Tech Men Tabbed Fifth in Big 12
October 24, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Oct. 24, 2002
Lubbock, TX - The Texas Tech men's basketball team was selected to finish fifth in the Big 12 Conference according to a preseason poll by Big 12 coaches. Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri are picked to finish ahead of Tech, respectively. Tech finished tied for third in the Big 12 last year with a 23-9 overall record.
Tech forward Andre Emmett was selected to the preseason coaches All-Big 12 team with Kansas forward Nick Collison, Texas point guard T.J. Ford, Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich and Oklahoma guard Hollis Price.
Price was selected as preseason player of the year. Texas A&M guard Antoine Wright was picked as preseason freshman of the year. Nebraska guard Nate Johnson, a transfer from Penn Valley (Mo.) Community College, was picked as preseason newcomer of the year.
Kansas, which returns three starters from last year's Final Four team, is favored to repeat as Big 12 champion. The Jayhawks received seven first-place votes and were followed in the poll by Oklahoma, which also made the Final Four last year. The Sooners got three first-place votes.
Following Tech, the order finished out with Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Baylor, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas State and Texas A&M.