On the eve of SEC Media Days, reporters from across the conference have submitted their picks going into the upcoming men’s basketball season.
According to a release issued Monday, Alabama is the favorite to win the SEC after making it to the Final Four for the first time in program history a year ago. Ole Miss and Mississippi State were predicted to finish middle of the pack at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively.
Even though the preseason predictions for Mississippi’s two SEC teams might seem underwhelming at first, it’s a testament to how deep the conference is expected to be during the 2024-25 season. The Associated Press preseason poll, which came out Monday as well, featured the Rebels at No. 24 in the nation as eight SEC teams ranked ahead of them. Mississippi State was barely on the outside looking in, receiving six votes to be included in the rankings.
Media members were also asked who they believe will be the best players in the SEC this season. The majority decided that Alabama’s Mark Sears is most likely to be named SEC Player of the Year, leading a preseason first team that also includes Johni Broome (Auburn), Walter Clayton, Jr. (Florida), Zakai Zeigler (Tennessee), and Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M).
Ole Miss and Mississippi State each landed one player on the preseason second team, with Matthew Murrell representing the Rebels and Josh Hubbard representing the Bulldogs.
Murrell, who tested the NBA waters before deciding to return to Oxford for a fifth season. In 2023-24, the guard averaged 16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. On top of finishing ninth in the conference in scoring, Murrell was seventh with 1.6 steals per game on defense.
Hubbard, a sophomore expecting a big campaign after being one of the most electric freshmen in the nation last season, racked up 17.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in his first year past the high school ranks. He also became the first Bulldog freshman to win the Howell Trophy, which annually goes to the best collegiate player in Mississippi.
The 2024-25 campaign for both Ole Miss and Mississippi State begins on Monday, Nov. 4. The Rebels will host Long Island State while the Bulldogs will host West Georgia.
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