Mocs overwhelming favorites to defend SoCon title

Furman guard Stephen Croone, left, knocks the ball free from the hands of UTC forward Tre' McLean during the Mocs' home basketball game against the Paladins at McKenzie Arena on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Furman guard Stephen Croone, left, knocks the ball free from the hands of UTC forward Tre' McLean during the Mocs' home basketball game against the Paladins at McKenzie Arena on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn.
photo UTC forward Tre' McLean shoots into UNCG guard Demetrius Troy during the Mocs' home basketball game against UNC Greensboro at McKenzie Arena on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Conference championships and NCAA tournament bids aren't earned in preseason polls in October.

But if they were, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball team would be off to a good start.

The Mocs were picked as the overwhelming favorite to repeat as Southern Conference champions Wednesday. They received eight of the 10 first-place votes in the coaches' poll and 26 of 30 first-place votes in the media poll.

UTC senior forward Tre' McLean was named the preseason player of the year, a season after earning first-team all-league honors with 12.1 points and 6.3 rebounds a game for the Mocs.

Senior forward Casey Jones - last season's preseason player of the year who redshirted after an ankle injury caused him to miss 26 games - and senior center and two-time defending SoCon defensive player of the year Justin Tuoyo joined McLean on the first team.

"Last time I checked, they don't give you a trophy or let you cut down a net for being picked to win in October," UTC coach Matt McCall said in a release. "Holding that trophy, and the piece of net we all have from last year, those memories are ones you want to repeat. It will take a lot to pull that off again."

The Mocs have six seniors with starting experience to go along with some talented young players who will be expected to contribute.

"I really like my team," McCall said. "We have a great mix of experience and young, hungry talent. Who wins the league, who goes to the NCAA tournament, who is the Southern Conference champion is all dependent on what takes place between the lines.

"We have to continue to focus on the process of getting better every single day."

ETSU was a consensus No. 2 pick, with Wofford, Mercer and Furman following in the coaches' poll. Furman and Wofford were tied for third in the media poll, with Mercer fifth.

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.

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