Georgia Southern among teams as pre season favorites in conference

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - East Tennessee State and Georgia Southern have been selected as preseason favorites for the Southern Conference basketball championship this season.<br> <br> The media poll was taken Monday as the league&#39;s coaches gathered to discuss the upcoming season at the North Charleston Coliseum.<br> <br> East Tennessee was picked to win the North Division, receiving 22 of 25 first-place votes. After the Buccaneers were North Carolina Greensboro, defending tournament champ Davidson, VMI, Western Carolina and Appalachian State.<br> <br> Georgia Southern was tabbed as winner of the South Division, getting 12 first-place votes. Furman was in second with 10 first-place votes. Then came College of Charleston, Chattanooga, Citadel and Wofford.<br> <br> The league coaches agreed with the media vote in their own preseason poll. They chose East Tennessee to win the North, while Georgia Southern and Furman were co-favorites in the South.<br> <br> The league ends its season with the conference tournament at the North Charleston Coliseum from March 5-8.<br>