Alabama basketball picked to finish fourth in SEC
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TUSCALOOSA — The Alabama men’s basketball team was picked to finish fourth in the SEC preseason media poll released Wednesday morning, while Kentucky was selected to win the conference.
Alabama’s projection comes a year after the media tabbed the Crimson Tide to finish seventh prior to the 2016-17 season. In head coach Avery Johnson’s second season at the helm last season, Alabama finished with 19-15 overall with a 10-8 record in the conference, good enough for a tie for fifth place. Alabama made it to the first round of the National Invitation Tournament before being knocked out by Richmond.
In addition, Alabama freshman point guard Collin Sexton was named to the Second Team All-SEC. Sexton, 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, is rated as the No. 8 player overall in the 2017 class. He won a gold medal with USA Basketball and received MVP honors at the FIBA U17 World Championships in Spain, leading the USA in both scoring and assists.
The Crimson Tide opens play on Nov. 6 when it hosts Alabama-Huntsville for its lone exhibition game. Alabama will begin its regular season on Nov. 10 when it travels Annapolis, Md., to take on Memphis.
First Team All-SEC
KeVaughn Allen – Florida, G, 6-2, 193, Jr., Little Rock, Ark.
Yante Maten – Georgia, F, 6-8, 243, Sr., Pontiac, Mich.
Hamidou Diallo – Kentucky, G, 6-5, 198, R-Fr., Queens, N.Y.
Michael Porter, Jr. – Missouri, F, 6-10, 215, Fr., Columbia, Mo.
Robert Williams – Texas A&M, F, 6-10, 241, So., Oil City, La.
Second Team All-SEC
Collin Sexton – Alabama, G, 6-3, 190, Fr., Mableton, Ga.
Kevin Knox – Kentucky, F, 6-9, 215, Fr., Tampa, Fla.
Terence Davis – Ole Miss, G, 6-4, 201, Jr., Southaven, Miss.
Deandre Burnett – Ole Miss, G, 6-2, 192, Sr. Miami Gardens, Fla.
Quinndary Weatherspoon – Mississippi St., G, 6-4, 205, Jr., Canton, Miss.
Tyler Davis – Texas A&M, C, 6-10, 266, Jr., Plano, Texas
Matthew Fisher-Davis – Vanderbilt, G/F, 6-5, 186, Sr., Charlotte, N.C.
SEC Player of the Year (tie)
Yante Maten – Georgia
Michael Porter, Jr. – Missouri
Robert Williams – Texas A&M
Preseason Media Poll
1. Kentucky
2. Florida
3. Texas A&M
4. Alabama
5. Missouri
6. Arkansas
7. Vanderbilt
8. Georgia
9. Auburn
10. Ole Miss
11. South Carolina
12. Mississippi State
13. Tennessee
14. LSU