University of Tennessee Athletics
Media Picks Tennessee To Win SEC Basketball Championship
November 12, 2020 | Men's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Tennessee was predicted to win the 2021 Southeastern Conference men's basketball championship in preseason voting by a select panel of both SEC and national media members.
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The Volunteers, who return four starters and have welcomed the nation's fourth-ranked crop of newcomers, are the overall preseason favorite for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Vols' most recent SEC championship came in 2018, a year in which the Big Orange were predicted to finish 13th.
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Predicted to finish behind UT in the top five of the SEC standings were, in order, Kentucky, LSU, Florida and Alabama.
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Points were compiled on a 14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each media member also voted for a five-player All-SEC Team. Ties were not broken.
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Tennessee seniors John Fulkerson and Yves Pons were among seven standouts who received votes for SEC Player of the Year. Fulkerson earned a spot on the preseason All-SEC first team, while Pons—the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year—was named a second-teamer.
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Tennessee is ranked 12th in the country in the Associated Press preseason poll and begins its 2020-21 campaign Nov. 25 against Charlotte, with conference play set to begin Dec. 29. The 2021 SEC Tournament takes place March 10-14 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.Â
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First Team All-SEC
John Petty Jr., Alabama
Keyontae Johnson, Florida
Brandon Boston Jr., Kentucky
Trendon Watford, LSU
John Fulkerson, Tennessee
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Second Team All-SEC
Olivier Sarr, Kentucky
Javonte Smart, LSU
Dru Smith, Missouri
AJ Lawson, South Carolina
Yves Pons, Tennessee
Savion Flagg, Texas A&M
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SEC Player of the Year
Keyontae Johnson, Florida
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Preseason Media Poll
1. Tennessee
2. Kentucky
3. LSU
4. Florida
5. Alabama
6. Arkansas
7. Auburn
8. South Carolina
9. Ole Miss
10. Missouri
11. Texas A&M
12. Mississippi State
13. Georgia
14. Vanderbilt
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The Volunteers, who return four starters and have welcomed the nation's fourth-ranked crop of newcomers, are the overall preseason favorite for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Vols' most recent SEC championship came in 2018, a year in which the Big Orange were predicted to finish 13th.
Â
Predicted to finish behind UT in the top five of the SEC standings were, in order, Kentucky, LSU, Florida and Alabama.
Â
Points were compiled on a 14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each media member also voted for a five-player All-SEC Team. Ties were not broken.
Â
Tennessee seniors John Fulkerson and Yves Pons were among seven standouts who received votes for SEC Player of the Year. Fulkerson earned a spot on the preseason All-SEC first team, while Pons—the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year—was named a second-teamer.
Â
Tennessee is ranked 12th in the country in the Associated Press preseason poll and begins its 2020-21 campaign Nov. 25 against Charlotte, with conference play set to begin Dec. 29. The 2021 SEC Tournament takes place March 10-14 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.Â
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First Team All-SEC
John Petty Jr., Alabama
Keyontae Johnson, Florida
Brandon Boston Jr., Kentucky
Trendon Watford, LSU
John Fulkerson, Tennessee
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Second Team All-SEC
Olivier Sarr, Kentucky
Javonte Smart, LSU
Dru Smith, Missouri
AJ Lawson, South Carolina
Yves Pons, Tennessee
Savion Flagg, Texas A&M
Â
SEC Player of the Year
Keyontae Johnson, Florida
Â
Preseason Media Poll
1. Tennessee
2. Kentucky
3. LSU
4. Florida
5. Alabama
6. Arkansas
7. Auburn
8. South Carolina
9. Ole Miss
10. Missouri
11. Texas A&M
12. Mississippi State
13. Georgia
14. Vanderbilt
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Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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