Despite watching his team struggle in the first half for the second consecutive game, Missouri coach Frank Haith remains encouraged.

After all, the Tigers are only returning one player from last year’s 30-5 team.

“This team is a work in progress,” Haith said. “We’re not going to be where we’re going to be in January. We’re not going to be where we’re going to be in February.”

Missouri made just nine of its 39 attempts before the break and held a seven-point halftime advantage thanks to Phil Pressey’s deep 3-pointer with three seconds left. But the 14th-ranked Tigers used an 18-3 run across halftime that blew the game open en route to a 91-54 win over Alcorn State on Tuesday night.

Pressey scored 21 points and Laurence Bowers added 14, all in the second half. Bowers went 3 of 4 from behind the arc, his first 3-pointers since the 2009-10 season after going 0 for 8 in 2010-11 and missing last season recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

“When you have four guys out there as opposed to two or three that can shoot it, it just makes you tougher to guard,” Haith said.

LeAntwan Luckett scored 14 points and Anthony Nieves added 13 for Alcorn State (1-1), which struggled from poor shooting of its own. The Braves only shot 30.6 percent for the game, including 9 of 31 in the first half.

“They executed their plays,” Luckett said. “They come up with steals. They just listened to their coach. Their point guard just led the team real well. What else can I say?”

The Braves kept within seven points the entire first half despite several players participating in their first Division I game, including Luckett, a highly-touted recruit who sat out his freshman season.

Alcorn State defeated Oakville University of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association in its opener Sunday, 85-41.

Bowers’ second-half surge followed a similar performance in the opener against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, when he scored 18 of his 20 points in the closing half. The problem, he says, is the team’s energy level. Only after a stern halftime message from Haith was the team able to pull away.

“It was a sense of us being lethargic,” Bowers said. “Coach got under us, and we came out in the second half playing with a fire under us. And we ended up playing great. That halftime speech was a spark.”

“Next game, I said in the huddle, we need to put two halves together and I think that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to come out with a better focus.”

Bowers scored eight consecutive points five minutes into the second half to give the Tigers a 56-31 advantage, capped by a two-handed dunk off a pass from Pressey that triggered the loudest reaction from the 8,013 in attendance.

Missouri won its 67th consecutive home game against a non-conference opponent dating back to the 2005-06 opener.

Pressey says his halfcourt passes to Bowers are nothing new; he remembers doing the same two years ago during his freshman season. He’s just happy to have Bowers back.

“Pressey played with poise the entire game,” Alcorn State coach Luther Riley said. “He managed the game, when they didn’t have the offense. And they trusted him to manage the game and I think he did a great job.”

Haith said it’s nice to have a guard such as Pressey who can see plays develop and affect the game in a positive way even when he doesn’t score.

“We don’t want Phil thinking he has to do everything himself,” Haith said. “And that’s the trust we need him to continue to develop within his teammates.”

Bowers and Pressey were the only players on the court who had worn a Missouri uniform prior to this season as Michael Dixon watched his second consecutive game from the bench, suspended for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Dixon also missed both of the team’s exhibition games, and coach Frank Haith declined to specify a timetable for his return.

“I’ll let you guys know, as I’ve said from day one, when he’s not suspended,” Haith said. “He is still suspended.”

Alcorn State, out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, went 10-22 in Riley’s first season in 2011-12, a six-win improvement from the Braves’ previous season.

The team was picked to finish eighth out of 10 teams in the SWAC this season by conference coaches.

The matchup was part of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, though the outcome had no bearing on the field headed to the Bahamas next week. The only previous matchup between the two teams was an 82-51 Missouri win on Dec. 1, 1981.

“It’s a learning experience for us and we have to continue to believe, as we spoke about before the game, believe in each other and the system, trust each other and have each other’s back,” Riley said. “That’s what Missouri did tonight.”

— Associated Press —

Missouri quarterback James Franklin couldn’t do much of anything for much of Saturday’s game with Tennessee. By the end of the day, he couldn’t be stopped.

Andrew Baggett kicked a 35-yard field goal in the fourth overtime period as Missouri rallied from a two-touchdown halftime deficit to beat Tennessee 51-48. But it was Franklin who sparked the comeback, throwing four touchdown passes – all in the final minute of regulation or overtime.

