The University of Florida was picked to win the 2011 Southeastern Conference men’s basketball championship in voting by a select panel of both SEC 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 voting panel.
The Gators are coming off a 21-13 season and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. They earned eight first-place votes, topping Mississippi State which earned three votes. Tennessee and Kentucky each received two votes and Georgia garnered one vote as SEC Champion. Florida is the only SEC school to return all five starters, including Kenny Boynton, Erving Walker, Chandler Parsons, Alex Tyus and Vernon Macklin while adding one of the top recruiting classes in the nation.
Florida was the media’s favorite to win the East with 110 total points (13 first-place votes), ahead of second-place Kentucky’s 95 points (three first-place votes). Georgia (72 points) and Tennessee (71 points) were separated by just one point while Vanderbilt and South Carolina rounded out the top six.
In the West, Mississippi State’s 118 total points (18 first-place votes) were ahead of Ole Miss’ 84 points (two first-place votes). Alabama was picked third with 82 points. Arkansas, LSU and Auburn round out the top six in the West.
Georgia junior Trey Thompkins was the choice of the media for SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year with 18 votes. Ole Miss senior Chris Warren (one vote) and Kentucky Freshman Brandon Knight (one vote) also received votes in the Player of the Year voting.
Thompkins, Warren and Knight were joined on the All-SEC First Team by Georgia junior Travis Leslie and Vanderbilt junior Jeffery Taylor.
Arkansas’ Marshawn Powell led All-SEC Second Team honors and was joined by Florida’s Boynton and Parsons, Alabama’s JaMychal Green and Tennessee’s Scotty Hopson.
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 champion and a five-player All-SEC Team.
The Gators opened practice this past Friday and are set to open exhibition play next Thursday (Oct. 28) at the O’Connell Center against Florida Tech. Season and single game tickets are both on sale by visiting www.GatorZone.com.
Preseason Media Poll
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
SEC Champion: Florida (8); Mississippi State (3); Kentucky (2); Tennessee (2); Georgia (1)
Eastern Division Points
Florida (13) 110
Kentucky (3) 95
Georgia (2) 72
Tennessee (2) 71
Vanderbilt 52
South Carolina 20
Western Division Points
Mississippi State (18) 118
Ole Miss (2) 84
Alabama 82
Arkansas 72
LSU 41
Auburn 23
