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Oct. 27, 2009

CANYON, Texas - West Texas A&M has been picked to finish fourth in the 2010 South Division race, as the annual Lone Star Conference men's basketball preseason polls were announced on Tuesday.

Midwestern State, the 2009 LSC Champion, is again the top pick in the South Division, while Central Oklahoma is favored to win the North Division.

The Buffs, who missed out on the LSC tournament last season for just the second time in the past 16 years, garnered 92 points in earning fourth place.

Here's a closer look at what the voters said about LSC men's basketball in 2009-10.

SOUTH DIVISION -  Midwestern State is the Lone Star Conference South Division preseason favorite after going 25-7 overall and 10-2 in league play in 2009, according to the LSC's annual men's basketball preseason polls. MSU earned 13 first-place votes out of the 21 votes cast for 125 total points by LSC coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives.

Angelo State was second in the poll with five first-place tallies for 111 points and Tarleton State was third with 104 including two first-place nods. West Texas A&M was fourth with 92 points, Texas A&M-Kingsville fifth with 82 and one first-place vote, Abilene Christian sixth with 48 and Eastern New Mexico seventh with 26.

Angelo State senior forward Shavar Burch earned South Division Preseason Play of the Year honors. WT's Nick Burns and Jacquiese Holcombe also garnered recognition from voters in the preseason poll.

NORTH DIVISION - Central Oklahoma is favored in the Lone Star Conference North Division, according to the annual preseason polls. UCO earned 18 of 20 first-place votes to finish with 138 total points in the balloting of LSC coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives.

Texas A&M-Commerce was second in the poll with two first-place nods and 113 points. Cameron was third with 81 points to edge Southwestern Oklahoma in fourth with 80 and Northeastern State in fifth with 79. Rounding out the poll was Southeastern Oklahoma sixth with 37 and East Central seventh with 32.

Central Oklahoma senior forward Justin Wilkerson earned North Division Preseason Play of the Year honors.

SOUTH DIVISION: 1. Midwestern State (125, 13 first place), 2. Angelo State (111, 5 first place), 3. Tarleton State (104, 2 first place), 4. West Texas A&M (92), 5. Texas A&M-Kingsville (82, 1 first place), 6. Abilene Christian (84), 7. Eastern New Mexico (26).

NORTH DIVISION: Central Oklahoma (138, 18 first place), 2. Texas A&M-Commerce (113, 2 first place), 3. Cameron (81), 4. Southwestern Oklahoma (80), 5. Northeastern State (79), 6. Southeastern Oklahoma (37), 7. East Central (32).