Franklin’s biggest play came in the final minute of regulation.

Missouri (5-5, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) faced fourth-and-12 when Franklin scrambled around before finding Dorial Green-Beckham all alone in the left corner of the end zone for a game-tying 25-yard touchdown pass with 47 seconds remaining.

“It was pretty funny because right before that, he told me – the defense probably could have seen what he was doing – he put his hand up and he was doing this, this and that,” Franklin said as he motioned how Green-Beckham drew up the route on his hand. “It was funny because that’s what he did, and it worked.”

Tennessee has now lost 13 of its last 14 SEC games over the last two seasons, casting further doubt on the future of Volunteers coach Derek Dooley. With the game tied in the final minute of regulation, Dooley and the Vols (4-6, 0-6) received a chorus of boos when they allowed the clock to run out after failing to gain any yardage on two straight plays.

“I’m hurting because of the game and the kids,” Dooley said. “They played their tail off, man. There’s a lot of negativity, and that comes with the territory. I’m just proud of how they keep going out there and they lay it on the line.”

Each team scored touchdowns on its first two overtime possessions, including a 5-yard run by Tennessee holder Tyler Drummer on a fake field-goal attempt. Both teams reached the end zone again in the third overtime but failed to make their ensuing two-point conversion attempts.

Missouri’s defense finally came through in the fourth overtime when safety Ian Simon broke up Tyler Bray’s fourth-and-3 pass to Zach Rogers from the Missouri 18. Baggett then kicked the field goal that ended this marathon game.

“They were making plays all game,” Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson said. “We just happened to shut them down when we needed to.”

Franklin threw for 2,865 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 981 yards and 15 more scores last year, but he had struggled with injuries and inconsistency this year while Missouri makes the transition from the Big 12 to the SEC. Franklin was coming off a four-interception performance in a 14-7 loss at Florida last week, and he wasn’t much better in the early part of this game.

After going 2-of-8 for 18 yards and an interception in the first half, Franklin ended up throwing for 226 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 43 yards.

“It feels better, especially as a team because on both sides of the ball guys made plays,” Franklin said. “I think it feels more like a team win today.”

Kendial Lawrence added two touchdown runs and 153 rushing yards for Missouri (5-5, 2-5 SEC). Bray threw for 404 yards and four touchdowns for Tennessee (4-6, 0-6), while Mychal Rivera compiled a career-high 10 receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown. Missouri and Tennessee had entered the day tied for the NCAA lead with 10 all-time overtime victories each.

“It stings a lot,” Rivera said. “We really worked hard this week. We really wanted to win this game. Things just didn’t go our way.”

Tennessee entered the day having allowed the most points (35.4) and yards (483.1) per game of any team in the SEC. They were coming off a 55-48 victory over Troy in which they allowed 721 yards, the highest single-game total ever by a Tennessee opponent.

Dooley responded by taking a more active role in the defense. He promised major changes, which included having defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri work from the press box for the first time all season.

For one half anyway, the moves paid off better than anyone could have reasonably anticipated.

The Vols outgained Missouri 383-64 in the first half and took a 21-7 lead into the intermission. Missouri’s offense didn’t cross midfield until about 2 ½ minutes remained in the second quarter. The Tigers’ lone first-half score came on Jimmie Hunt’s 87-yard kickoff return.

Then came the second half.

On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Lawrence delivered a 77-yard touchdown run that cut Tennessee’s lead to 21-14. After Tennessee extended its lead to 28-14, Lawrence added a 1-yard touchdown run later in the third quarter on a drive kept alive by a fourth-and-1 conversion.

“When Kendial made that run, it kind of sparked everyone,” Franklin said. “We realized we still had a chance.”

Missouri finally tied the game in the final minute when Franklin found Green-Beckham all alone in the left corner of the end zone. Earlier in the drive, Franklin had thrown a 17-yard completion to Marcus Lucas on fourth-and-9 from the Tennessee 40.

“Once we got out there and lined up, I saw how far the safety was playing up so I was (thinking) I can beat this guy and get behind him on a fade route,” Green-Beckham said.

Franklin would pretty much get his way the rest of the day.

— Associated Press —

While rehabbing all last season from a knee injury, Laurence Bowers was able to do a lot of shooting.

