Media picks Razorbacks third in preseason SEC rankings

Arkansas was picked to finish third and sophomore guard Davonte Davis was selected second team All-SEC by a select panel of both SEC and national media members.

The No. 3 SEC preseason rank is the highest for the Razorbacks since being picked third for the 2014-15 season, a year the Hogs finished second.

Last season, Arkansas was picked sixth in the preseason and finished regular-season runner-up.

Davis played a key role in Arkansas late-season success and run to the NCAA Elite 8.

He played in 30 games with 17 starts, including each of the last 14. In the postseason (SEC-NCAA), Davis averaged 12.3 points and was second on the team in both rebound average (6.7) and assists (17).

Davis was second on the team in deflections and, on a per 40 minute basis, averaged 14.2 points and 7.5 rebounds. Davis is just one of two Razorback freshmen to ever have at least 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a game and is the only Razorback rookie to do it twice in a season.

Kentucky was picked to win the SEC with Alabama picked second ahead of the Razorbacks. Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen Jr., was selected as the SEC Preseason Player of the Year.

While JD Notae, the SEC Sixth Man of the Year last season, did not make the SEC first nor second preseason team, he did receive votes for SEC preseason Player of the Year along with Alabama’s Jaden Shackelford & Jahvon Quinerly; Arkansas’ JD Notae; Kentucky’s Keion Brooks Jr., Kellan Grady and Sahvir Wheeler; and Tennessee’s Kennedy Chandler.

Points were compiled on a 14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each media member also voted for a five-player All-SEC Team. Ties were not broken.

The 2021-22 campaign begins November 9, with conference play set to begin December 29. The 2022 SEC Tournament will be March 9-13 at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Fla.

Up next for the Razorbacks, Arkansas will host East Central University in the first of two exhibition games on Oct. 24 (Sunday). Tip off is set for 3 pm in Bud Walton Arena.