Big 12 Basketball: Preseason conference power rankings for 2023-24 season

14. UCF Knights

Last season: 19-15, 8-10 in the Big 12

The UCF Knights and head coach Johnny Dawkins will have a challenging task on their hands as they move from the AAC to the Big 12 looking to compete. With just four returners from last year’s squad, though, there could be some growing pains for them in their inaugural season.

Darius Johnson and C.J. Walker should carve out roles for themselves while transfer portal additions Jaylin Sellers (Ball State), Shemarri Allen (Kansas City), DeMarr Langford Jr. (Boston College) and Marchelus Avery (New Mexico State) will look to make an impact right away.

The Knights’ meetings with Kansas, BYU, Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech and Iowa State will all be the first in program history. They’ll have a competitive schedule on their hands as they open the conference slate against Kansas State and face four squads who made the NCAA Tournament this past season.

13. West Virginia Mountaineers

Last season: 19-15, 7-11 in the Big 12

The Mountaineers have had an interesting offseason that just keeps throwing adversity their way. In the latest developments, Jose Perez has been dismissed from the team. They’ll have an entirely different cast with the additions of RaeQuan Battle (Montana State), Omar Silverio (Manhattan), Jesse Edwards (Syracuse), Noah Farrakhan (Eastern Michigan), Kerr Kriisa (Arizona) and Quinn Slazinski (Iona).

Seth Wilson, Kobe Johnson, Patrick Suemnick and Josiah Harris are the lone returners for the Mountaineers after finishing eighth in the conference standings this past season. Interim head coach Josh Eilert will look to Battle to lead the charge in the backcourt while Edwards should pose as a formidable force in the paint. Look for the Mountaineers to find their identity in a new landscape this upcoming season.