The 6-foot-8 forward showed off his increased range in No. 15 Missouri’s 83-69 season-opening victory over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Saturday, hitting a pair of 3-pointers and finishing with 20 points and seven rebounds.

The season before he was hurt, Bowers attempted just eight 3-pointers – and missed them all.

”I was shooting a ton when I was hurt, so it’s paying off,” Bowers said. ”I’ve just got to continue to stay after practice and work out.”

Coach Frank Haith pointed out that Bowers was on the line or just inside it on two other jumpers while going 9 for 14 overall.

”That’s what we challenged him to do, make his game more well-rounded,” Haith said. ”Laurence, he was excited for Midnight Madness. I think he’s just glad to be back, and guys, he’s going to get better and better.”

Bowers outscored the Cougars 10-2 by himself during a two-minute stretch early in the second half for the Tigers, who are ranked to start the season for a third straight year. Not much later, he dazzled with a tomahawk dunk.

”It felt good,” Bowers said. ”That’s the first time I’ve dunked in a game in a long time.”

Phil Pressey scored 13 of his 19 points in the first half and had nine assists with just two turnovers. Alex Oriakhi, part of a strong transfer class, had 15 rebounds, eight points and three blocked shots.

”Those guys, they’re good,” SIU Edwardsville coach Lennox Forrester said. ”Pressey, he’s an incredible guard. I thought that at times when they struggled for points, he just took over.”

Jerome Jones hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points for SIU Edwardsville, which was held to 33 percent shooting. Reserve Michael Messer added 13 points but Mark Yelovich, the Cougars’ top returning scorer, was held scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting with four fouls.

”There were segments in there where we kind of got rattled a little bit and lost our composure,” Forrester said. ”It’s one of those games where you never know what to expect from your players.”

Missouri won its 66th in a row at home against non-conference opponents since the end of the 2005-06 season without guard Michael Dixon, who is suspended for violating team rules. Dixon, perhaps the best sixth man in the nation for last season’s 30-win team, also did not dress in both exhibitions.

Haith gave no timetable for Dixon’s return, saying tersely, ”We’re not talking about that.”

The Tigers won their home opener for the 38th time in 39 seasons in front of a late-arriving crowd of 10,054, many likely watching the Missouri football team’s overtime victory at Tennessee that ended about 45 minutes before tip-off.

Haith was happy to divert his postgame remarks to another sport, adding that he watched the entire game on TV. But not the players.

”I don’t let them watch, they’re focused on the game,” Haith said. ”But I was watching.”

Freshman Negus Webster-Chan hit all three of Missouri’s 3-pointers in the first half, the last two coming over the final 2 1/2 minutes to help build a 40-34 lead. The Tigers trailed most of the half, getting their first lead at 27-26 on Webster-Chan’s 3-pointer from the corner off a feed from Pressey with about 6 1/2 minutes to go.

Missouri took its largest lead of the game after outscoring SIU Edwardsville 7-0 over the final 2:55, and carried that momentum into the second half. The visitors couldn’t keep up.

”We started getting careless, a couple turnovers and a couple quick shots that instantly turn into transition points,” said Messer.

SIU Edwardsville came out firing from long range, hitting six of its first 14 3-point attempts. Jones tied his career high with four 3-pointers in the half and had 14 points, bettering last year’s 12.7-point average.

The Cougars led by as many as six in the first half without any contribution from Kris Davis, who led the nation with a 60-percent 3-point percentage last season but sat out the final 18:47 of the half after picking up two quick fouls. He finished with 11 points.

”We want to be an up-tempo team, we want to be an aggressive team,” Forrester said. ”But at the same time we want to make sure we are disciplined at doing both.”

SIU Edwardsville was 10-17 last season, its first in the Ohio Valley Conference, and is among just six Division-I schools with no freshmen. The school is 0-4 against current members of the SEC and 0-5 against Top 25 teams.

— Associated Press —

For the fourth consecutive year a Missouri Tiger was named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 list. Guard Phil Pressey was the latest Mizzou Basketball standout to receive the preseason recognition as the Los Angeles Athletic Club named the junior an early front runner for college basketball’s most prestigious individual honor.

