KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee men's basketball was picked to win the SEC in the media poll released on Tuesday.
It;s the fifth time since the poll began in the 1989-1990 season that the Vols have been picked to win the league. The last time was in the 2020-2021 season.
Guard Santiago Vescovi was a preseason All-SEC first-team selection and guard Zakai Zeigler was a preseason All-SEC second-team selection.
The projected order to finish is as follows.
Predicted Order of Finish
- Tennessee
- Texas A&M
- Arkansas
- Kentucky
- Alabama
- Auburn
- Mississippi State
- Florida
- Missouri
- Ole Miss
- Vanderbilt
- Georgia
- LSU
- South Carolina
Other than Zeigler and Vescovi, the Vols return key players like Josiah-Jordan James, Jahmai Mashack, Tobe Awaka and Jonas Aidoo. The University of Tennessee brought in key transfers Jordan Gainey and Dalton Kinecht as well.
The Vols were ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 on Monday,
UT has its first exhibition game on Oct. 29 against Michigan State in East Lansing, Michigan. They hold an exhibition at the Food City Center on Oct. 31 against Lenoir-Rhyne.
The Vols open the regular season against Tennessee Tech on Nov. 6.
