Jacksonville State’s men’s basketball team was picked to finish eighth in Conference USA, according to voting by the league’s 10 head coaches released Thursday.

Jax State finished with 29 points, ahead of only Florida International and Kennesaw State; both of which totaled 17 points apiece and tied for ninth.

The Gamecocks finished last season 14-18 overall and 6-10 in conference play, falling to Florida International in the first round of the CUSA tournament.

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Louisiana Tech, which finished last season with a 22-10 overall record and 12-4 record in Conference USA play, was voted the preseason favorite and earned 87 points and three first-place votes.

The Bulldogs were one of five teams to earn a first-place vote, along with reigning CUSA tournament champion Western Kentucky (85 points, two first-place votes), Sam Houston (83 points, three first-place votes), Middle Tennessee State (69 points, one first-place vote) and Liberty (62 points, one first-place vote).

UTEP tied with Liberty for fifth and New Mexico State finished seventh with 39 total points.

No Jax State players were named to the preseason all-conference team, with Louisiana Tech’s Daniel Batcho earning preseason player of the year honors.

Jax State will open its season on Nov. 4 against Division III LaGrange College at Pete Mathews Coliseum before traveling to Air Force on Nov. 7 and hosting Georgia State on Nov. 13.

The Gamecocks will open CUSA play on Jan. 4 at Kennesaw State.