Western Kentucky fifth-year senior Josh Anderson was selected Thursday as one of 11 Conference USA Preseason All-Conference honorees.

The Hilltoppers were picked third in the league, the first time the team has not been the conference favorite since 2017-18. WKU was selected as the highest-ranking East Division team as UAB picked up eight first-place votes and Louisiana Tech collected six.

This is Anderson’s first accolade of the kind. Former teammates Taveion Hollingsworth and Charles Bassey were selected for the honor together for the last two seasons.

Anderson is set to become the first Hilltopper in program history to earn five letters with the team. He is entering his fifth season ranked 37th in WKU history with 1,136 career points and fifth all-time with 168 career steals. The 6-foot-6 guard is one of two fifth-year players on the honoree list.

In his senior season, the Baton Rouge, La., native started in 26 of 27 games, averaging 9.3 points in 28.2 minutes. He added 3.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 84% from the free-throw line, 45.6% from the floor and 33.3% beyond the arc. Anderson also finished fourth in the league in free-throw percentage and fifth in steals.

Anderson was named to the league’s All-Defensive Team following the 2020-21 season and teamed up with Bassey to be the top dunking duo in the nation with 92 dunks between the pair.

WKU is slated for two exhibition games at home against Campbellsville (Nov. 1) and Cumberlands (Nov. 5). Its season opener is against Alabama State on Nov. 9 at E.A. Diddle Arena.

MBB Preseason Poll (first-place votes)

• 1. UAB (8)
• 2. Louisiana Tech (6)
• 3. WKU
• 4. Marshall
• 5. Old Dominion
• 6. North Texas
• 7. Charlotte
• 8. Rice
• 9. Florida Atlantic
• 10. UTEP
• 11. UTSA
• 12. Southern Miss
• 13. FIU
• 14. Middle Tennessee

MBB Preseason All-Conference Honorees

• Jahmir Young, Charlotte, Jr., G
• Tavion Kinsey, Marshall, Sr., G
• Kenneth Lofton, Jr. LA Tech, Fr., F
• Josh Anderson, WKU, Sr., G
• Quincy Olivari, Rice, So., G
• Tyler Stevenson, Southern Miss, Jr., F
• Tavin Lovan, UAB, Jr., G
• Souley Boum, UTEP, R-Jr., G
• Thomas Bell, North Texas, Sr., F
• Kalu Ezikpe, Old Dominion, Jr., F
• Isaiah Crawford, Louisiana Tech, So., F

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