NEW ORLANS — Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Men’s Basketball player Cedric Russell picked up his first preseason accolade of the 2019-20 season when he was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, as the league office released its preseason polls on Friday.
Russell, a junior guard, was a third-team selection after averaging 9.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in helping Louisiana to a 19-13 record. The Alexandria, La., native started 28 games for the Ragin' Cajuns and led team in 3-point field goal attempts (174) and 3-pointers made (61).
During Sun Belt Conference play, Russell was second on the team in scoring (12.3), averaging 17.7 points in his final seven games of the season.
Louisiana, which opens its season on Tuesday against Loyola of New Orleans, was picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll which was voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches.
South Alabama, which received eight first-place votes, was picked to claim the league’s regular-season title with UT Arlington (2), Georgia Southern (1), Texas State (1) and Louisiana following.
Season tickets for the 2019-20 campaign are currently on sale at the Louisiana Athletics Box Office at the Cajundome, by phone at (337) 265-2357, or on-line at RaginCajuns.com/MBBTix.
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2019-20 SUN BELT CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL & HONORS
Preseason Coaches' Poll
First-place votes in parentheses
1. South Alabama (8) – 138
2. UTA (2) – 124
3. Georgia Southern (1) – 121
4. Texas State (1) – 110
5. Louisiana – 92
6. Georgia State – 76
7. Coastal Carolina – 75
8. ULM – 72
9. Appalachian State – 40
10. Arkansas State – 33
11. Little Rock – 32
12. Troy - 22
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Quan Jackson, Georgia Southern (RJr., G, Tallahassee, Fla.)
Josh Ajayi, South Alabama (RSr., F, El Monte, Calif.)
Trhae Mitchell, South Alabama (RSr., F, Austell, Ga.)
Brian Warren, UTA (Sr., G, Indianapolis, Ind.)
Nijal Pearson, Texas State (Sr., G, Beaumont, Texas)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Justin Forrest, Appalachian State (Jr., G, Decatur, Ga.)
DeVante Jones, Coastal Carolina (So., G, New Orleans, La.)
Ike Smith, Georgia Southern (RSr., G, Gainesville, Fla.)
Kane Williams, Georgia State (Jr., G, Douglasville, Ga.)
Michael Ertel, ULM (Jr., G, Indianapolis, Ind.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Isaac Johnson, Appalachian State (Sr., F, Charlotte, N.C.)
Isaiah Crawley, Georgia Southern (Sr., F, Ripley, Tenn.)
Cedric Russell, Louisiana (Jr., G, Alexandria, La.)
JD Williams, ULM (Sr., G, Birmingham, Ala.)
Don Coleman, South Alabama (RSr., G, North Augusta, S.C.)
Preseason Player of the Year
Trhae Mitchell, South Alabama (RSr., F, Austell, Ga.)