SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Chattanooga and Davidson are the favorites to capture the Southern Conference’s divisional men’s basketball titles in 2011-12, according to a vote by the leagues head coaches.
    Appalachian State senior guard Omar Carter was also named the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year as part of the preseason all-conference team.  Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or student-athletes as part of the balloting.
    Davidson returns 11 lettermen and four starters for 2011-12.  The Wildcats posted an overall record of 18-15 (10-8 SoCon) and advanced to the second round of the College Basketball Invitational a season ago.
    Davidson earned ten first-place votes and finished the balloting with 65 points. College of Charleston earned the final two first-place votes in the South Division and finished with 56 points.  Georgia Southern was tabbed third (42) ahead of Furman (34).  Wofford (32) was selected fifth with The Citadel (17) rounding out the South Division.
    After finishing tied for first in the North Division last year, the Chattanooga Mocs were picked first for the 2011-12 season.  The Mocs boast four starters off last year’s team that posted a 12-6 mark in league play.
    UTC captured nine first-place votes and led the North Division with 64 total points.  Appalachian State (51) earned two first-place votes and finished third while Western Carolina (44) grabbed the final first-place vote in the North Division.  UNCG (42) was slotted fourth, while Elon (29) and Samford (16) rounded out the North Division.
    Carter is the league’s leading returning scorer  (16.3 ppg) and was a first team selection.
    Davidson, Charleston and Chattanooga each placed a pair on the all-conference team.  Juniors Jake Cohen and JP Kuhlman garnered preseason plaudits for Davidson, while Charleston was represented by Trent Wiedeman and Antwaine Wiggins.
    Seniors Keegan Bell and Omar Wattad from Chattanooga were named preseason All-SoCon.  They were joined by Willie Powers III (Georgia Southern), Drew Spradlin (Elon) and Trey Sumler (Western Carolina).
    The regular season opens Nov. 11.  Furman travels to Elon on Nov. 30 in the first league contest.
    The SoCon Tournament will be March 2-5, 2012, in Asheville, N.C.

Zaxby's, GSU partner
    Zaxby's restaurant has partnered with the Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation to raise funds to support GSU athletics.
    The first Thursday of each month from 5-8 p.m., Zaxby's will donate 10 percent of all sales directly to the Eagle Fund to benefit scholarship assistance for GSU student-athletes.
    The first event is Nov. 3 at Zaxby's on Fair Road.

Portal Middle seeks football title today
    Portal Middle School's football team will play for a region championship at 5 p.m. today.
    The Panthers (6-1) will play North Tattnall (7-0) in Reidsville.