SEC Coaches Tab Makayla Epps Preseason First Team All-SEC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference announced its preseason order of finish and all-conference teams on Tuesday, as voted on by league coaches.  Kentucky junior guard Makayla Epps was named to the first team while the Wildcats were picked to finish fifth in the league.

Epps earned one of nine spots on the preseason first team, marking her second such preseason honor this season. The native of Lebanon, Ky., was named to the six-member Preseason All-SEC First Team by league and national media last month.

Epps was named to the All-SEC First Team following the 2014-15 season for her first SEC postseason honor.  The junior assumed the point guard role last season after Janee Thompson suffered a season-ending leg injury.  During the regular season, Epps averaged a team-high 14.3 points per game, which ranked eighth in the SEC.  Within league action, she was atop the SEC with 15.1 ppg and had the second-highest field goal percentage at a .413 clip.  Additionally, she was eighth in assists (2.9), ninth in free throw percentage (.750), and sixth in minutes played (33.6).  Epps earned a spot on the prestigious Nancy Lieberman Award watch list, given annually to the nation’s top point guard.

South Carolina tops the order of finish with 168 points, with Tennessee (158), Texas A&M (138), Mississippi State (134), Kentucky (125), Missouri (94), and Ole Miss (81) rounding out the top half the league. Arkansas (77), Georgia (75), LSU (64), Vanderbilt (61), Florida (54), Auburn (29) and Alabama (16) frame the bottom half.

The Wildcats open the 2015-16 campaign on Friday at 7 p.m. ET against Rice in Memorial Coliseum. The game will be televised on the SEC Network+ with Jeff Piecoro and Christi Thomas calling the action, while Neil Price will have the call on the UK Sports Radio Network.  Events on SEC Network+ are available exclusively on SECNetwork.com and on WatchESPN via computers, smartphones and tablets.

Season tickets and single-game tickets for the 2015-16 season are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Season tickets (including Rupp Arena games) are available for $65 online at UKathletics.com/tickets or by calling the UK Ticket Office at (859) 257-1818 or (800) 928-2287. Single-game reserved tickets are $9 for all ages, while adult general admission single-game tickets are $8.  For those aged 6-18 or 65-and-over, general admission costs are $5 per ticket.  Children age five-and-under are admitted free in the general admission seating area, and UK students, faculty and staff are admitted free with valid identification.

For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, follow @UKHoopCats on Twitter and Instagram, or like Kentucky Women’s Basketball on Facebook. 

Order of Finish
1. South Carolina 168
2. Tennessee 158
3. Texas A&M 138
4. Mississippi State 134
5. Kentucky 125
6. Missouri 94
7. Ole Miss 81
8. Arkansas 77
9. Georgia 75
10. LSU 64
11. Vanderbilt 61
12. Florida 54
13. Auburn 29
14. Alabama 16

Player of the Year
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
                                
First Team All-SEC
Makayla Epps, Kentucky
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
A’ja Wilson, South Carolina
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Alaina Coates, South Carolina
Diamond DeShields, Tennessee
Bashaara Graves, Tennessee
Courtney Walker, Texas A&M
Courtney Williams, Texas A&M

Second Team All-SEC
Jessica Jackson, Arkansas
Ronni Williams, Florida
Shacobia Barbee, Georgia
Raigyne Moncrief, LSU
Jordan Frericks, Missouri
Mercedes Russell, Tennessee
Jordan Jones, Texas A&M
Rebekah Dahlman, Vanderbilt