JONESBORO, Ark. (10/16/23) – A pair of Arkansas State men’s basketball players earned preseason recognition on Monday, as the Sun Belt Conference unveiled its 2023-24 preseason awards and coaches poll.

Terrance Ford Jr. and newcomer Freddy Hicks garnered spots on the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team ahead of the season, while the league’s coaches voted the Red Wolves to finish ninth in the preseason poll.

Ford is looking to build off of a standout rookie campaign in which he averaged 10.8 points, 2.8 assists and a team-best 1.3 steals per game. The sophomore guard shot 43.3 percent (120-277) from the floor, including 40.6 percent (41-101) from 3-point range. He also was strong at the foul line, shooting at a 79.5-percent clip, and recorded 18 games with 10 or more points.

Hicks transferred to A-State in the offseason after a stellar three seasons at Tarleton State. The Searcy, Ark., native was an All-WAC Second Team pick in 2022-23, averaging a team-high 16.2 points and 6.0 rebounds. In 2021-22, Hicks started all 31 games for the Texans and averaged 12.8 points and 5.3 boards in 31.1 minutes per game, but upped his scoring output in WAC play with 16.3 points per contest. He earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2020-21 after averaging 8.2 points and 5.4 rebounds.

The Red Wolves return six players from last season to accompany 10 newcomers in Bryan Hodgson‘s first season as head coach. A-State hosts Trevecca Nazarene on Oct. 25 in exhibition action before hosting Central Arkansas on Oct. 30 in a charity exhibition benefitting Wynne Relief and Recovery. The regular season begins Nov. 6 at Wisconsin.

Season tickets are available for purchase at AStateRedWolves.com/tickets or by calling (870) 972-ASU1.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the A-State men’s basketball program, follow @AStateMB on Twitter/X and @astatemb on Instagram, while also liking the team’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateMB.

2023-24 Men’s Basketball Preseason Awards 
Preseason Player of the Year 
Austin Crowley, Southern Miss [SR | G | West Point, Miss.]
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team 
Austin Crowley, Southern Miss [SR | G | West Point, Miss.]
Terrence Edwards, Jr., James Madison [R-JR | G | Atlanta, Ga.] 
Donovan Gregory, App State [GR | F | Charlotte, N.C.] 
Chaunce Jenkins, Old Dominion [JR | G | Newport News, Va.] 
Christyon Eugene, Troy [SR | G | Spring, Texas] 
Themus Fulks, Louisiana [R-JR | G | Winston-Salem, N.C.]
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team 
Tyrell Jones, South Alabama [SR | G | Chicago, Ill.] 
Kamdyn Curfman, Marshall [SR | G | North Bethesda, Md.]
Tyreke Locure, ULM [SR | G | New Orleans, La.] 
Dwon Odom, Georgia State [JR | G | Alpharetta, Ga.] 
Obinna Anochili-Killen, Marshall [SR | F | Lagos, Nigeria]
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team 
Terrance Ford Jr., Arkansas State [SO | G | Chicago, Ill.] 
Brenden Tucker, Georgia State [SR | G | Lawrenceville, Ga] 
CJ Huntley, App State [SR | F | Huntersville, N.C.] 
Freddy Hicks, Arkansas State [JR | G | Searcy, Ark.] 
Aamer Muhammad, Troy [SR | G | Rio Rancho, New Mexico] 
 
2023-24 Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll 
1. James Madison (7) – 176 
2. App State (2) – 159 
3. Old Dominion (1) – 154 
4. Southern Miss – 148 
5. Louisiana (2) – 136 
6. South Alabama (2) – 129 
7. Marshall – 119 
8. Troy – 91 
9. Arkansas State – 84 
10. Texas State – 72 
11. Georgia State – 69 
12. Coastal Carolina – 59 
13. Georgia Southern – 42 
14. ULM – 32