IRVING, Texas — Baylor has been tabbed by Big 12 men's basketball coaches as the favorite to win the conference title this season.
The Bears return four starters and received seven first-place votes from the coaches, who weren’t able to vote for their own teams.
Kansas got the other three first-place votes and was second.
It's the first time since 2011-12 the Jayhawks aren't the preseason favorite.
Baylor, which received 79 points to KU's 73, was 26-4 last season and is led by junior guard Jared Butler. The league's top returning scorer at 16 points a game, Butler was named the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year.
Kansas State is picked last in the Big 12 and received only 15 points.
West Virginia, Texas and Texas Tech rounded out the top half of the coaches' poll followed by Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa State and TCU.
41 Action News Digital Content Producer Tod Palmer contributed to this story.
