Vols Basketball Picked to Finish Next-to-Last in the SEC

CHARLOTTE – The Southeastern Conference announced its 2014-15 men’s basketball preseason SEC poll Wednesday, and Tennessee was predicted to finish 13th in the league standings. The voting panel included both SEC and national media members.

The Volunteers embark on their inaugural season under new head coach Donnie Tyndall with a completely revamped roster that includes a program-record nine newcomers and just four scholarship returnees. Only one Tennessee player—senior guard Josh Richardson—has ever scored in double figures in an SEC game.

For the first time since 2011, no Vols were named to the preseason All-SEC Team.

Kentucky was the media’s choice to win the 2015 SEC championship. The Wildcats received all 20 first-place votes.

Points were compiled on a 14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each media member also voted for a five-player All-SEC Team.

The 2014-15 regular-season campaign begins Nov. 14, with conference play set to begin Jan. 6. The 2015 SEC Tournament takes place March 11-15 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

First Team All-SEC

Bobby Portis – Arkansas, F, 6-11, 242, So., Little Rock, Ark.

Michael Frazier II – Florida, G, 6-4, 194, Jr., Tampa, Fla.

Aaron Harrison – Kentucky, G, 6-6, 212, So., Richmond, Texas

Jordan Mickey – LSU, F, 6-8, 235, So., Dallas, Texas

Jarvis Summers – Ole Miss, G, 6-3, 186, Sr., Jackson, Miss.

Second Team All-SEC

Charles Mann – Georgia, G, 6-5, 215, Jr., Alpharetta, Ga.

Willie Cauley-Stein – Kentucky, F, 7-0, 240, Jr., Olathe, Kan.

Andrew Harrison – Kentucky, G, 6-6, 210, So., Richmond, Texas

Alex Poythress – Kentucky, F, 6-8, 238, Jr., Clarksville, Tenn.

Karl-Anthony Towns – Kentucky, F, 6-11, 250, Fr., Piscataway, N.J.

SEC Player of the Year: Aaron Harrison, Kentucky

Preseason Media Poll                        Pts

1.     Kentucky (20)                                280

2.     Florida                                           258

3.     Arkansas                                       226

4.     LSU                                                223

5.     Georgia                                         204

6.     Ole Miss                                        168

7.     Missouri                                        123

8.     Auburn                                          113

9.     Texas A&M                                   111

10.   Alabama                                       109

11.   Vanderbilt                                       89

12.   South Carolina                                86

13.   Tennessee                                       75

14.   Mississippi State                            35

First-Place Votes in Parentheses