The Gulf South Conference made its first press release for the upcoming basketball season yesterday. You can download the full release here, but I’ll summarize the main points. Harding was picked third in the GSC West, which would be a step up from the last two years. We received two first-place votes and placed behind Delta State and Central Arkansas. Interestingly, Arkansas-Monticello was fourth in the voting because one GSC West coach placed them last in the division, despite four excellent returning starters. Second through fifth place on the list were separated by just six points, indicating that we could be in for a very close race.
The full rankings (Points/First-place votes):
1. Delta State (61/5)
2. Central Arkansas (49/1)
3. Harding (46/2)
4. Arkansas-Monticello (44/1)
5. Henderson State (43)
6. Ouachita Baptist (29)
7. Christian Brothers (20)
8. Arkansas Tech (17)
9. Southern Arkansas (15)
Also, Matt Hall and Lonnie Smith were named to the All-GSC West Division first team. Hall won the GSC West and Daktronics South Region Player of the Year awards last year, so his inclusion was easy. Smith was sixth in the GSC in scoring last year and ninth in steals. Billy McDaniel and Nate Newell of UAM, Jeremy Richardson of Delta State, and Dedric Spooner of Henderson State rounded out the West Division team.
Our team deserves congratulations for this high ranking, but let me emphasize that these predictions often don’t pan out. Last year’s preseason poll listed Henderson State as the favorite and UAM seventh, when they nearly finished in the opposite positions. Expect things to be decided on the court this year, as always.
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