Dewayne Reed News

Guard Tay Waller says he liked watching Auburn's newcomers play their first college basketball game Friday night.

The coaches didn't repeat the cold shoulder the media gave to Tasmin Mitchell. The LSU senior was a unanimous pick on the first team of the coaches preseason All-Southeastern Conference team released Monday.

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Kenny Gabriel, a 6-8 forward who signed with Auburn out of high school but spent last season at Paris Junior College, has the best opportunity to make an early impression.

Kentucky has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the Southeastern Conference men's basketball championship.

The LSU men's basketball Tigers are picked fourth in the Western Division, but received one of the first place votes Monday in the annual pre-media day voting by a select panel of both Southeastern Conference and national media members.

Auburn made a big jump last season with a 10-6 SEC record and second-place finish in the Western Division.

A surprisingly strong finish followed by the harsh realities of NCAA Tournament qualification have given the Auburn basketball team a bit of an edge heading into the 2009-10 season.

Jeff Lebo congratulates his team after a game last year. Basketball season is just around the corner.

Other home games vs. Virginia, Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia and Arkansas as well as a road game at 2009 NCAA Tournament participant Florida State, a neutral site game vs.

The 12 coaches of the SEC took part in a midsummer update on Monday. A brief summary of what each team has and lost.

They are Brandon McGee , a 6-7 small forward from Indiana University, and Tony Neysmith , a 6-5 shooting guard from Oklahoma .

FINAL RECORD: 24-12, 10-6 in the SEC, second place in the Western Division. WHAT WENT RIGHT: The Tigers won eight of their last nine games of the regular season to assume second place in the division and earn a bye in the conference tournament.

Barber was the MVP and also, among other things, the Outstanding Rebounder and Outstanding co-Offensive Player with Rasheem Barrett, Tay Waller and DeWayne Reed.