Pressey joins former teammates Marcus Denmon (2011-12) and Kim English (2010-11) on the Preseason Wooden Award listing, as well as former point guard J.T. Tiller who made the list at the start of the 2009-10 campaign.

Pressey is also the second current Tiger to earn the preseason mention over the years. Senior transfer Alex Oriakhi was a member of last season’s Wooden Award watch list before his junior season at Connecticut.

Named the SEC Preseason Player of the Year by the league media last month, the Dallas native was selected a Preseason First Team All-American by CBS Sports and spent his summer competing at the LeBron James, Chris Paul and Deron Williams elite camps.

Pressey was a First Team all-league pick by CBS Sports last season and was a Big 12 All-Tournament Team selection after the Tigers claimed the league title in Kansas City.

He averaged career highs in scoring (10.3), rebounding (3.3), assists (6.4) and steals (2.1) last season for the 30-5 Tigers.

Missouri Basketball opens the 2012-13 campaign on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. vs. SIUE.

— MU Sports Information —

Freshmen Stefan Jankovic and Negus Webster-Chan combined for 34 points and 12 rebounds as the former high school teammates led Missouri Basketball to an 86-60 victory over Missouri Southern to close out exhibition play on Sunday.

Jankovic came off the bench and flourished on the perimeter, hitting 8-of-13 shots, including three from outside the three-point stripe to pace the Tigers with 20 points. His former high school point guard, Webster-Chan, earned his first start as a Tiger and scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting to go with seven rebounds and three assists.

Webster-Chan earned the start after senior Keion Bell was sidelined with an illness. The Scarborough, Ontario, native quickly stepped in for Bell and even saw extended time running the point and did not commit a turnover in 28 minutes of playing time.

Missouri was once again balanced offensively, led by the two freshmen. Junior college transfer Tony Criswell also came off the bench and added 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, while Laurence Bowers and Earnest Ross chipped in 11 and 10 respectively.

Missouri Southern kept the game tight in the first half thanks to the hot shooting of Marquis Addison. Addison had 14 of his team-high 19 points in the first half and the Tigers carried just a 42-33 lead into the break.

The game quickly turned in the second half, however, as an improved defensive intensity allowed Mizzou to start the second frame with a 13-2 run. Phil Pressey and Webster-Chan each scored four quick points and Missouri pushed its lead to 57-35 with just under 14:00 remaining.

Missouri led by as many as 31 in the second half and shot 63 percent over the final 20 minutes, while holding Missouri Southern to just 33 percent shooting during that same stretch.

The win caps exhibition play for the Tigers. Missouri returns to action on Saturday afternoon vs. SIU Edwardsville at 4 p.m. That game time was moved back one hour due to Mizzou Football’s game at Tennessee next weekend.

— MU Sports Information —

Florida has reason to celebrate, although it’s not enough to elicit much reaction from coach Will Muschamp or his players.

Mike Gillislee took a screen pass and went 45 yards for a touchdown, and the No. 8 Gators used stifling defense to stave off Southeastern Conference newcomer Missouri 14-7 on Saturday.

Florida rebounded from a turnover-filled loss to rival Georgia, clinched at least a share of the SEC’s Eastern Division and eclipsed last season’s win total.

The Gators hardly seemed to care.

”I took this job understanding fully the expectation is to go to Atlanta and win a championship,” Muschamp said. ”I’ve made my comment about how I feel about your season if that’s not accomplished. We’ve made strides, but we’re not where we want to be.”

Florida could still get there.

The Gators (8-1, 7-1 SEC) need the Bulldogs to lose one of their remaining games, against Mississippi on Saturday or Auburn next week, to clinch a spot in the league title game.

At times, Florida looked less than interested in staying in the SEC hunt. The Gators were shut out in the first half, managing just 111 yards and failing to contain Missouri quarterback James Franklin.

But like it has in so many other games this season, Florida played considerably better in the second half.

The Gators turned two short fields into touchdowns, with Omarius Hines scoring on a 36-yard jet sweep to tie the game in the third before Gillislee put Florida ahead for good in the fourth.

”We gave up too many big plays,” Missouri linebacker Will Ebner said. ”We put this loss on our back because we allowed them to score more points than our offense scored. We’re never going to blame someone else. You’ve got to have each other’s back. We shut them out the first half, why couldn’t we do it in the second half?”

