Birmingham,
Ala - Tennessee was predicted to win its ninth Southeastern Conference
men's basketball championship in a voting of a select panel of both SEC
and national media members. Each SEC school selected two media members
that cover their team and six additional writers from across the nation
were selected by conference office to form the 30-member voting panel.
The
Volunteers are coming off a Sweet 16 appearance in the 2007 NCAA
Tournament and a 24-win season. They earned 28 first-place, topping
Mississippi State which earned two votes as SEC Champion. Tennessee
returns eight letterwinners and four starters, including Wayne Chism,
Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith and Ramar Smith.
Tennessee
was a unanimous selection to win the East with 180 total point (30
first-place votes), ahead of second-place Kentucky's 142 points.
Kentucky returns nine letterwinners and three starters from last year's
22-win team for new coach Billy Gillispie. Florida, Vanderbilt, Georgia
and South Carolina round out the top six.
In the West, Arkansas
was first with 168 total points (18 first-place votes) compared to
Mississippi State's 148 (10 first-place votes). Alabama and Auburn each
received a first-place vote. Arkansas returns all five starters from
last year's squad for new coach John Pelphrey. The Razorbacks were the
runner-up in the 2007 SEC Tournament and earned an NCAA Tournament
berth. Mississippi State returns seven letterwinners and two starters
from 2007. Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Ole Miss round out the top six in
the West.
Tennessee senior guard Chris Lofton was the overwhelming choice of
the media for SEC Men's Basketball Player of the Year with 27 votes,
followed by two votes for Mississippi State junior guard/forward Jamont
Gordon. Tennessee sophomore forward Tyler Smith also garnered one vote.
Joining Lofton and Gordon on the All-SEC First Team were Alabama junior
forward Richard Hendrix, Arkansas sophomore guard Patrick Beverley and
Vanderbilt senior guard/forward Shan Foster.
Arkansas senior
center Steven Hill, LSU junior forward Tasmin Mitchell, Ole Miss senior
center Dwayne Curtis, Mississippi State senior forward/center Charles
Rhodes and Tennessee sophomore forward Tyler Smith.
Auburn senior forward Quan Prowell and Georgia senior guard Sundiata Gaines also received votes.
Points were compiled on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division. Each media member also voted for one team as an overall conference champion as a five-player All-SEC Team.
The 2007-2008 SEC Media Preseason Poll tips off SEC Basketball Media Days, October 24-25 at the Birmingham Marriott in Alabama. The 2007-08 season begins November 6, with conference play set to begin January 8. The 2008 SEC Tournament will be held March 13-16 at the Georgian Dome in Atlanta, Ga.
First Team All-SEC
F Richard Hendrix, Alabama
G Patrick Beverley, Arkansas
G/F Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State
G Chris Lofton, Tennessee *only unanimous selection
G/F Shan Foster, Vanderbilt
Second Team All-SEC
C Steven Hill, Arkansas
F/C Charles Rhodes, Mississippi State
F Tasmin Mitchell, LSU
C Dwayne Curtis, Ole Miss
F Tyler Smith, Tennessee