CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The Southeastern Conference's Final Four teams were picked to finish 1-2 in the league again this season with star-filled Kentucky chosen just ahead of defending champion Florida.
Kentucky got all 20 first-place votes from the media panel to finish with 280 points with Florida second, garnering 258 in the poll released Wednesday. The Wildcats and Gators both reached the NCAA tournament semifinals in April; Kentucky lost in the title game to Connecticut.
Kentucky guard Aaron Harrison was the preseason player of the year. His twin brother Andrew made the all-SEC second team, which also included 6-foot-11 Kentucky freshman Karl-Anthony Towns.
Arkansas finished third in the voting, followed by LSU, Georgia, Mississippi and Missouri. Auburn was eighth, then Texas A&M, Alabama, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi State.
