BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The LSU men’s basketball team was picked third in the West and fifth overall by a panel of media members here Thursday at the annual SEC Basketball Media Days.
Coach John Brady and players Antonio Hudson and Brandon Bass represented the Tigers.
Kentucky was voted to win the SEC championship on nine of 18 ballots while Mississippi State was named on eight ballots and Florida on one. In divisional predictions, Kentucky was named on 16 ballots to win the Eastern Division while two voters predicted Florida to win the division. In the Western Division, Mississippi State was predicted to win on 17 of 18 ballots with Alabama receiving the other vote.
On a scale of voting of one point to six points in the division, Mississippi State received 19 points with Alabama 38, LSU 54, Arkansas 73, Ole Miss 95 and Auburn 99. Kentucky (20) and Florida (35) were the only two teams in the East with fewer points than LSU. Tennessee (67), South Carolina (82), Georgia (86) and Vanderbilt (88) rounded out the Eastern Division totals.
Bass, the SEC Freshman of the Year for the Tigers, was sixth in the All-SEC team voting to lead the second team selections. On the first team were Lawrence Roberts of Mississippi State, Anthony Roberson of Florida, Kennedy Winston of Alabama, Scooter McFagdon of Tennessee and Chuck Hayes of Kentucky.
On the second team with Bass were David Lee of Florida, Kelenna Azubuike of Kentucky, Ronnie Brewer of Arkansas and Earnest Shelton of Alabama.
The Tigers open exhibition play on Nov. 9 and open the regular season against Tulane in the LSU Louisiana Classic, Nov. 19, at the Maravich Assembly Center. Season tickets remain on sale at the LSU Athletic Ticket Office.