The Mississippi State men’s basketball team was picked by Southeastern Conference and national media to finish eighth in the 14-team league, the SEC announced Tuesday morning.
Junior point guard Iverson Molinar was a preseason first-team all-conference selection for the Bulldogs.
Kentucky was picked to finish first in the SEC, with Alabama second and Arkansas third.
Mississippi State went 18-15 (8-10 SEC) last season and reached the NIT championship game, falling 77-64 to Memphis.
The Bulldogs return Molinar and forward Tolu Smith while adding transfers Garrison Brooks (North Carolina), Rocket Watts (Michigan State), D.J. Jeffries (Memphis) and Shakeel Moore (NC State).
First team all-SEC
Jaden Shackelford — Alabama
Jahvon Quinerly — Alabama
Colin Castleton — Florida
Sahvir Wheeler — Kentucky
Iverson Molinar — Mississippi State
Scotty Pippen Jr. — Vanderbilt
Second team all-SEC
Davonte Davis — Arkansas
Jabari Smith — Auburn
Keion Brooks Jr. — Kentucky
Kellan Grady — Kentucky
Oscar Tshiebwe — Kentucky
Darius Days — LSU
SEC player of the year
Scotty Pippen Jr. — Vanderbilt
Projected order of finish
1. Kentucky
2. Alabama
3. Arkansas
4. Tennessee
5. Auburn
6. LSU
7. Florida
8. Mississippi State
9. Ole Miss
10. Missouri
11. South Carolina
12. Texas A&M
13. Vanderbilt
14. Georgia
Bulldogs women picked ninth in SEC
Mississippi State women’s basketball was projected to finish ninth in the SEC by conference and national media, the SEC announced Tuesday afternoon.
The Bulldogs went 10-9 under Nikki McCray-Penson, who shockingly stepped down last week to focus on her health. Associate head coach Doug Novak is the Bulldogs’ interim head coach.
Mississippi State missed the NCAA tournament last season. The Bulldogs are projected as one of the first four teams out of the 2022 field by ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme.
South Carolina was projected to top the SEC standings, while Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard was named the preseason SEC player of the year.
No Mississippi State player was named to the preseason all-SEC team.
Projected order of finish
1. South Carolina
2. Tennessee
3. Texas A&M
4. Kentucky
5. Georgia
6. Arkansas
7. LSU
8. Ole Miss
9. Mississippi State
10. Alabama
11. Missouri
12. Florida
13. Auburn
14. Vanderbilt
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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