Hogs picked to finish 2nd in SEC, Smith named preseason First Team All-SEC
The Arkansas men's basketball team was selected to finish second in the conference for the upcoming season and freshman Nick Smith Jr. was named preseason First Team All-SEC by a panel of SEC and national media members.
Eric Musselman's squad features 11 newcomers — six freshmen and five transfers. The preseason No. 2 selection is the highest for Arkansas since it was picked to win the SEC West prior to the 2007-08 season.
Smith became the first freshman in program history to be named preseason First Team All-SEC. He is the 11th Razorback to be named preseason All-SEC, joining Todd Day (1991-92), Scotty Thurman (1993-94 and 1994-95, Corliss Williamson (1993-94 and 1994-95), Joe Johnson (2000-01), Ronnie Brewer (2005-06), Patrick Beverley (2007-080), BJ Young (2012-13), Bobby Portis (2014-15), Moses Kingsley (2016-17) and Daniel Gafford (2018-19).
The Hogs will face Rogers State in a home exhibition next Monday at 7 p.m. in Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas' next exhibition will be a charity game at No. 12 Texas on Saturday, Oct. 29 to open the Longhorn’s new Moody Center.
The Razorbacks' season will officially begin on Monday, Nov. 7, when North Dakota State comes to town. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. inside Bud Walton Arena.
Full SEC preseason honors:
First Team Preseason All-SEC
Nick Smith, Jr. – Arkansas
Colin Castleton – Florida
Oscar Tshiebwe – Kentucky
Sahvir Wheeler – Kentucky
Santiago Vescovi – Tennessee
Second Team Preseason All-SEC
Brandon Miller – Alabama
Jahvon Quinerly – Alabama
KJ Williams – LSU
Josiah Jordan-James – Tennessee
Zakai Zeigler – Tennessee
SEC Preseason Player of the Year
Oscar Tshiebwe – Kentucky
Predicted Order of Finish
1. Kentucky
2. Arkansas
3. Tennessee
4. Auburn
5. Alabama
6. Texas A&M
7. Florida
8. LSU
9. Ole Miss
10. Mississippi State
11. Missouri
12. Vanderbilt
13. Georgia
14. South Carolina