Jeff Driskel lofted a pass to Gillislee in the right flat, and with two blockers out front, Gillislee made one cut and went untouched for his eighth score of the season.

The defense did the rest, stopping Missouri on six consecutive drives that ended in Florida territory.

”I always tell them, ‘You’re the firemen. Go put the fire out,”’ Muschamp said. ”I don’t care how bad it’s blazing. Go put it out. And regardless of the situations and circumstances, when you walk on the field, your job is to stop them. … It’s an opportunity for greatness. You go out and make a stop on the goal line. You want to be great, be put in those situations and do it.”

Florida’s defense has done it all season, the main reason it’s in this position, and the offense needed to be bailed out again against Missouri (4-5, 1-5).

The Gators finished with 276 yards, went 2 of 13 on third down and struggled to get anything going in the passing game.

Driskel completed 12 of 23 passes for 106 yards, with nearly half of that coming on the screen pass. Gillislee ran 16 times for 68 yards – his fourth consecutive game under 70 yards. And Florida’s offensive line was overmatched again.

”I’m a realist and I believe in being honest and calling it the way it is,” Muschamp said. ”And when it stinks, it stinks. … We’ve been able to win and do what we had to do to win the games – I’m not trying to downgrade it at all. This football team has as much resolve as a football team that I’ve been around.”

That showed down the stretch on defense.

Josh Evans sealed the victory, intercepting Franklin’s fourth-down pass in the end zone with 5 seconds remaining. The Tigers drove to the 21-yard line, but had to try to make something happen as the clock wound down.

”That’s actually like a great feeling,” Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd said. ”Can their offense make big plays on a defense that’s coming? We’re relentless and that’s how we want to play and that’s how we strive to play every week.”

Franklin, who sprained his left knee against Vanderbilt on Oct. 6 and sat out all or part of the last two games, finished with four interceptions. He completed 24 of 51 passes for 236 yards. He overthrew open receivers much of the day and had less mobility than normal.

”We just couldn’t get any completions,” Franklin said. ”I know (teammates) are trying to have my back, but we can’t turn the ball over four times.”

Still, Franklin ran for 29 yards and burned Florida several times with scrambles.

Florida was flat to start the game, no surprise since it was a noon start and came after a disappointing loss against Georgia. The Gators turned the ball over six times in the 17-9 loss that left them needing help to get to Atlanta.

They vowed to play better this week, but it didn’t exactly happen. They avoided turnovers, though, which is key for their grind-it-out style.

”When you have a defense like our defense has been playing, just don’t turn the ball over,” Driskel said. ”We turned the ball over a lot against Georgia and we end up losing. It comes down to taking care of the ball and taking shots when they come.”

— Associated Press —

Missouri got touchdowns off all three of Kentucky’s lost fumbles and quarterback James Franklin presided over a strong finish in a reserve role coming off a knee injury as the Tigers earned a long-delayed first win in their debut SEC season with a 33-10 victory on Saturday.

Kendial Lawrence ran for 108 yards on 23 carries with two TDs for Missouri (4-4, 1-4), which overcame its own sloppiness, too, after getting last week off following a 32-point loss at home to top-ranked Alabama. Marcus Murphy fumbled his first two punt-return attempts and Corbin Berkstresser was intercepted on consecutive passes by freshman J.D. Harmon to start the second half before getting replaced by Franklin, who was limited in practice this week after missing most of the previous two games with a strained left knee.

Raymond Sanders scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter for Kentucky (1-8, 0-5), which has lost seven in a row. The Wildcats produced just three points off three turnovers.

The game was still up for grabs, with Missouri leading 17-10 midway through the third quarter, when Franklin got the call. The junior was a steadying influence although he was much better when he just handed it off.

Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson ran 60 yards to the Kentucky 25 after stripping the ball from Jonathan George to set up the game’s first touchdown. Zavier Gooden recovered a fumble at the Kentucky 12 after Brad Madison and Will Ebner combined to sack Patrick Towles early in the fourth quarter to set up a 9-yard run by Marcus Murphy and E.J. Gaines skirted the sideline on a 13-yard return off Frank Sanders’ fumble for a 33-10 cushion with 8:45 to go.

