The Arkansas men's basketball team was selected to finish third in the SEC for the upcoming season, plus forward Trevon Brazile and guard Davonte Davis were named preseason First Team and Second Team All-SEC, respectively, by a panel of SEC and national media members.
Arkansas is ranked 14th in the preseason AP poll and is coming off its third straight Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Eric Musselman's squad features nine newcomers — two freshmen and seven transfers. The preseason No. 3 selection is one spot lower than last year, when Arkansas was selected to finish second in the SEC.
Brazile was voted to the first team despite playing just nine games last season before suffering a season-ending torn ACL injury. He averaged 11.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and was the team’s leading 3-point shooter at 37.9 percent (11-of-29). In his eight-plus games played, Brazile led the team in rebounding five times and blocked shots four times. He recorded his first two career double-doubles with 21 points and 12 rebounds against North Dakota State and 13 points and 10 rebounds against South Dakota State.
At the Maui Invitational, Brazile led Arkansas to an overtime win over San Diego State by scoring 20 points and grabbing nine rebounds. He scored 18 of his 20 after halftime, including 16 in the second half (4-of-7 FG • 3-of-4 3PT • 5-of-6 FT) and tied his career high with two steals, one coming with Arkansas down two with seven seconds left to set-up the game-tying basket. In his final full game played, Brazile scored 23 points in a win over San Jose State, making 8-of-9 shots from the field.
Davis picks up his second career preseason second team All-SEC honor. The Jacksonville native was also tabbed second team All-SEC prior to the 2021-22 season. Davis is the only Razorback to play in Arkansas’ back-to-back-to-back Sweet 16 runs. He is coming off an impressive junior year that saw him earn SEC All-Defensive Team honors and saw him score 25 points to help the Razorbacks defeat No. 1 seed Kansas in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
Davis finished the year averaging 10.9 points and 4.4 rebounds while leading the team in 3-point shooting (34.6% - 47 makes) and ranking second on the team in assists (87) and steals (48). Davis is just 59 points from 1,000 for his career. In fact, he is just the ninth Razorback to reach 900+ points, 400+ rebounds, 200+ assists and 100+ steals in a Razorback uniform.
Brazile and Davis are the 12th and 13th Razorbacks 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) Daniel Gafford (2018-19) and Nick Smith Jr. (2022-23).
The Hogs will face UT Tyler in a home exhibition this Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT in Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas' next exhibition will be a charity game vs No. 3 Purdue on Saturday, Oct. 28 and will be a stout test for the Hoop Hogs.
The Razorbacks' season will officially begin on Monday, Nov. 6, when Alcorn 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
Grant Nelson - Alabama
Trevon Brazile – Arkansas
Johni Broome - Auburn
Justin Edwards - Kentucky
Tolu Smith - Mississippi State
Santiago Vescovi - Tennessee
Wade Taylor IV - Texas A&M
Second Team Preseason All-SEC
Mark Sears - Alabama
Davonte Davis - Arkansas
Riley Kugel - Florida
Antonio Reeves - Kentucky
Zakai Zeigler - Tennessee
SEC Preseason Player of the Year
Wade Taylor IV - Texas A&M
Predicted Order of Finish
1. Tennessee
2. Texas A&M
3. Arkansas
4. Kentucky
5. Alabama
6. Auburn
7. Mississippi State
8. Florida
9. Missouri
10. Ole Miss
11. Vanderbilt
12. Georgia
13. LSU
14. South Carolina
