Gophers' opponent Arkansas has SEC preseason player of the year Kingsley

The SEC preseason player of the year will be coming to Williams Arena next month to play the Gophers.

Arkansas senior big man Moses Kingsley was picked as the top player in the conference by the media Wednesday.

The 6-foot-10, 230-pound Kingsley averaged 15.9 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game last season for the Razorbacks, who will play Minnesota on Nov. 22 at the Barn.

Arkansas is predicted to finish fifth in the conference, according to the SEC media day release.

Minnesota suffered a 87-73 loss in its last meeting against Arkansas in the Maui Invitational in 2013-14. Kingsley had seven points, four rebounds, two steals and a block in 10 minutes as a freshman.

The Razorbacks were just 16-16 last season, but they were a 27-win team that went to the NCAA tournament in 2015.

Kingsley, who withdrew his name from the NBA Draft this summer, is the first preseason SEC player of the year in the program since Ronnie Brewer in 2005-06.

The Gophers also face Vanderbilt on Dec. 3 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The Commodores were picked Wednesday to finish sixth in the SEC by the media. Luke Kornet, a 7-1 senior center who led the conference in blocks (3.0) last season, made the preseason All-SEC second team.

Minnesota hasn't played two SEC teams in the same season since losing to Alabama in nonconference and Kentucky in the Final Four in 1996-97.

-- Kingsley and Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes won't be the only preseason conference players of the year facing Minnesota this season. Add Texas-Arlington's Kevin Hervey to the list. The 6-9, 230-pound Hervey was named Sun Belt preseason player of the year Wednesday.

The Mavericks, who were picked to win the conference, also has guard Erick Neal on the preseason all-conference team. They play Nov. 14 at Minnesota.