UK picked 1st in conference in preseason poll; Randle selected as Player of the Year

at+basketball+media+day+in+Lexington%2C+Ky.%2C+on+Thursday%2C+September+12%2C+2013.+Photo+by+Emily+Wuetcher

at basketball media day in Lexington, Ky., on Thursday, September 12, 2013. Photo by Emily Wuetcher

Staff report

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UK was selected as the 2014 SEC men’s basketball champions in a preseason poll of the media, according to the league.

Freshman forward Julius Randle was picked as the preseason SEC Player of the Year by the media. Randle was also named to the preseason All-SEC First Team.

Sophomore forward Willie Cauley-Stein, freshman guard Andrew Harrison and freshman center Dakari Johnson were each named to the preseason All-SEC Second Team.

Out of the 27 media members who voted in the preseason poll, UK received 21 first-place votes. The University of Florida received five first-place votes and the University of Tennessee was given one first-place vote.

Preseason SEC media poll

1. UK (21 first-place votes) –  371

2. Florida (5) – 353

3. Tennessee (1) – 320

4. Louisiana State University – 270

5. University of Missouri – 262

6. University of Alabama – 257

7. University of Mississippi – 216

8. University of Arkansas – 197

9. Texas A&M University –  139

10. Vanderbilt University – 125

11. University of Georgia – 119

12. University of South Carolina – 108

13. Mississippi State University  – 59

14. Auburn University – 39