Blue Raiders picked third in preseason coaches poll

MOBILE, Ala. - Middle Tennessee was picked third in the East Division in the 2007 Preseason Coaches Poll released today in conjunction with the Sun Belt Conference Media Days in Mobile, Ala., where South Alabama will play host to the league tournament in March.

Blue Raider junior guard Kevin Kanaskie was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, earning a spot on the third team after turning in one of the best single seasons in Middle Tennessee history.

Western Kentucky is picked to win the East Division and received all possible 13 first-place votes in balloting. The Hilltoppers had 78 total points and finished ahead of South Alabama which had 59 points. The Blue Raiders tallied 51 points.

"Western Kentucky won 22 games last year and has the entire team back," Middle Tennessee coach Kermit Davis said. "They have a lot of depth and experience."

Davis said polls are polls and regardless of where his team is picked in the preseason he expects the Blue Raiders to be a factor in the race this season.

"All I can say, and I say it to everybody, is I like coaching our team," Davis said. "I like our team and I think we will be a huge factor in what happens in the Sun Belt."

The Blue Raiders return four starters and seven letterwinners from last season and they feature one of the deepest and most experienced teams Davis has coached at Middle Tennessee. It's an interesting aspect because the Blue Raiders are considered experienced although they don't have a senior on the roster.

"We have some guys who have been through the wars and we have six players who have been in our program going into their third year so that adds up," Davis said. "The league is very good. It's the best the league has been since I have been here. The depth is good. This year our goal is to get two teams in the postseason tournament."

Louisiana-Monroe received nine first-place votes and 85 total points and is picked to win the West Division, followed by North Texas and Arkansas State, respectively.

Kanaskie was named All-Sun Belt in 2006-07 after becoming the only player in Middle Tennessee history to lead his team in scoring (12.2), 3-point field goals made (67), and assists (185) in the same season. He led the Sun Belt in assists and assist/turnover ratio. Kanaskie scored double figures in 20 games and led the team in scoring 13 times.

"Kevin is deserving of preseason recognition and he has worked hard in the offseason," Davis said. "It says something to be on one the preseason teams because you look at that preseason team and there are a bunch of great players. Everyone on that team deserves to be there and there are probably five or six more who could be on that team."

2007-08 Sun Belt Conference
Preseason Coaches Poll
First-place votes in parenthesis
East Division Points
1 Western Kentucky (13) 78
2 South Alabama 59
3 Middle Tennessee 51
4 Florida Atlantic 43
5 Florida International 25
6 Troy 17

West Division Points
1 Louisiana-Monroe (9) 85
2 North Texas (1) 71
3 Arkansas State (2) 62
4 New Orleans (1) 61
5 Louisiana-Lafayette 37
6 UALR 35
7 Denver 13

Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
First Team
Adrian Banks (Arkansas State, Sr., G)
Carlos Monroe (Florida Atlantic, Jr., F)
Bo McCalebb (New Orleans, Sr., G)
Demetric Bennett (South Alabama, Sr., G)
Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky, Sr., G/F)

Second Team
Alex Galindo (Florida International, Jr., F)
David Dees (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., G)
Tony Hooper (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., G)
O'Darien Bassett (Troy, Sr., G)
Tyrone Brazelton (Western Kentucky, Sr., G)

Third Team
Elijah Millsap (Louisiana-Lafayette, So., G)
Kevin Kanaskie (Middle Tennessee, Jr., G)
Quincy Williams (North Texas, Sr., F)
Keith Wooden (North Texas, Sr., F/C)
Daon Merritt (South Alabama, Sr., G)

Preseason Player of the Year:
Bo McCalebb - New Orleans