Tarleton State is favored by a meager three points in the 2013-14 Lone Star Conference men’s basketball preseason poll announced Wednesday.
The league's preseason polls reflect the opinions of LSC head coaches and sports information directors, plus various media representatives from throughout the region.
TSU edged Midwestern State for the top spot with nine first-place votes for 166 total points. MSU was second with 163 points including 12 first-place nods. The Mustangs won last year’s championship with a 14-4 league mark, while the Texans won the tournament title.
Cameron was third with 124 points and two top votes, West Texas A&M fourth (118), and Texas A&M- Kingsville fifth (82). Eastern New Mexico (63), Angelo State (59), and Texas A&M-Commerce (53) rounded out the poll.
Additionally, CU’s Craig Foster was named Preseason Player of the Year. Foster was the top choice on 12 of the 23 ballots cast. TSU’s Chuck Guy received nine votes, while two others split the remaining votes.
Foster, a senior from Lawton, Okla., was an All-American selection by the NABC and the LSC Player of the Year after leading the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. He also led CU in scoring (16.6) and assists (5.7).
The LSC has eight teams set for this season and if the preseason poll is any indication the league race should be as close as ever. The season begins November 8 with LSC teams playing a double round robin league schedule, in which each team plays a home and away contest against each of the other teams to determine the LSC champion.
The LSC champion will be the regular season winner determined by league games, while the postseason tournament winner is designated as LSC Tournament Champion and earns the conference’s automatic qualification. The top eight teams in the final conference standings qualify for the postseason tournament set for March 5-8 in Allen, Texas.
|
MEN’S BASKETBALL |
1st |
TOTAL |
|
1 |
Tarleton State |
9 |
166 |
|
2 |
Midwestern State |
12 |
163 |
|
3 |
Cameron |
2 |
124 |
|
4 |
West Texas A&M |
|
118 |
|
5 |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
|
82 |
|
6 |
Eastern New Mexico |
|
63 |
|
7 |
Angelo State |
|
59 |
|
8 |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
|
53 |