Kansas favored in Big 12 coaches poll

DALLAS (AP) _ Kansas, which returns three starters from last year's Final Four team, is favored to repeat as Big 12 champion, according to the conference preseason coaches poll released Wednesday.

Wednesday, October 23rd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DALLAS (AP) _ Kansas, which returns three starters from last year's Final Four team, is favored to repeat as Big 12 champion, according to the conference preseason coaches poll released Wednesday.

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. Texas was third and received the other two first-place votes.

UT was followed, in order, by Missouri, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Baylor, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas State and Texas A&M.

Oklahoma senior Hollis Price is the coaches' preseason Big 12 player of the year. Price was the most outstanding player of the Big 12 tournament and the NCAA West Regional.

Other players receiving votes were Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich of Kansas, and T.J. Ford of Texas. Price, Hinrich, Collison, Ford, and Texas Tech guard Andre Emmett were the coaches' preseason All-Big 12 team selections.

Preseason newcomer of the year honors went to Nebraska guard Nate Johnson, who was the JUCO Division II national player last season at Penn Valley Community College in Kansas City. He averaged 26.5 points per game.

Forward/guard Antoine Wright was the coaches' preseason freshman of the year. Wright averaged 26.5 points and 11 rebounds last year at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Mass.