The LSU Tigers have been picked third in the annual Southeastern Conference men’s basketball preseason poll in voting announced Tuesday by a select panel of both SEC and national media members.
The Tigers, entering their third season under Coach Will Wade, are coming off an SEC Championship season that saw LSU post a 28-7 overall record and 16-2 in the league. The Tigers were 9-0 on the road in the SEC, tied for the present longest winning road streak in the nation and last year advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. LSU defeated Yale and Maryland, before falling to Michigan State in the third round.
Season tickets for the 2019-20 LSU men’s basketball season are now on sale at LSUtix.net or by going to: https://lsul.su/2oJvX5X. Season tickets are still available starting at $100 for 17 home games. LSU opens the 2019-20 season on Friday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. against Bowling Green.
Kentucky is the overall preseason favorite for the ninth consecutive season and the 15th time since the 1998-99 season. Florida is the second choice ahead of LSU, with Auburn and Tennessee rounding out the top five.
Points were compiled on a 14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each media member also voted for a five-player All-SEC Team. Ties were not broken.
LSU senior guard Skylar Mays, who will play his 100th career game in the season opener on Nov. 8, was selected second team preseason All-SEC. Mays averaged a career best 13.4 points a game in starting all 35 games a year ago.
Florida’s Kerry Blackshear was the choice of the media for SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. Florida’s Andrew Nembhard, Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, Kentucky’s Ashton Hagans & Tyrese Maxey, LSU’s Mays, Ole Miss’ Breein Tyree, Mississippi State’s Reggie Perry and Tennessee’s Lamonté Turner also received votes in the Player of the Year voting.
The 2019-20 SEC season begins on Jan. 4. The 2020 SEC Tournament will be March 11-15 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
Predicted Order Of Finish
1. Kentucky
2. Florida
3. LSU
4. Auburn
5. Tennessee
6. Alabama
7. Mississippi State
8. Ole Miss
9. Georgia
10. South Carolina
11. Arkansas
12. Texas A&M
13. Missouri
14. Vanderbilt
First Team All-SEC
Kerry Blackshear – Florida
Anthony Edwards – Georgia
Ashton Hagans – Kentucky
Breein Tyree – Ole Miss
Reggie Perry – Mississippi State
Second Team All-SEC
Kira Lewis Jr. – Alabama
Isaiah Joe – Arkansas
Andrew Nembhard – Florida
Tyrese Maxey – Kentucky
EJ Montgomery – Kentucky
Skylar Mays – LSU
Lamonté Turner – Tennessee
SEC Player of the Year
Kerry Blackshear – Florida