Oklahoma City ? Baylor University men’s basketball coach Scott Drew is happy to report the team has survived NCAA sanctions.

The Bears, who as part of probation couldn’t play any nonconference games a year ago, were tapped seventh in the conference’s preseason poll.

“No one is looking more forward to a nonconference schedule than our team this year, having a full set of scholarships and ready to go,” said Drew during Thursday’s Big 12 Media Day in the Cox Convention Center. “Last year … I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody. The biggest and the toughest thing was not playing games when the games started and watching everybody else play.”

Baylor fast facts: The Bears return four starters, as well as 87.6 percent of their scoring, 84.7 percent of their rebounding and 93.5 percent of their assists. Sophomore Curtis Jerrells averaged 13.5 ppg a year ago. The top newcomer is McDonald’s All-American Demond “Tweety” Carter, a 5-foot-10 guard who set a national high school single-season record with 287 threes last season.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s Jeff Capel is one of six new head coaches in the league.

Capel, 31, went 79-41 in four seasons at Virginia Commonwealth.

“Basketball is basketball. I am a big believer in that,” Capel said. “The only team I’m worried about is Oklahoma. The unknown is exciting sometimes, but with all due respect, my focus is not on (Mike) Anderson or coach (Bob) Huggins or Doc Sadler. I hope those guys have a great time. My sole focus is on Oklahoma. That’s my job. That’s my passion right now.”

Oklahoma fast facts: Michael Neal, a 6-3 senior, is the team’s top returning scorer at 12.4 points a game. The top newcomer is Keith Clark, a 6-8 freshman who averaged 14.4 points, 8.5 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game last season at Putnam City (Okla.) High.

Texas Tech

Texas Tech coach Bob Knight enters the season needing 11 victories to break the all-time record for Div. I wins held by Dean Smith. Knight is 869-350 in 40 seasons.

“Whatever impact this thing brings about will be like a fly trying to bomb New York. I don’t think it will have any effect whatsoever on our players,” Knight said of publicity surrounding his quest.

Knight, by the way, reported he’s signed a three-year contract extension.

Tech fast facts: Tech returns four starters including senior Jarrius Jackson, who averaged 20.5 ppg a year ago. There are a whopping seven newcomers.

Colorado

Ricardo Patton, who is in his 12th season at Colorado, is the dean of Big 12 coaches.

“Is that like the last of the Mohicans?” he quipped.

Patton’s contract expires after this season. Picked to finish last in the conference, there’s a good chance he won’t be back.

“We have talked about that (his contract). What we said is we will not talk about that,” Patton said. “My contract should not be the players’ responsibility. I said to my own AD, ‘I am at peace with who I am and the job I do and leaving Colorado, if that is the case, I am at peace with that.’ I don’t want to coach under pressure to save my job. I don’t want to put that type of pressure on my players. I don’t want to live with that type of pressure. I want to coach, have fun, enjoy the kids.”

CU fast facts: The Buffs return two starters, including Richard Roby, a 6-6 junior who flirted with the idea of turning pro after averaging 17 ppg. The group of seven newcomers includes 6-5 Jermyl Jackson-Wilson out of Fork Union Military Academy.

Texas

Texas’ best player may be freshman Kevin Durant, a 6-9 frosh from Suitland, Md.

“The question I’ve asked everybody,” KU coach Bill Self said, “is Kevin Durant the most highly regarded player to come into the league (Big 8, Big 12) since Danny Manning? He is a difference maker.”

Another top rookie is Dexter Pittman, a 6-10, 315-pounder from Rosenberg, Texas.

Texas fast facts: The Longhorns, who won a school-record 30 games last season, return no starters. The leading returning scorer is A.J. Abrams, who averaged 6.4 ppg last year. The top newcomer is Durant, who is the highest nationally ranked prospect (rivals.com’s No. 2 player) to ever play for the Longhorns.

Texas A&M

Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie’s Aggies are picked to finish second in the league thanks to the 1-2 punch of Acie Law and Joseph Joens.

“It is fantastic to have them,” Gillispie said. “They are great people. Yesterday, Acie had to go to a study session and leave practice early. Joe is the same kind of guy. We have some leadership this year.”

Of the atmosphere at football-crazed A&M, Gillispie said: “I think now people have really started to believe in us. I am talking about Aggies everywhere.

“They are all really excited. I feel a buzz everywhere you go. It’s fun to see the excitement grow.”

Texas A&M fast facts: The Aggies bring back their top six scorers from last year’s team, including Law (16.1 ppg) and Jones (15.3). The top newcomer is Bryan Davis, 6-9 from Grand Prairie, Texas, a top-75 national player.

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State coach Sean Sutton believes OSU grad Self has a heck of a team at KU this year.

“I asked Bill if he wanted to make a couple trades. He said, ‘No chance,'” Sutton said. “They have a chance to win the national championship. I’d put them with North Carolina and Florida as the three most talented teams in the country. Look for them to be right up there with a real chance.”

It’s Sutton’s first full year at the coaching helm. He takes over for dad Eddie, who didn’t finish last season because of personal problems.

Oklahoma State fast facts: The Cowboys return eight of their top 10 scorers and 82.2 percent of their overall scoring, including senior Mario Boggan, the top returning scorer at 14.8 ppg. The top newcomer is Obi Muonelo, 6-5 from Edmond, Okla., who participated in the Jordan Classic.

Nebraska

New Nebraska coach Doc Sadler says the Huskers will run.

“I think we have got to do that,” Sadler said. “I am trying to do what is best for this basketball team today. I think the players were excited about it until last Friday evening (start of the season). I think they understand now the effort, the hard work it takes to play that style.”

“I think it’s going to be a fun season,” junior Aleks Maric said. “I really like coach, his style of play and his personality. I think he’s a winner.”

Nebraska fast facts: Nebraska returns three starters, including junior Maric, who is the leading returning rebounder in the Big 12 at 8.1 a game. He averaged 10.9 ppg last season. The top newcomer is Ryan Anderson, 6-4 from Seattle, who averaged 19.4 ppg last season.

Missouri

New Missouri coach Mike Anderson, a Nolan Richardson disciple, plans on running and pressing like his mentor’s teams did at Arkansas.

“I don’t want to be Nolan Richardson. I want to be better than Nolan Richardson,” Anderson said. “That’s just me. If you see me in a fight with a bear, you better help the bear. This is a style we hope to play. Initially maybe not the whole 40 minutes, but at the same time it will be a team that will compete and it is going to be a process.”

Missouri fast facts: The Tigers return two starters. The leading returning scorer is junior Marshall Brown, who averaged 9.6 ppg. The top newcomer is Keon Lawrence, 6-2 from Newark, N.J., who averaged 31.2 ppg his senior year. Stefhon Hannah, 6-1 from Chipola CC, was a second-team juco All-American.

Iowa State

Greg McDermott, the head coach at Northern Iowa for two seasons, moves over to Iowa State.

“I hope we can bring some discipline to the way we play,” he said. “I think sometimes people mistake the word ‘discipline’ with ‘methodical.’ I think you can be disciplined and still play fast. You can be disciplined and play slow. You can play zone or man and still be disciplined. It’s what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Iowa State fast facts: The Cyclones return three starters, including junior Rahshon Clark, who averaged 13.1 ppg. The top newcomer is Corey McIntosh, a 6-0 guard from Fullerton College, who was named California juco player of the year.