CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Arkansas Coach Jimmy Dykes and seniors Calli Berna and Jhasmin Bowen didn't put much stock in the Razorbacks' women's basketball team being tied for 11th with Missouri in a preseason media poll released Tuesday.
Defending SEC champion South Carolina was picked first, followed by Tennessee, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
"I read it and moved on," Dykes said at SEC basketball media days. "They could have picked us first or 14th, it doesn't change one thing about what we're trying to do. I don't care where we're picked."
Berna said polls just reflect people's opinions, not what is actually going to happen.
"We're going to play the same no matter what," Berna said. "I think the SEC is so competitive on any given night that someone picked 11th could beat someone picked first."
Bowen said being picked high or low can be motivating for a team to stay on top or climb from the bottom.
"I feel like [being picked] No. 11 doesn't mean anything in the SEC because everyone is so competitive," Bowen said. "It's politics."
Back in NLR
Several coaches said they are excited to have this season's SEC women's basketball tournament returning to Verizon Arena in North Little Rock. The tournament was held previously in North Little Rock in 2003, 2006 and 2009.
"My first thought is we've won it there, so for me, I have great memories of North Little Rock," said Vanderbilt Coach Melanie Balcombe, whose team won the title in 2009. "I remember the fan support was really good and we played well. I loved it."
Florida Coach Amanda Butler said the central Arkansas area has done a great job of supporting the tournament.
"I think it's going to be an amazing tournament," Butler said. "We're going to have great parity in the league and great basketball for the fans."
Market it
Texas A&M Coach Gary Blair said the Dec. 21 doubleheader at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock featuring Arkansas-Oklahoma and Texas-Texas A&M matchups needs to start being heavily promoted now, not a couple of weeks before the games.
Blair, a former Razorbacks coach and inductee into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, shot down the suggestion of taping a commercial where he asks fans to come out and cheer for himself and the Aggies because Arkansans hate Texas. But he had a suggestion for a spot.
"I think what would be good is Jimmy Dykes and I do the Sonic commercial and sit there in the car and say, 'Hey, this chili dog is pretty good, but you can get a better one at Verizon Arena and come see the ballgames,' " Blair said. "I can come up with ideas."
Sports on 10/22/2014