With the college basketball season drawing near, the Sun Belt Conference released their preseason poll on Friday and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Men’s Basketball team was picked by the league’s 12 head coaches to finish fifth in the conference.
The Cajuns are coming off of a strange season record-wise, finishing 19-13 overall and 10-8 in the Sun Belt conference before an early exit from the Sun Belt Conference Tournament by South Alabama.
Junior guard Cedric Russell also received honors from the conference, being named a third-team selection after averaging 9.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game last year The Alexandria, La., native started 28 games for the Ragin’ Cajuns and led the team in 3-point field goal attempts (174) and 3-pointers made (61). During Sun Belt Conference play, Russell was second on the team in scoring (12.3), averaging 17.7 points in his final seven games of the season.
The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns will open up the season next Tuesday when they host Loyola of New Orleans with tipoff set for 7 pm.
2019-20 SUN BELT CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL & HONORS
Preseason Coaches’ Poll First-place votes in parentheses
- South Alabama (8) – 138
- UTA (2) – 124
- Georgia Southern (1) – 121
- Texas State (1) – 110
- Louisiana – 92
- Georgia State – 76
- Coastal Carolina – 75
- ULM – 72
- Appalachian State – 40
- Arkansas State – 33
- Little Rock – 32
- Troy – 22
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Quan Jackson, Georgia Southern (RJr., G, Tallahassee, Fla.)
Josh Ajayi, South Alabama (RSr., F, El Monte, Calif.)
Trhae Mitchell, South Alabama (RSr., F, Austell, Ga.)
Brian Warren, UTA (Sr., G, Indianapolis, Ind.)
Nijal Pearson, Texas State (Sr., G, Beaumont, Texas)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Justin Forrest, Appalachian State (Jr., G, Decatur, Ga.)
DeVante Jones, Coastal Carolina (So., G, New Orleans, La.)
Ike Smith, Georgia Southern (RSr., G, Gainesville, Fla.)
Kane Williams, Georgia State (Jr., G, Douglasville, Ga.)
Michael Ertel, ULM (Jr., G, Indianapolis, Ind.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Isaac Johnson, Appalachian State (Sr., F, Charlotte, N.C.)
Isaiah Crawley, Georgia Southern (Sr., F, Ripley, Tenn.)
Cedric Russell, Louisiana (Jr., G, Alexandria, La.)
JD Williams, ULM (Sr., G, Birmingham, Ala.)
Don Coleman, South Alabama (RSr., G, North Augusta, S.C.)
Preseason Player of the Year
Trhae Mitchell, South Alabama (RSr., F, Austell, Ga.)