighton, No. 11 Tennessee and No. 23 Illinois. UT will also face No. 10 Arkansas in a preseason charity exhibition game on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Moody Center.
Texas returns five rotational players from Chris Beard's first season in Austin, when the Longhorns posted a 22-12 mark, ranked No. 25 in the final AP poll and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. UT won its first NCAA Tournament game since 2014 and registered its most victories in a season since 2013-14. Three of the five returning rotation players earned All-Big 12 Conference recognition, including Timmy Allen (second team), Marcus Carr (third team) and Christian Bishop (honorable mention).
The Longhorns add a pair of transfers in Tyrese Hunter (Iowa State) and Sir'Jabari Rice (New Mexico State), who both led their former teams to wins in the NCAA Tournament last year. Texas also welcomes a four-man freshman class that is ranked as the No. 5 recruiting class in the country by Rivals and 247 Sports, featuring a pair of McDonald's All-Americans in Dillon Mitchell and Arterio Morris.
No. 12/12 Texas tips off the 2022-23 season with charity exhibition game against No. 10/10 Arkansas on Saturday, Oct. 29. Tip is set for 3 p.m. Central at Moody Center. The Longhorns open the regular season with a home contest against UTEP on Monday, Nov. 7. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m. Central at Moody Center.
The USA TODAY Sports Coaches' Preseason Top 25
|
Rank |
Team (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
|
1. |
North Carolina (23) |
778 |
|
2. |
Gonzaga (5) |
759 |
|
3. |
Houston (1) |
713 |
|
4. |
Kentucky (3) |
697 |
|
5. |
Kansas |
660 |
|
6. |
Baylor |
632 |
|
7. |
UCLA |
560 |
|
8. |
Duke |
552 |
|
9. |
Creighton |
500 |
|
10. |
Arkansas |
498 |
|
11. |
Tennessee |
486 |
|
12. |
TEXAS |
449 |
|
13. |
Arizona |
352 |
|
14. |
Indiana |
334 |
|
15. |
Auburn |
318 |
|
16. |
TCU |
317 |
|
17. |
Villanova |
300 |
|
18. |
Virginia |
287 |
|
19. |
Alabama |
176 |
|
20. |
San Diego State |
173 |
|
21. |
Oregon |
128 |
|
22. |
Michigan |
122 |
|
23. |
Illinois |
115 |
|
24. |
Texas Tech |
107 |
|
25. |
Dayton |
75 |
