MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama was picked to finish second in the Eastern Division in the Sun Belt preseason poll released Monday, and seniors Brandon Davis and Domonic Tilford were named to the preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team.
Davis earned first-team honors and Tilford was a second-team pick, giving South Alabama two of the 15 players on the three preseason all-conference teams. They are two of the five seniors on the 2008-09 Jaguars roster.
Poll Results
The Sun Belt divides its 13 men’s basketball programs into Eastern and Western divisions, and the league’s 13 head coaches voted in the poll. Middle Tennessee was the favorite in the East with 76 points and 11 first-place votes. South Alabama was second with 60 points and two first-place votes.
In the Western Division, Arkansas-Little Rock and North Texas tied for first with 76 points each. Louisiana-Lafayette was close behind with 75 points.
Preseason All-Sun Belt Teams
First team:
- Brandon Davis, South Alabama
- Desmond Yates, Middle Tennessee
- Russell Hicks, Florida International
- Carlos Monroe, Florida Atlantic
- Josh White, North Texas
Second team:
- Domonic Tilford, South Alabama
- Collin Dennis, North Texas
- Jeremy Evans, Western Kentucky
- Tony Hooper, Louisiana-Monroe
- Kevin Kanaskie, Middle Tennessee
Third team:
- Kyndall Dykes, New Orleans
- Chris Gradnigo, Louisiana-Lafayette
- Paul Graham III, Florida Atlantic
- Steven Moore, Arkansas-Little Rock
- A.J. Slaughter, Western Kentucky
Exhibition Opener Set
The Jaguars, coached by Ronnie Arrow, will play their first game of the season in an exhibition against West Florida on Nov. 10 at the Mitchell Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
