BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jackson State received 11 of 20 first-place votes and outdistanced Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the preseason predicted order of finish for the men’s basketball race in the Southwestern Athletic Conference for 2010-11. The Tigers went 17-1 in the league last season, but were upset in the opening round of the SWAC Tournament, which UAPB won. The preseason teams and order of finish are selected by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Texas Southern’s Travele Jones was selected as the preseason Player of the Year after helping lead the Tigers to the SWAC Tournament Championship a year ago. Jones averaged 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and was a 3rd-team all-SWAC selection a year ago.
Alabama State’s Chris Duncan has been named preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Duncan averaged 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game last season, but made his defensive presence known with 50 blocked shots (1.7 per game), which was third overall in the SWAC.
Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
Team Points
1. Jackson State (11) 183
2. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4) 163
3. Alabama State 133
4. Prairie View A&M (1) 128
5. Texas Southern (2) 126
6. Alabama A&M (2) 110
7. Mississippi Valley State 98
8. Grambling State 76
9. Southern 47
10. Alcorn State 38
Preseason Player of the Year: Travele Jones, Texas Southern
Preseason Def. Player of the Year: Chris Duncan, Alabama State
First Team
G Rod Melvin, Jackson State, Jr.
G Donald Qualls, Grambling State, Sr.
F Travele Jones, Texas Southern, Sr.
F Grant Maxey, Jackson State, Sr.
C Amos Studivant, Mississippi Valley State, Jr.
Second Team
G Cornelius Hester, Alabama A&M, Sr.
G De’Suan Dixon, Jackson State, Sr.
F Shannon Behling, Mississippi Valley State, Sr.
F Tyrone Hanson, Jackson State, Sr.
C Chris Duncan, Alabama State, Sr.
