BATON ROUGE — The LSU Fighting Tigers were picked fourth in the Western Division, but did receive one of the first place votes Monday in the annual pre-media day voting by a select panel of both Southeastern Conference and national media members.
Each SEC school selected media members that cover their team and additional writers from across the nation were selected by the conference office to form the 25-member voting panel.
The 2009-10 SEC Media Preseason Poll tips off SEC Basketball Media Day, Thursday, at the Birmingham Marriott in Alabama.
The 2009-10 season begins on Nov. 13 when LSU hosts Louisiana-Monroe, with conference play set to begin Jan. 9. The 2010 SEC Tournament will be held March 11-14 at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn.
Kentucky was predicted to won the 2010 SEC championships in the voting, earning 20 first-place votes, topping Mississippi State which earned three voted and Tennessee which had two votes.
The Wildcats were the media’s favorite to win the East with 148 total points (23 first-place votes), ahead of second-place Tennessee’s 117 points (two first-place votes). Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia round out the top six.
In the West, Mississippi State’s 144 total points (22 first-place votes) were ahead of Ole Miss’ 120 points (two first-place votes). Alabama was picked third with 84 points, followed by LSU 70 (1 first-place vote), Arkansas 63 and Auburn 44.
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 champions and a five-player All-SEC Team.
Kentucky junior Patrick Patterson was the choice of the media for SEC men’s basketball Player of the Year with 11 votes. Also receiving votes were Kentucky freshman John Wall, Mississippi State senior Jarvis Varnado, South Carolina senior Devan Downey and Tennessee senior Tyler Smith also received votes in the Player of the Year voting.
Patterson, Downey, Varnado and Smith were joined on the All-SEC First Team by Ole Miss sophomore Terrico White.
Tasmin Mitchell of LSU, a member of the All-SEC first-team a year ago for the defending SEC Champions, leads the pre-season second team. The senior from Denham Springs averaged 16 points a game a season ago. The rest of the second team is A. J. Ogilvy of Vanderbilt, DeWayne Reed of Auburn, Wall of Kentucky and Warren of Ole Miss.
After the Tigers open the season against ULM, LSU will take part in the Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off, hosting the South Region on Oct. 16 and 17.
PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
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
First Team All-SEC
Devan Downey, South Carolina
Patrick Patterson, Kentucky
Tyler Smith, Tennessee
Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State
Terrico White, Ole Miss
Second Team All-SEC
Tasmin Mitchell, LSU
A. J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt
DeWayne Reed, Auburn
John Wall, Kentucky
Chris Warren, Ole Miss
Preseason SEC Player of the Year: Patrick Patterson, Kentucky