With the college basketball season just around the corner, BYU is expected to finish near the top of the Big 12, as reflected in the release of the Preseason Coaches Poll.
Houston, the two-time defending champions, were picked to win the league with 224 points and 14 of the 16 first-place votes. BYU came in second with 204 points and one first-place vote, marking the first time since the 2021-22 season that an opposing coach picked the Cougars to finish first.
This is the highest BYU has ever been projected in the preseason Big 12 Poll since joining in the league.
Texas Tech ranked third with 200 points, followed by Arizona with 179.
#️⃣2️⃣ pic.twitter.com/repgTXGRkR
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) October 16, 2025
BYU was also represented on the preseason All-Big 12 team by Richie Saunders and AJ Dybantsa earning a spot on that list.
Saunders returns for his senior year after earning First Team All-Big 12 accolades last year. He averaged 16.5 points per game, shooting 51.8 percent from the field, 43.2 percent from the 3-point range and 83.5 percent from the free-throw line. During the 2024-25 season he led the Cougars to their first Sweet 16 appearance.
In Big 12 play last season, Saunders was ranked fourth in the conference in scoring at 17.9 points per game as BYU won their final eight regular season game to finish in a tie for third after being picked ninth in the preseason poll.
A star-studded lineup on the 2025-26 #Big12MBB Preseason All-Big 12 Team 🫡 pic.twitter.com/m9g8IXl67E
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 16, 2025
Dybantsa, the nation’s No. 1 and a consensus five-star recruit, was one of four unanimous selections to the all-league team. He was named MVP of the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup and led his team to the three FIBA gold medals.
He is coming off a standout summer that included multiple recognitions: 2025 McDonald's All-American, 2025 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Boy's High School Player of the Year Finalist, and a 24-point, six-rebound, five-assist, three-steal performance in Team USA’s overtime victory in the Nike Hoop Summit.
Dybantsa was beat out by Kansas’ Darryn Peterson for Big 12 Preseason Freshman of Year.
Both Dybantsa and Peterson are two of the nation’s top-ranked players and were unanimously selected for the preseason All-Big 12 team.
The Cougars will play in an exhibition game against Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday. Tip off is set for 11 a.m. MDT.