Just one vote ahead of FIU - who had the second least amount of total votes overall:

NEW ORLEANS - WKU and North Texas have been picked to lead the Sun Belt Conference this season, while Hilltopper senior guard A.J. Slaughter headlines the Preseason All-Conference team, as voted on by the league's 13 head coaches. Defending East Division and Tournament Champion WKU received 77 points and 12 first-place votes, emerging as the favorite to repeat in the East and North Texas, for the second-straight season, with its 85 points and nine first place votes is predicted to claim the top spot in the West.

Behind WKU in the East Division, Troy is picked to finish second, with 62 points and one first place vote, while Middle Tennessee closes out the top three with its 53 points. In the West Division, Denver has been tapped to capture second place with one first-place vote and 73 points and Louisiana-Lafayette

WKU Head Coach Ken McDonald returns for his sophomore season on The Hill, along with four starters among five letterwinners from a team that posted a 25-win season in 2008-09, captured the Sun Belt Conference East Division and Tournament Championship, knocked off Big Ten power Illinois in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and came within one second of upsetting 10th-ranked Gonzaga and advance to a second-straight NCAA Sweet 16.

North Texas returns all five starters among eight letterwinners from a team that went 20-12 overall and 11-7 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Mean Green made its way to the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament a year ago, before dropping a narrow 77-70 decision to eventual champion WKU.

Slaughter led the Hilltoppers and finished sixth in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game. He was named to the Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference Third Team, awarded Sun Belt All-Conference Second-Team acclaim at season's end and averaged 17.3 ppg during the Sun Belt Tournament in leading WKU to the program's seventh tournament title and a berth in the school's 21st NCAA Tournament. For his efforts, Slaughter was selected as the Sun Belt Tournament Most Valuable Player. In the NCAA Tournament, after scoring 14 in the first round win over Illinois, Slaughter poured in 24 points against 10th-ranked Gonzaga and set career-highs in points (25) and rebounds (9) in the Toppers upset 68-54 of third-ranked Louisville.

Source: Sun Belt Media Relations

Image courtesy: sunbeltsports.org

Image courtesy: sunbeltsports.org

Does that should about right to you Rick?

The west will be tight as it always is…despite UALR losing some scorers…

In the East, no way…they left us out of the picture…that's fine…

We have plenty of time before conference to iron out the wrinkles and return Davis…

But we will not finish 5th…not happening.

Fully expect a strong conference showing…we are better than half the teams right now, without time to gel, IMO.

dusky256fc said

Does that should about right to you Rick?

I'm not Rick, but I think that is about right.  Troy returns two first team all conference players from last year.  MTSU returns "Mr. Homecoming Queen" Boogie Yates and Hudson will be back for them.  They also got a good Juco shooter and have some good depth coming back.  It would be very difficult for FAU to finish above those top three (WKU, Troy, and MTSU) with such a young team.  After that it is more open in the East.  I think USA gets consideration because they have been so good for the last 5 years or so but the truth is that they lose a huge chunk of thier scoring and rebounding from last year.

For USA, FAU, and FIU it may come down to who's newcomers are better and that will be hard to peg down until it happens.

All that said, I believe in Jarvis.  I'm glad he's in the belt and I think he will help to build FAU and build the Sunbelt conference.

GO Belt!

WKU_Slam_Dunk said

I'm not Rick, but I think that is about right.

WKU_Slam_Dunk, glad to see you back around now that Hoops is just two weeks away from season's start!

Looking forward to it! And some good banter as well ;D

Rick said

Fully expect a strong conference showing…we are better than half the teams right now, without time to gel, IMO.

This is going to be a very tough conference year all around.  Maybe 60% of the belt teams will be as good or better than last year.  Denver returns everybody.  UNT returns everybody.  stAte got an all around good class including a 4 star transfer from the Big 12.  Louisiana Lafayette has a senior heavy team.  ULM should be more experienced than last year.


Its going to be a fun year.  A lot of teams can claim they have a shot.