SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Chattanooga Mocs have been tabbed the preseason favorite to win the Southern Conference men’s basketball title in 2015-16, according to a vote by the league’s head coaches. UTC senior Casey Jones was named the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year. Jones is a two-time all-conference selection and was named to the preseason team a season ago. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or student-athletes as part of the balloting.

First-year head coach Matt McCall inherits a team that finished 22-10 (15-3 SoCon) last season and returns nine letterwinners, including four starters. The Mocs earned seven first-place votes and led the preseason balloting with 78 points.

Wofford was chosen second (74) and received two first-place votes. Head coach Mike Young guided the Terriers to a 28-7 mark last year. Wofford won the Southern Conference tournament for the second consecutive year after finishing league play with a 16-2 record.

Mercer was tabbed third (59) and earned the final first-place vote. ETSU, under the direction of Steve Forbes, was picked fourth (55), just four points ahead of Furman (51). The Paladins finished league play with a 5-13 mark last year but advanced to the tournament title game before falling to Wofford.

UNCG was slotted sixth with 42 points, while Samford was picked seventh (34). Western Carolina (27), The Citadel (16) and VMI (14) rounded out the poll.

The coaches also selected a 10-member preseason all-conference team. Jones was joined on the team by teammate Justin Tuoyo. Eight of the league’s 10 teams had at least one representative on the preseason squad.

ETSU’s A.J. Merriweather was named to the preseason all-conference team, along with Furman’s Stephen Croone.

UNCG placed a pair on the preseason team as the Spartans were represented by Kayel Locke and Tevon Saddler. Samford’s Darius Jones-Gibson was selected to the preseason team along with VMI’s QJ Peterson, Western Carolina’s Mike Brown and Wofford’s Spencer Collins.

Six of the 10 Southern Conference teams will take the floor Nov. 13 to start the regular season. The 2016 Southern Conference Championship presented by General Shale will be held March 4-7 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville, N.C.

Predicted Order of Finish
Team (1^st-Place Votes)        Total
1. Chattanooga (7)                  78
2. Wofford (2)                          74
3. Mercer (1)                            59
4. ETSU                                  55
5. Furman                               51
6. UNCG                                 42
7. Samford                              34
8. Western Carolina                27
9. The Citadel                         16
10. VMI                                   14