Gators picked No. 2 in SEC basketball
Tennessee was named on 23 of 30 ballots as the favorite to win the SEC men's basketball title this season in a vote of the league's media. Runner-up Florida picked up five votes and Kentucky tw
The Vols, who reached the Sweet 16 a year ago, also were the favorites to edge the Gators in the Eastern Division, followed by Florida, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Georgia.
The Western Division favorite is Alabama, followed by LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn and Arkansas.
Tennessee junior forward Tyler Smith was the preseason pick for player of the year. Kentucky's Patrick Patterson. South Carolina's Devan Downey, Florida's Nick Calathes and Vanderbilt's A.J. Ogilvy complete the preseason All-SEC first team.
The 2008-09 SEC Media Preseason Poll tips off SEC Basketball Media Days on Wednesday and Thursday in Birmingham.
