Southeastern guard/forward Kevyn Green has been named to the preseason All-Southland Conference First Team. Green is eligible only for the first 14 games of the 2008-09 season but Southeastern has appealed to have him reinstated for the entire season. By John Lenz

KATY, Texas—The Southeastern Lions were picked third in the Southland Conference East Division preseason poll released Tuesday, but at least one somebody has them pegged for better.

“Somebody in our league voted for us; we got one vote for No. 1 in the East Division,” said Lions coach Jim Yarbrough. "I'd like to meet that person and shake their hand. I just hope they're right.

“It wasn't me because I can't vote for us,” Yarbrough quickly added.

Southeastern was picked third in the newly reformed East Division, which will see Stephen F. Austin's veteran team swap divisions with a young Lamar team for the next two years. Southeastern was picked behind SFA and Northwestern State in voting done by the league’s coaches and sports information directors.

UT-Arlington, last year’s Southland tournament champion, garnered 63 points and nine first-place votes as the favorite in the West Division.

Yarbrough also touts those two division favorites.

“Those are the top two teams, in my opinion, because of the kids they had sitting out or coming back,” Yarbrough said. “Those are probably the two most replenished teams.

“But I think we're right there with them.”

Southeastern, which finished 17-13 last season, tied for second in the SLC East, opens its season Nov. 14 at Arkansas with three returning starters — but one big question mark.

Graduate Kevyn Green will play the first 14 games but exhaust his eligibility prior to the spring semester, unless the NCAA grants his appeal for a full season of eligibility.

Also returning to the lineup for the Lions are former Patterson High star Warrell Span and junior post player Patrick Sullivan.

“With Kevyn, everybody looks at it and say, ‘Hey, they've got a very good player for at least part of the year.’ I think they know Sully is emerging. And I think they know that a couple of these recruits we signed are pretty good.

“It's all on paper right now. Let's see how it works out when we open up our first few games of the season in November how we're playing.”

SFA returns four starters from last year' 26-6 team, including the top two returning scorers in the conference in Shreveport’s Josh Alexander, the 2008 Southland Player of the Year, and Matt Kingsley.

UTA tied for third in the West Division last year, but beat Lamar, Sam Houston State and Northwestern State to win the Southland tournament as a No. 7 seed to punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Scott Cross’ Mavs, which finished 21-12 last season, return only two starters, but has three players who averaged at least 12 points per game back on the roster.

Northwestern State (15-18, 9-7) tied for second in the East with Southeastern at 9-7 last season, but the Demons must replace three of their top five scorers and top four rebounders from last season’s squad.