Georgia State tabbed first in Sun Belt 2021-22 preseason basketball poll

NEW ORLEANS — The Sun Belt Conference announced its 2021-22 Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll on Wednesday.

Georgia State, which won the East Division regular-season crown in 2020-21 and advanced to the championship game at the Sun Belt tournament, was picked to win the 2021-22 title in a vote of the league’s 12 head coaches. The Panthers have claimed two of the last three tournament titles (2018, 2019) and were also the regular-season champions in 2019.

Louisiana, which finished as the runner-up in the West Division in 2020-21 and fell to Georgia State in the tournament semifinals a year ago, was picked to finish as the regular-season runner-up. Reigning West Division regular-season champion Texas State and Sun Belt tournament champion App State sat third and fourth in the preseason ledger.

Georgia State (8), Louisiana (2) and App State (2) each received first-place votes.

South Alabama and Arkansas State were also picked to finish in the top half of the league, while Coastal Carolina, Little Rock, Troy, UTA, Georgia Southern and ULM rounded out the preseason poll.

Sun Belt Conference play commences on Thursday, Dec. 30. Teams will play a 16-game conference schedule that will culminate with all 12 teams competing in the 2022 Sun Belt Men’s Basketball Championship at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla., from March 2-7, 2022.

The Sun Belt will release its 2021-22 Preseason Player of the Year and Preseason All-Conference Teams on Thursday.

2021-22 SUN BELT CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Georgia State (8) – 139
2. Louisiana (2) – 125
3. Texas State – 110
4. App State (2) – 109
5. South Alabama – 105
6. Arkansas State – 89
7. Coastal Carolina – 69
8. Little Rock – 46
T9. Troy – 40
T9. UTA – 40
11. Georgia Southern – 39
12. ULM – 25

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