The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its men’s basketball preseason teams and predicted order of finish Wednesday. From the results of the voting by the league’s 10 head coaches, it would seem they are expecting a lot of parity in the conference in 2011-12.
Defending tournament champion Alabama State is predicted to lead the way during the upcoming season, but is closely followed by Mississippi Valley State and Jackson State. Five of the teams in the conference received at least one first-place vote, and defending regular season champion Texas Southern was picked fourth.
Jackson State’s Jenirro Bush earned preseason player of the year honors, while Alabama State’s Ivory White was named preseason defensive player of the year.
Bush finished third in the SWAC a year ago averaging 14.2 points per game. White led one of the league’s best defensive teams in rebounding (5.4 rpg), steals (43), and was second in blocked shots (21).
First-team preseason All-SWAC
Guard Jenirro Bush, Jackson State (Preseason POY)
Guard Lawrence Johnson-Danner, Texas Southern
Forward Paul Crosby, Mississippi Valley State
Forward Ivory White, Alabama State (Preseason DPOY)
Center Peter Roberson, Grambling
Second-team preseason all-SWAC
Guard Casey Cantey, Alabama A&M
Guard Tremaine Butler, Alabama State
Forward Demarquelle Tabb, Alabama A&M
Forward Aaron Clayton, Texas Southern
Center Jason Holmes, Mississippi Valley State
Predicted Order of Finish
1. Alabama State (3) 87
2. Mississippi Valley State (3) 81
3. Jackson State (2) 73
4. Texas Southern 68
5. Arkansas-Pine Bluff 58
6. Alabama A&M (1) 50
7. Prairie View A&M (1) 48
8. Grambling 44
9. Alcorn State 25
10. Southern 16
