The SEC kicks off its 2007 Media Days today in Birmingham, Ala., with Tennessee picked as the overwhelming favorite to win the conference’s men’s basketball crown.

The Volunteers received 28 out of 30 first-place votes from local and national reporters in the pre-season media poll, released Tuesday.

Georgia was picked to finish fifth in the Eastern Division.

Senior point guard Sundiata Gaines was the only Georgia player to receive votes for the All-SEC Team but did not make the first or second teams.

The Bulldog men’s and women’s basketball teams will send their head coaches and two players each to Birmingham to discuss the upcoming season on Thursday.

Gaines and center Dave Bliss will represent the men, while senior Megan Darrah and All-American forward Tasha Humphrey will

speak for the Lady Dogs. “I feel honored to be asked to go and represent our team,” Darrah said. “I’m excited about it, but I’m obviously a little nervous about it because I’ve never been.”

Humphrey, who attended Media Days last year, said she is looking forward to catching up with opposing players and coaches from throughout the league.

“Contrary to what people may see on the court, we all really do get along off the court,” Humphrey said.

“I have a lot of strong relationships with people that play on other teams,” she said.

“Nicky Anosike and Alexis Hornbuckle are two of my best friends, and they play for Tennessee. It’s good to see other people from throughout the league, because the rest of the year they’re just focused on their own business.”

The Lady Dogs will open their home schedule Nov. 1 with an exhibition game against DT3-Atlanta, while the Georgia men kick things off the next day in an exhibition with Clayton State.

Both teams’ regular seasons are set to begin Nov. 9, with a men’s and women’s doubleheader at 7 p.m at Stegeman Coliseum.