SBC Basketball Preseason Picks Ragin' Cajuns 3rd

[NewsCopy]

 HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Chris Gradnigo was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team and Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns men basketball team was one vote shy of being picked to finish first in the West Division, it was announced here Monday at the league's annual Men's and Women's Basketball Media Days held at Summit Arena and the Hot Springs Convention Center.

Gradnigo was a third team selection and Louisiana’s lone representative on the preseason squad.

Robert Lee’s squad was picked to finish third in the Sun Belt West Division. The defending division champions received three first-place votes and narrowly missed out on being picked first. North Texas and UALR garnered 76 points apiece – only one better than Louisiana’s 75 points.

The UL men return nine letterwinners from last season’s squad which held opponents to 65.8 points per game – the lowest in the program’s Division I history. Add in four newcomers in the frontcourt – each taller than 6-foot-8 – and Louisiana’s defensive hold could be stronger than last season.

Gradnigo led the Ragin’ Cajuns in scoring averaging 9.6 points per game as a true freshman last season. He finished his rookie season shooting 44.1 percent from three-point range, which ranks as the third-highest single-season percentage in school history, trailing only Sydney Grider (45.7) and Kevin Brooks (44.7). He tallied a team-high 111 field goals made and ranked second on the team with 45 triples.

Gradnigo ended the 2007-08 season scoring 20-plus in three of final five games; averaged 17.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and made 14 three-pointers during the stretch.

The Ragin’ Cajuns will make their 2008-09 season debuts on Tuesday, Nov. 4 in the CAJUNDOME as part of an exhibition doubleheader when they will face Millsaps College at 7:15 p.m.

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2008-09 Men’s Preseason All-Sun Belt Team



EAST DIVISION
1. Middle Tennessee (11) 76 points
2. South Alabama (2) 60 points
3. Western Kentucky 52 points
4. Florida Atlantic 38 points
5. Florida International 33 points
6. Troy 14 points


WEST DIVISION
1. UALR (6) 76 points
North Texas (4) 76 points
3. Louisiana (3) 75 points
4. Arkansas State 43 points
5. ULM 39 points
6. Denver 35 points
7. New Orleans 20 points


PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Desmond Yates, MT



ALL-SBC FIRST TEAM

Carlos Monroe, FAU

Russell Hicks, FIU

Desmond Yates, MT

Josh White, NT

Brandon Davis, USA



ALL-SBC SECOND TEAM

Tony Hooper, ULM

Kevin Kanaskie, MT

Collin Dennis, NT

Domonic Tilford, USA

Jeremy Evans, WKU



ALL-SBC THIRD TEAM

Steven Moore, UALR

Paul Graham III, FAU

Chris Gradnigo, UL

Kyndall Dykes, UNO

A.J. Slaughter, WKU

RaginCajuns.com

[Mineshaft]

Is Lee guaranteeing a sweet 16 appearance this year like he did in his 2nd year of coaching?

[SlappyCajun]

Is Lee guaranteeing a sweet 16 appearance this year like he did in his 2nd year of coaching?

And cue the crickets.

[cajun4life]

_ Is Lee guaranteeing a sweet 16 appearance this year like he did in his 2nd year of coaching? _

How is Trent Johnson going to spin it when the Cajuns win in Baton Rouge?

[Hammer58]

Another salient contribution from ol' Mine____. It must have been hell waiting for something to pop up that you could spout off about what with Des, Fenroy and Cherry running wild these pas tfew weeks.