High marks for Stricklen

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Expectations have always been high for Shekinna Stricklen. They just went up another notch or two.

Stricklen, Tennessee’s senior guard/forward from Morrilton, was the overwhelming choice by the SEC and national media Tuesday for preseason SEC player of the year, and the Lady Volunteers were the unanimous choice to win the SEC women’s basketball title.

Stricklen received 16 votes for player of the year, easily outdistancing teammate Glory Johnson (six), LSU’s LaSondra Barrett (two) and Georgia’s Jasmine James (one).

Stricklen averaged 12.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season. Stricklen, Johnson, Barrett and James were joined by Kentucky’s A’dia Mathies on the preseason All-SEC first team.

Tennessee received all 22 first-place votes coming off a 34-3 season in which it swept SEC play, won the conference tournament and advanced to the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament.

Georgia was picked second by the media, and Kentucky was third. Arkansas was voted seventh, and it placed guard C’eira Ricketts and post player Sarah Watkins on the All-SEC second team.

Ricketts, a senior from Louisville, Ky., led Arkansas in scoring last season with an average of 13.9 points per game.

Watkins, a junior from Germantown, Tenn., averaged 13.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season.

“We are very proud of C’eira and Sarah,” said Arkansas Coach Tom Collen, who returns all five starters from a team that went 22-12 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the WNIT last season. “It’s a sign of respect that the SEC media has for our program.

“There is no doubt these two you ladies must have good seasons for us to attain our goals, but the real key will be our other players stepping up to another level. We have several that are capable, and if they do, we can make our move from the predicted seventh into the upper division of the conference.”