NEW ORLEANS – University of New Orleans men's basketball was
picked third in the Southland conference preseason poll, while
Tyson Jackson and
Simeon Kirkland received second team all-conference status the league announced this morning.
New Orleans received two first-place votes and totaled 129 points to come in third in the preseason poll. Nicholls was picked second with six first place votes and 137 points. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was the top choice in the league with 149 points and 11 first-place selections.
Both Jackson and Kirkland were ranked in last season's top eight for blocked shots in the conference.
Jackson, a junior entering his second season on the Lakefront, was the only Privateer to start in all 32 games during the 2021-2022 season. The Atlanta native averaged 8.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He scored a career-high of 17 points on 8-of-8 shooting at Louisiana on Dec. 3. Jackson shot 58.9% from the floor last year, recording the best shooting percentage on the team.
Kirkland, who also enters his second year, returns to the Privateers for one last run at a Southland Championship. Kirkland played in all 32 games, while starting in 25. The Florida native averaged 8.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in the 2021-22 season and had double-doubles at Utah State (14 points, 14 rebounds) on Dec 11, and McNeese (12 pts, 12 rebounds) on Jan. 6.
The Privateers return three starters and eight letter winners from last season's squad. They look to get the 2022-23 campaign underway at Hinkle Fieldhouse as New Orleans plays Butler on Monday, Nov. 7 at 5:30 PM CT.
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