STILLWATER – Just a day removed from the Big 12 announcing preseason All-Big 12 selections, the conference announced its preseason team rankings.
The Cowboys were voted to finish fifth in the league.
Numbers in parenthesis = first-place votes
The Big 12 preseason rankings are voted on by the league’s head coaches as to who they think is going to win the league and how the final rankings will look once the season is over. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team.
The Cowboys are coming off a 21-9 overall record in 2020-21, with an 11-7 conference record. They were led by the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cade Cunningham, who led the Big 12 in scoring last season with 20.2 points a game.
Entering the 2021-22 season, the Pokes are led by senior guard Isaac Likekele and junior point guard Avery Anderson III.
Anderson III was tabbed a preseason Big 12 honorable mention, who finished the season averaging 12.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and was electric the final six games of the season as he averaged 19.2 points on 52.6% shooting.
They also return talent at multiple positions, including a large group of transfers brought in over the spring and summer. Returners are Rondel Walker, Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, Bryce Williams, Keylan Boone and Kalib Boone, Chris Harris Jr., Donovan Williams and Bernard Kouma.
As for the transfers, they’re led by Moussa Cisse from Memphis, Bryce Thompson from Kansas, Tyreek Smith from Texas Tech and Woody Newton from Syracuse. Cisse was also tabbed a preseason Big 12 honorable mention.
The Cowboys open the season on Nov. 9 as they host UT Arlington in Stillwater. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
