BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — LSU Freshman of the Year Glen Davis ranked high in the voting for pre-season All-SEC and the Tigers were picked second in the SEC West Thursday as the LSU team made its appearance at the annual SEC Tipoff Media Days at the Marriott.
Alabama was picked by 25 writers to win the Western Division with 199 points, while LSU received seven first place votes and 173 points. Arkansas was chosen on three ballots, earning 151 points, followed by Mississippi State (93), Ole Miss (68) and Auburn (51). In the East, Kentucky was chosen on 33 ballots with 207 points, followed by Florida (146) and Vanderbilt (144) each getting a division first-place vote. South Carolina (114), Tennessee (78) and Georgia (46) rounded out the East voting by the media.
Kentucky was chosen as the overall pre-season selection to win the league title on 28 ballots with Alabama getting six votes and LSU one.
Glen Davis, the sophomore from Baton Rouge for the Tigers, and Chuck Davis of Alabama each received the most points of any player on the All-SEC pre-season team, 32 each. Ronnie Brewer of Arkansas received 30 and was joined on the first team by Rajon Rondo of Kentucky (27 points) and Ronald Steele of Alabama (16). On the second team were Corey Brewer of Florida, Al Horford of Florida, Mario Moore of Vanderbilt, C. J. Watson of Tennessee and Jermareo Davidson of Alabama.
Brewer of Arkansas was named on the most player of the year ballots (12), one more than LSU’s Davis. Others receiving player of the year consideration were Chuck Davis of Alabama (6), Rondo of Kentucky (5) and Moore of Vanderbilt (1).
The Tigers open their exhibition play at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Nov. 10 against E. A. Sports and open the regular season against the Southern Jaguars at the Maravich Center on Nov. 18.
LSU Coach John Brady
Coaching a young team…
“Our front line is young, athletic, long and talented. I’d rather have talented experience. We’re going to have to figure it out early. I see our team really progressing well, even against good competition.”
On freshman forward Tasmin Mitchell…
“Taz Mitchell is like coaching a junior. I’ve never had a player as advanced as Taz Mitchell at this stage.”
Coaching a team with seven freshmen…
“You’ve got to challenge them to get better than they think they are without hurting their confidence.”
On sophomore forward Glen Davis…
“Glen could be better scoring with a bigger player on his back. He’s already shown improvement simply from going from 338 (pounds) to 308 (pounds). That will help him with stamina, helping him play harder for longer. He’s moving better. He’s dunking the ball better. He feels better about himself.”
Sophomore Glen Davis
On his recent weight loss…
“I dropped about 25 or 30 pounds. I used to be about 350, now I am about 310. I feel better. I look better. My verticle has gotten better and I have much better endurance, and it is important that I can last in a game. The longer I can stay in there, the more I can help my teammtes.”
On being the focal point of the team…
“I feel that this is my calling to lead people. When coached called on me for this roll I felt this was where I needed to be. This season I will be taking guys under my wing and helping them to become better people.”
Senior Darrel Mitchell
Expectations for the season…
“The biggest thing I can contribute is leadership. I am the only senior, so they are going to be looking to me to lead the team. A lot of the younger guys will get down on themselves when they don’t play well and it is going to be my job to help them keep thier heads up and focus on what is ahead.”
2006 SEC BASKETBALL MEDIA DAYS VOTING MEN
Champion – Kentucky (28), Alabama (6), LSU (1)
Eastern Division
First-place Votes
Points
Kentucky
(33)
207
Florida
(1)
146
Vanderbilt
(1)
144
South Carolina
114
Tennessee
78
Georgia
46
Western Division
Alabama
(25)
199
LSU
(7)
173
Arkansas
(3)
151
Mississippi State
93
Ole Miss
68
Auburn
51
2006 Media Preseason All-SEC Teams
First-Team
Chuck Davis
Alabama
32
LSU
32
Ronnie Brewer
Arkansas
30
Rajon Rondo
Kentucky
27
Ronald Steele
Alabama
16
Second-Team
Corey Brewer
Florida
8
Al Horford
Florida
5
Mario Moore
Vanderbilt
4
C.J. Watson
Tennessee
4
Jermareo Davidson
Alabama
3
Player of the Year
Ronnie Brewer
Arkansas
12
LSU
11
Rajon Rondo
Kentucky
5
Chuck Davis
Alabama
6
Mario Moore
Vanderbilt
1
2006 Coaches’ Preseason All-SEC Teams
Player, School
Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
Cl.
Hometown
FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC
Chuck Davis, Alabama#
Selma, Ala.
Ronald Steele, Alabama#
Birmingham, Ala.
Ronnie Brewer, Arkansas#
Fayetteville, Ark.
Corey Brewer, Florida
Portland, Tenn.
Rajon Rondo, Kentucky#
Louisville, Ky.
Glen Davis, LSU
Baton Rouge, La.
C.J. Watson, Tennessee
Las Vegas, Nev.
Shan Foster, Vanderbilt
Kenner, La.
SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC
Jermareo Davidson, Alabama
Atlanta, Ga.
Jonathon Modica, Arkansas
Smackover, Ark.
Darian Townes, Arkansas
Alexandria, Va.
Al Horford, Florida
Puerto Plata, Dom. Republic
Patrick Sparks, Kentucky
Central City, Ky.
Darrel Mitchell, LSU
St. Martinville, La.
Chris Lofton, Tennessee
Maysville, Ky.
Mario Moore, Vanderbilt
Nashville, Tenn.
#-Unanimous Selection; Ties are not broken