SEC Basketball Media Day got underway on Wednesday, October 18th. And just like the football equivalent over the summer, the media in attendance voted on the predicted order of finish in the conference for all 14 teams.
And according to the media members at SEC Media Day, the Vols’ upcoming 2017-18 basketball season will be one to forget for Vol fans.
The media picked Tennessee to finish 13th in the SEC on Wednesday, finishing ahead of only LSU. Kentucky was, unsurprisingly, picked to win the conference yet again. Florida was picked to finish second, followed by Texas A&M, Alabama, and Missouri to round out the top five.
The #SEC basketball preseason media picks are in. Kentucky voted regular season champion. pic.twitter.com/WIvsX07fUz
— Blake Lovell (@theblakelovell) October 18, 2017
Tennessee is having to replace a number of key contributors from last season, and that includes leading scorer Robert Hubbs III. The Vols welcome in a host of new faces from transfers James Daniel III (whom Sports Illustrated has high hopes for) and Chris Darrington along with freshmen Yves Pons, Derrick Walker, and Zach Kent.
Under Rick Barnes, the Vols have failed to finish better than 10th in the SEC. Tennessee placed 12th in Barnes’ first season in 2015-16, and they finished 10th last season. Tennessee also finished 10th in the conference in Donnie Tyndall’s lone season in 2014-15.
The last time Tennessee finished better than 10th in the SEC was in 2013-14, Cuonzo Martin’s last season as the Vols’ head basketball coach. The Vols finished fourth that season, and that’s also the last time Tennessee has made the NCAA Tournament.
Tennessee’s 2017-18 season begins on November 10th when the Vols host Presbyterian College in Thompson Boling Arena.
