As is usually the case, basketball tends to get lost in the shuffle at Auburn, especially when football coach Tommy Tuberville is making long speeches about his future with the program.

Anyway, the SEC released its preseason media poll yesterday and Auburn came in fifth in the SEC West, ahead of only Arkansas. Here's the poll in its entirety:

Preseason media poll

(First-place votes in parentheses, *-unanimous selection)

SEC champion: Tennessee (23), Florida (5), Kentucky (2)

Eastern Division
Team -- Votes/2008 SEC record/2008 overall record
Tennessee (23) -- 172/14-2/31-5
Florida (5) -- 143/8-8/24-12
Kentucky (2) -- 130/12-4 /18-3
Vanderbilt -- 88/10-6/26-8
South Carolina -- 56/5-11/14-18
Georgia -- 41/4-12/17-17

Western Division
Team -- Votes/2008 SEC record/2008 overall record
Alabama (11) -- 151/5-11/17-16
LSU (11) -- 147/6-10/13-18
Ole Miss (8) -- 136/7-9 /24-11
Mississippi State -- 91 /12-4 /23-11
Auburn -- 54/4-12 /14-16
Arkansas -- 51 /9-7 /23-12

First team
Patrick Patterson, Kentucky, F, 6-9, 235, So.
Tyler Smith, Tennessee, F, 6-7, 215, Jr.
Nick Calathes, Florida, G/F, 6-6, 194, So.
Devan Downey, South Carolina, G, 5-9, 175, Jr.
A.J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt, C, 6-11, 250, So.

Second team
Marcus Thornton, LSU, G, 6-4, 205, Sr.
Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State, F/C, 6-9, 210, Jr.
Ronald Steele, Alabama, G, 6-1, 191, Sr.
Tasmin Mitchell, LSU, F, 6-7, 240, Jr.
Chris Warren, Ole Miss, G, 5-10, 160, So.
Alonzo Gee, Alabama, G, 6-6, 219, Sr.