Texas Southern Tigers Men's Basketball Selected to Finish First in SWAC Preseason Poll

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Texas Southern has been picked to repeat as the Southwestern Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Champions in a Preseason Poll of the league's Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors.

The announcement was made by the SWAC during its annual media teleconference on Wednesday, October 11.

The Tigers finished 2016-17 with an overall record of 23-12, a record with five more victories than the previous season, to go along with a 16-2 conference mark, a record they matched from the previous year.

TSU wrapped up last season as the season's conference tournament champions for the third time in the last four seasons after defeating Alcorn State 53-50.

Texas Southern's Demontrae Jefferson and Kevin Scott were each selected to the All-SWAC Preseason First Team at guard and forward respectively.

Jefferson was sixth in the conference in scoring with 14.8 points per contest, fourth in assists (3.3 per game) and 13th in 3-pointers made (1.4 per game).

Scott averaged 10.0 points per game (23rd) to go along with 4.9 rebounds per game (11th) and was 10th in field goal percentage (.442) and 10th in steals (1.3 per game).

The second team includes TSU forward Lamont Walker who saw action for the Tigers last season in a reserve capacity.

MEN'S 2017-18 PRESEASON AWARD WINNERS
(Selected by SWAC Head Basketball Coaches and SIDs)

PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Reginal Johnson, Alcorn State

PRESEASON CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Treshawn Bolden, Jackson State
Yalen Reed, Alcorn State

FIRST TEAM
Guard – Demontrae Jefferson, Texas Southern
Guard – Paris Collins, Jackson State
Forward – Reginal Johnson, Alcorn State
Forward – Kevin Scott, Texas Southern
Center – Jared Sam, Southern

SECOND TEAM
Guard – A.J. Mosby, Alcorn State
Guard – Chris Thomas, Southern
Forward – Rodney Simeon, Alabama State
Forward – Lamont Walker, Texas Southern
Center – Treshawn Bolden, Jackson State

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Texas Southern (171)
Southern(131)
Jackson State (124)
Alcorn State (117)
Prairie View A&M (99)
Alabama State (98)
Grambling State (75)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (64)
Mississippi Valley State (60)
Alabama A&M (51)



TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION