Arizona, Houston Lead Big 12 Final Four Hopes As TCU, Oklahoma State Headline Women’s Race

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (TXAN 24) — As Big 12 basketball programs prepare for the 2026-27 season, Arizona and Houston are emerging as leading men’s basketball contenders for another deep NCAA Tournament run, while TCU and Oklahoma State headline the conference’s women’s championship conversation.

Arizona enters the men’s season with expectations following its Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles and a trip to the 2026 NCAA Final Four. The Wildcats were picked to repeat as conference champions in the preseason coaches’ poll and enter the Associated Press preseason rankings at No. 5 nationally.

Houston follows closely behind, ranking No. 10 in the AP preseason poll after finishing second behind Arizona in the Big 12 coaches’ voting. Kansas, Iowa State and Texas Tech also received top-20 national rankings, giving the conference several potential contenders for a deep postseason run.

On the women’s side, Oklahoma State was selected as the Big 12 preseason coaches’ favorite, narrowly ahead of two-time defending regular-season champion TCU. Oklahoma State center Audi Crooks earned preseason conference Player of the Year honors after averaging 25.8 points per game last season.

The latest AP preseason poll placed TCU at No. 15 nationally, Oklahoma State at No. 22 and West Virginia at No. 24. West Virginia also enters the season as the defending Big 12 tournament champion.

The preseason rankings offer an early indication of the conference’s national potential, but reaching the Final Four will require sustained performance against elite competition throughout the season and NCAA Tournament.

For Texas basketball fans, the Big 12’s depth on both sides presents multiple teams worth watching as the race toward March begins.

The 2026-27 regular season opens Nov. 2, with conference play scheduled to begin in December.