Media Picks Men's Basketball Third in the SEC West
10/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 19, 2009
Birmingham, Ala - -
The University of Alabama men's basketball team was picked to finish third in the Southeastern Conference's Western Division in the league's annual preseason media poll released Monday by the league office. Kentucky was the near unanimous favorite to win the 2009-01 league title while defending tournament champion Mississippi State was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the Western Division.
Alabama returns four starters from last season's 18-14 team to earn its third-place ranking behind Mississippi State and Mississippi. Defending league champion LSU was picked fourth in the West, followed by Arkansas and Auburn. In the East, Kentucky, which also boasts preseason SEC Player of the Year Patrick Patterson, was followed by Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida and Georgia.
Alabama head coach Anthony Grant will meet with the assembled SEC media Thursday morning as part of the league's media day in Birmingham. Practices continue for the Crimson Tide with the season's tipoff just around the corner on November 14 against Cornell in Coleman Coliseum.
SEC Preseason Media Poll
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
SEC Champion: Kentucky (20); Mississippi State (3); Tennessee (2)
Eastern Division - Points
Kentucky (23) - 148
Tennessee (2) - 117
Vanderbilt - 90
South Carolina - 77
Florida - 68
Georgia - 25
Western Division - Points
Mississippi State (22) - 144
Ole Miss (2) - 120
Alabama - 84
LSU (1) - 70
Arkansas - 63
Auburn - 44
