BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Kentucky was predicted to win the 2015 Southeastern Conference men’s basketball championship in voting by a select panel of both SEC and national media members, it was announced Wednesday.
The Wildcats, who are the overall preseason favorite for the 10th time since the 1998-99 season, tallied all 20 first-place votes.
Kentucky sophomore Aaron Harrison (pictured) was the choice of the media for SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. Aaron Harrison was one of five Wildcats that received votes in the preseason Player of the Year voting, joining Willie Cauley-Stein, Andrew Harrison, Alex Poythress and Karl-Anthony Towns. Georgia’s Charles Mann, LSU’s Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey along with Ole Miss’ Jarvis Summers also received votes in the Player of the Year voting.
Aaron Harrison, Mickey and Summers were each All-SEC First Team selections along with Arkansas’ Bobby Portis and Florida’s Michael Frazier II.
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.
The 2014-15 campaign begins November 14, with conference play set to begin January 6. The 2015 SEC Tournament will be March 11-15 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
First Team All-SEC
Bobby Portis – Arkansas, F, 6-11, 242, So., Little Rock, Ark.
Michael Frazier II – Florida, G, 6-4, 194, Jr., Tampa, Fla.
Aaron Harrison – Kentucky, G, 6-6, 212, So., Richmond, Texas
Jordan Mickey – LSU, F, 6-8, 235, So., Dallas, Texas
Jarvis Summers – Ole Miss, G, 6-3, 186, Sr., Jackson, Miss.
Second Team All-SEC
Charles Mann – Georgia, G, 6-5, 215, Jr., Alpharetta, Ga.
Willie Cauley-Stein – Kentucky, F, 7-0, 240, Jr., Olathe, Kan.
Andrew Harrison – Kentucky, G, 6-6, 210, So., Richmond, Texas
Alex Poythress – Kentucky, F, 6-8, 238, Jr., Clarksville, Tenn.
Karl-Anthony Towns – Kentucky, F, 6-11, 250, Fr., Piscataway, N.J.
SEC Player of the Year: Aaron Harrison, Kentucky
Preseason Media Poll Points
1. Kentucky (20) 280
2. Florida 258
3. Arkansas 226
4. LSU 223
5. Georgia 204
6. Ole Miss 168
7. Missouri 123
8. Auburn 113
9. Texas A&M 111
10. Alabama 109
11. Vanderbilt 89
12. South Carolina 86
13. Tennessee 75
14. Mississippi State 35
First-Place Votes in Parentheses
Photo by Jamie H. Vaught