Harmon’s first career interception gave Kentucky possession at the Missouri 33, but the Wildcats netted minus-12 yards with an offensive pass interference call before punting it back. Craig McIntosh, who made a 43-yard field goal in the first half, was wide right on a 47-yard attempt after Harmon’s second pick near midfield.

The interceptions were Kentucky’s first in five games.

Missouri totaled four fumbles in the first half but lost just one. Berkstresser fumbled twice but recovered both of them.

Lawrence’s second score came with 1:32 to go and capitalized on a fumbled snap on a 53-yard field-goal attempt by Kentucky that wasted Demarco Robinson’s 27-yard return of a 27-yard punt. Richardson sacked holder Jared Leet, who recovered the ball after mishandling the snap and had attempted to roll out.

Freshman Dorial Green-Beckham caught two passes on the go-ahead drive, the first receptions for the nation’s top recruit last winter since catching an 80-yard touchdown pass against Central Florida in Week 5.

Kentucky had plenty of success with cutback runs its first two drives, rolling up 115 yards, but finished with just 179 yards.

— Associated Press —

Missouri Basketball is making its move into the Southeastern Conference and a panel of SEC and national media members gave Head Coach Frank Haith’s club a vote of confidence on Monday, picking the Tigers third in the SEC Preseason Media Poll, while junior guard Phil Pressey was selected as the league’s Preseason Player of the Year.

Missouri (286 points) finished third in the team voting, behind defending national champion Kentucky (328) and the Florida Gators (310). Those two clubs have combined to win three of the last seven national titles, the most of any conference in college basketball during that stretch.

Missouri and Tennessee, who was picked fourth with 269 points, each received one first-place vote.

It’s been an off-season of accolades for Pressey who enters his third season with the Tigers. One of just two returning players from last season’s 30-5 club, Pressey was selected a Preseason First Team All-American by CBS and spent his summer competing at the LeBron James, Chris Paul and Deron Williams elite camps.

Pressey was a First Team all-league pick by CBS Sports last season and was a Big 12 All-Tournament Team selection after the Tigers claimed the league title in Kansas City. He averaged career highs in scoring (10.3), rebounding (3.3), assists (6.4) and steals (2.1).

In addition to Pressey, fellow backcourt mate Mike Dixon was named a Preseason Second Team All-SEC choice. Dixon was Missouri’s most efficient scorer in league play last season and was college basketball’s top scorer off the bench (13.5 ppg).

Pressey led all Southeastern Conference players with six votes for Player of the Year. Dixon received a vote as well.

The 2012-13 SEC Media Preseason Poll tips off SEC Basketball Media Day, October 25 at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama. The 2012-13 season begins November 9, with conference play set to begin January 8. The 2013 SEC Tournament will be held March 13-17 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

SEC Player of the Year: Phil Pressey, Missouri

First Team All-SEC

BJ Young – Arkansas, G, 6-3, 180, So., St. Louis, Mo.
Kenny Boynton – Florida, G, 6-2, 190, Sr., Pompano Beach, Fla.
Nerlens Noel – Kentucky, F, 6-10, 228, Fr.,            Everett, Mass.
Phil Pressey – Missouri, G, 5-11, 175, Jr., Dallas, Texas
Jarnell Stokes – Tennessee, F, 6-8, 270, So., Memphis, Tenn.

Second Team All-SEC

Marshawn Powell – Arkansas, F, 6-7, 240, Jr., Newport News, Va.
Patric Young – Florida, C, 6-9, 249, Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – Georgia, G, 6-5, 205, So., Greenville, Ga.
Alex Poythress – Kentucky, F, 6-7, 239, Fr., Clarksville, Tenn.
Michael Dixon, Jr. – Missouri, G, 6-1        , 190, Sr., Kansas City, Mo.
Jeronne Maymon – Tennessee, F, 6-7, 260, Sr., Madison, Wis.

Preseason Media Poll         Pts

Kentucky (17)                       328
Florida (5)                              310
Missouri (1)                           286
Tennessee (1)                       269
Arkansas                                226
Alabama                                 222
Ole Miss                                 186
Georgia                                  149
Texas A&M                            122
Vanderbilt                             120
LSU                                         116
Auburn                                  95
South Carolina                     54
Mississippi State                   37

First-Place Votes in Parentheses

— MU Sports Information —