Hoops: Noles picked fifth in ACC preseason poll

The Florida State men's basketball team was selected to finish fifth in the 2006-07 ACC standings in a vote by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association at the 38th Annual ACC Operation Basketball media gathering in Greensboro, North Carolina today.

Florida State's pre-season fifth-place prediction is the third highest the Seminoles have been picked since joining the ACC. It also marks the highest selection for the 'Noles since coming in as the pre-season ACC runner-up in 1992 and 1993.

Last season Florida State was predicted to finish 11th but finished fifth in the standings with a 9-7 conference record. It marked the third time that the Seminoles have finished higher than predicted with the other times coming when they were predicted seventh and finished fifth in 1994 and selected eighth and finished seventh in 1996.

Also during ACC Operation Basketball senior forward Al Thornton was named to the pre-season All-ACC First Team and was selected as the runner-up for pre-season ACC Player of the Year. Thornton finished tied with Duke sophomore Josh McRoberts for second with North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough running away with the vote for pre-season ACC Player of the Year.

Thornton is the second Florida State player in the last three seasons under Leonard Hamilton to be named to the pre-season All-ACC First-team. The last time Florida State had a player selected for the preseason All-ACC first team was Tim Pickett prior to the 2003-04 season. Pickett became Florida State's second ever All-ACC First-Team selection at the conclusion of that season. Thornton was an All-ACC Second-Team selection following last season where he averaged a career-high 16.1 points per game in 2006.

Florida State plays their first exhibition on Tuesday, October 31st when they face Spring Hill at 7:00 PM with doors opening at 6:00 PM. The Spring Hill exhibition game will also mark fan day for Florida State Men's Basketball.

2006-07 ACC Men's Basketball Media Preseason Poll

(First Place Votes)

1. North Carolina (59)

2. Duke (2)

3. Boston College (1)

4. Georgia Tech

5. Florida State

6. Virginia Tech

7. Maryland

8. Virginia

9. Clemson

10. Wake Forest

11. Miami

12. NC State

All-ACC First Team

Tyler Hansbrough, UNC, 62

Jared Dudley, BC, 58

Sean Singletary, UVa, 53

Al Thornton, FSU, 53

Josh McRoberts, Duke, 52

All-ACC Second Team

Anthony Morrow, GT, 7

Coleman Collins, VT, 6

Reyshawn Terry, UNC, 4

J.R. Reynolds, UVa, 4

Zabian Dowdell, VT, 2

ACC Player of the Year

Tyler Hansbrough, UNC, 48

Al Thornton, FSU, 4

Josh McRoberts, Duke, 4

Sean Singletary, UVa, 3

Jared Dudley, BC, 3

ACC Rookie of the Year

Thaddeus Young, GT, 24

Tywon Lawson, UNC, 15

Javaris Crittenton, GT, 4

Wayne Ellington, UNC, 2

Six others finished with 1 vote