NORFOLK, Va.- The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced its preseason poll on Thursday and the Savannah State men's basketball team was selected to finish seventh (7th) for the upcoming 2014-15 season.
 
The poll was voted on by the conference's head men's basketball coaches and sports information directors.
 
The Tigers, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, finished the 2013-14 campaign with a 13-19 record.
 
North Carolina Central University, who received 15 first-place votes and totaled 317 points, was voted to win the conference. The Eagles finished 15-1 in conference play and 28-6 overall last year.
 
Hampton, last year's regular season runners-up, was predicted to finish second with 304 total points. Morgan State was selected to finish third, while Norfolk State received the fourth place spot. Delaware State was selected to finish fifth with Coppin State in sixth place.

Savannah State (7th), Howard (8th), North Carolina A&T State (9th), Bethune-Cookman(10th), Maryland Eastern Shore (11th), South Carolina State (12th), and Florida A&M (13th) round out the 2014-15 preseason poll.
 
Howard sophomore James Daniel was selected as the MEAC Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year. Joining Daniel's on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are Deron Powers (Hampton), Taariq Cephas (Coppin State), Jordan Parks (N.C. Central), and Kendall Gray (Delaware State).

The 2014-15 MEAC Basketball Tournament is slated for March 9-14 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.
 
Savannah State hosts Armstrong State in an exhibition game on Nov. 6 before beginning the regular season Nov. 14 at Eastern Kentucky. The Tigers begin MEAC play on January 10 at North Carolina A&T.
 
 
2014 MEAC Men's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the Conference's Head Men's Basketball Coaches and Sports Information Directors
 
1.       North Carolina Central (15)                                               317 points
2.       Hampton (9)                                                            304 points
3.       Morgan State                                                          265 points
4.       Norfolk State                                                          225 points
5.       Delaware State                                                      194 points
6.       Coppin State (1)                                                     183 points
7.       Savannah State                                                      182 points
8.       Howard                                                                     170 points
9.       North Carolina A&T                                              153 points
10.     Bethune-Cookman                                              132 points
11.     Maryland Eastern Shore                                    95 points
12.     South Carolina State (1)                                     90 points
13.     Florida A&M                                                            56 points
 
2014-15 Men's Basketball Preseason All-MEAC Teams
As voted on by the Conference's Head Men's Basketball Coaches and Sports Information Directors
Preseason Player of the Year: James Daniel, Howard University
First Team

Name	School	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Deron Powers	Hampton	G	5-11	165	So.	Williamsburg, Va.
James Daniel	Howard	G	5-10	165	So.	Hampton, Va.
Taariq Cephas	Coppin State	G	5-10	165	Sr.	Bear, Del.
Jordan Parks	N.C. Central	F	6-7	200	Sr.	Queens, N.Y
Kendall Gray	Delaware State	C	6-10	240	Sr.	Dover, Del.

Second Team

Name	School	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Mikel Trapp	Bethune-Cookman	G	6-2	195	r-Sr.	Blair, S.C.
Jamel Fuentes	Norfolk State	G	6-9	190	R-Sr.	Brooklyn, N.Y.
Prince Okoroh	Howard	F	6-5	190	Sr.	Greenbelt, Md.
Rashid Gaston	Norfolk State	F	6-9	230	Jr.	Warren, Ohio
Bryan Akinkugbe	N.C. A&T	C	6-9	225	Sr.	Bowie Md.

 Third Team

Name	School	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
Kendall Williams	Delaware State	G	6-0	160	Sr.	Stone Mountain, Ga.
Brian Darden	Hampton	G	6-2	183	So.	Hampton, Va.
Blake Bozeman	Morgan State	G	6-2	170	Sr.	Bowie, Md.
Bruce Beckford	N.C. A&T	F	6-7	215	Jr.	Silverspring, Md.
Karamo Jawara	N.C. Central	F	6-8	235	Sr.	Bergen, Norway/Olsvikaasen