BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of West Alabama men’s basketball team was selected seventh in the East Division of the 2008-09 Gulf South Conference Men’s Basketball Pre-Season Coaches’ Poll, released by the conference office on Thursday.

The Tigers, who completed year one of the Eddie McCarter era with a 10-17 overall mark and 3-9 within league play last season, fell one game short of reaching the GSC Tournament a year ago.  UWA finished the campaign on a high note, winning five of its last nine contests. Three of the five wins down the stretch came on the road in the GSC - at Montevallo, West Georgia and West Florida.  A host of fresh faces will don the Red and White this season, including new assistant coach Phillip Shumpert, who joined McCarter’s staff in June.  He comes to the Livingston campus after serving as assistant coach at Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, Ala.  McCarter reached into the junior college ranks with nine junior college transfers on the roster.  The Tigers return five players from last season, led by senior Brian Murphy.  Murphy posted a 9.4 scoring clip a year ago.

The Lion of North Alabama, who reached the NCAA Elite Eight last season, were selected the GSC East front runner along with being the leading vote-getter to win the overall title.  West Georgia followed behind UNA in second with Valdosta State in the third slot.  Rounding out the pre-season prediction list was Montevallo, Alabama in Huntsville, West Florida and UWA.

UWA newcomers Jason Swanson and Brandon Hampton were on the league’s top newcomers list, released by the league.  Swanson, a transfer from Shelton State in Tuscaloosa, Ala., was a member of SSCC’s state championship team and national junior college finalist last season.  Hampton joins the UWA program after two seasons at Lawson State Community College.  He led LSCC in scoring with a 13.7 clip last year.  Hampton finished his sophomore season with 19 double-doubles, including a string of eight consecutive double figure scoring and rebounding performances.

UWA’s season lid-lifter is slated for Nov. 18 against Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Ala.  The Tigers open their 11-game home schedule on Nov. 18 versus Huntingdon.