AUSTIN (KXAN) — Fresh off an Elite Eight appearance last season, the Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team checked in at No. 18 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll released Monday.
The Longhorns are the third-highest ranked Big 12 Conference team in the AP Top 25 with Kansas earning the No. 1 ranking and Houston at No. 7. Baylor is the remaining Big 12 team in the rankings at No. 20. The Longhorns were also picked to finish third in the Big 12 behind the Jayhawks and Cougars.
The Field of 68 Media Network announced its “Almanac” Top 25 earlier in the summer and picked Texas as the No. 12 team in the country.
Four players were tabbed as preseason All-Big 12 honorees with Oral Roberts transfer Max Abmas named to the first team. Abmas is the NCAA Division I active leader in scoring with 2,562 points. Dylan Disu, Tyrese Hunter and Dillon Mitchell were all named honorable mention. Hunter and Mitchell came back to Austin after declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft while still maintaining their eligibility. Both withdrew their names from draft consideration before the deadline in order to return to the Longhorns.
For fans wanting an early look at the Longhorns, Oct. 17 is the time to do it. The team will hold its Orange-White scrimmage at 6 p.m. at Gregory Gym with free admission. Most of the lower floor seats will be reserved for UT students, but the upper bowl stands will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The doors will open at 5 p.m. and the first 500 UT students will get free pizza while the first 750 fans will get T-shirts.
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