SFA Picked Third in Preseason Polling
10/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 11, 2006
FRISCO, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack basketball team has been picked to finish third in the West Division of the Southland Conference in polls of league head coaches and sports information directors, released Wednesday by SLC officials. The 'Jacks earned 48 points in the coaches poll and 52 points in the SID poll, getting one first-place vote in each.
SFA returns seven letterwinners and three starters from last year's 17-12 team. The Lumberjacks posted a 9-7 mark in SLC action and finished tied for fourth place in the league. Among the returning players are 2005-06 SLC Freshman of the Year Josh Alexander. Alexander, who led the 'Jacks in scoring and rebounding last season, was selected to this year's preseason All-SLC team, along with senior center Antuane Miller, who was second on the team in scoring and rebounding in 2005-06.
Sam Houston State and league newcomer Texas A&M-Corpus Christi finished ahead of SFA in both polls with Sam tabbed to win in the coaches poll and the teams tying for the top spot in the SID poll. In the East Division, two-time defending champion Northwestern State was picked to win in both polls, with Lamar and Southeastern Louisiana tabbed second and third, respectively.
For the first time in the 44-year history of Southland Conference basketball, the league will contest its regular season with divisional play. The change is a result of the SLC expanding to an all-time high 12 members on July 1 as Central Arkansas and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi were welcomed to the conference. Divisional play will consist of UCA, Lamar, McNeese State, Nicholls State, Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana in the East. The West will be made up of Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas State, UT-Arlington and Texas-San Antonio.
-- SFA --
CoachesEAST DIVISION Team Pts 1. Northwestern State (8) 62 2. Lamar (3) 54 3. Southeastern Louisiana 45 4. McNeese State (1) 41 5. Nicholls State 23 6. Central Arkansas 21
WEST DIVISION Team Pts 1. Sam Houston State (10) 65 2. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1) 55 3. Stephen F. Austin (1) 48 4. Texas-Arlington 33 5. Texas-San Antonio 29 6. Texas State 16
Sports Information Directors
EAST DIVISION Team Pts 1. Northwestern State (7) 65 2. Lamar (3) 55 3. Southeastern Louisiana (2) 53 4. McNeese State 37 5. Nicholls State 23 6. Central Arkansas 19
WEST DIVISION Team Pts 1. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (6) 60 Sam Houston State (5) 60 3. Stephen F. Austin (1) 52 4. Texas-San Antonio 36 5. Texas-Arlington 29 6. Texas State 15
First-place votes in parenthesis.
