Media picks Kentucky to win SEC

Kentucky was nearly an unanimous pick to win the Southeastern Conference regular-season and Eastern Division championships in the 2009-10 basketball season, according to a media poll to be released Monday afternoon.

UK received all but two of the 30 votes to win the Eastern Division. For the regular-season championship balloting, UK received all but five of the votes.

The media has not voted Kentucky the favorite to win the Eastern Division since the 2005-06 season. The Cats were picked third the past two seasons

While Kentucky might enjoy being picked to win SEC championships, the media vote is no guarantee. Last season UK guard Jodie Meeks did not make the media’s first or second teams.

The media voted Patrick Patterson to its pre-season first all-league team. Joining him were Devn Downey of South Carolina, Jarvis Varnado of Mississippi State, Terrico White of Ole Miss and Tyler Smith of Tennessee.

UK freshman John Wall led the All-SEC Second Team. Other players on the second team were LSU’s Tasmin Mitchell, Vanderbilt’s A.J. Ogilvy, Ole Miss’ Chris Warren and Auburn’s DeWayne Reed.

Here’s the predicted order of finish for the overall regular-season championship: Kentucky (20); Mississippi State (3); Tennessee (2)

Eastern Division: Kentucky (23), Tennessee (2), Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia.

Western Division: Mississippi State (22), Ole Miss (2), Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, Auburn.