Arkansas State has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the 2024-25 Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball title according to a vote by the league’s head coaches.

After reaching last season’s Sun Belt championship game and returning five players who started at least half of the team’s games, Arkansas State received 12 first-place votes and 193 points to earn the preseason distinction. The Red Wolves won 20 games in 2023-24, including 12 of their final 16 contests, and reached semifinals of the College Basketball Invitational.

Reigning Sun Belt tournament champion James Madison (170) and Troy (155) each received one first-place vote to place second and third, respectively, in the preseason poll, followed by Louisiana (144) and Southern Miss (133) to round out the top five.

Arkansas State redshirt senior forward Kobe Julien, who transferred into the program from conference rival Louisiana – was voted as the Sun Belt’s Preseason Player of the Year. Julien was a 2024 All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team selection and a First Team NABC All-District choice after leading the league in scoring with 17.3 points per game. He scored at least 20 points in 11 different games last season, including eight times against conference opponents.

The Sun Belt also announced its Preseason All-Sun Belt First, Second, and Third Teams. Julien was joined on the First Team by James Madison’s Mark Freeman, Louisiana’s Hosana Kitenge, Marshall’s Nate Martin and Troy’s Myles Rigsby. Freeman was the 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year at Morehead State, while Kitenge was a 2024 All-Sun Belt Third Team selection.

Rigsby was the 2024 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year. The Sun Belt Conference will conduct its annual Men’s Basketball Media Day on Tuesday, October 15 via Zoom. The regular season tips off Monday, November 4 with the second year and first round of the MAC-SBC Challenge.

Each Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball program will play an 18-game league slate beginning in December. The 2025 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Men’s Basketball Championship returns to the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla., March 4-10.

Preseason Player of the Year:

Kobe Julien, Arkansas State [R-SR | F | Baton Rouge, La.]

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team

Mark Freeman, James Madison [R-SR | G | Memphis, Tenn.]

Kobe Julien, Arkansas State [R-SR | F | Baton Rouge, La.]

Hosana Kitenge, Louisiana [SR | F | Crawley, England]

Nate Martin, Marshall [SR | F | Houston, Texas]

Myles Rigsby, Troy [SO | F | Fort Worth, Texas]

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team

Obinna Anochili-Killen, Marshall [5th Yr. | F | Lagos, Nigeria]

Tayton Conerway, Troy [SR | G | Burleson, Texas]

C.J. Huntley, App State [GR | F | Huntersville, N.C.]

Toneari Lane, Georgia State [SR | G | Atlanta, Ga.]

Taryn Todd, Arkansas State [SR | G | Ontario, Canada]

Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team

Xavier Brown, James Madison [JR | G | Williamsburg, Va.]

Andre, Southern Miss [GR | G | Vega Baja, Puerto Rico]

Tyrel Morgan, Texas State [GR | F | Atlanta, Ga.]

Izaiyah Nelson, Arkansas State [JR | F | Atlanta, Ga.]

Myles Tate, App State [SR | G | Spartanburg, S.C.]

2024 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Arkansas State (12) – 193

2. James Madison (1) – 170

3. Troy (1) – 155

4. Louisiana – 144

5. Southern Miss – 133

6. App State – 122

7. Texas State – 89

T8. Georgia Southern – 85

T8. Old Dominion – 85

10. Marshall – 79

11. South Alabama – 78

12. Georgia State – 75

13. Coastal Carolina – 34

14. ULM – 28Parentheses indicate first-place votes