The Missouri Southern men's basketball team will open the regular season ranked in the top-25 as the Lions are ranked 25th in the National Association of Basketball Coaches pre-season poll, the organization announced today.
The Lions, who were picked to win the MIAA in the preseason coaches poll, finished last season with a 20-10 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Southern finished in second place in the MIAA in 2017-18 and the Lions return eight letter winners from a season ago and three starters.
Elyjah Clark and Kinzer Lambert, both of whom earned All-MIAA honors last season, return to the starting lineup. Clark has set the single-season three-point record for MSSU in each of his first two seasons and is well on his way to the career record. Braelon Walker and Enis Memic both return to the lineup and both saw extensive playing time last year. Dexter Frisbie is back after sitting out last season due to injury.
Five outstanding newcomers will don the Green and Gold this season for the Lions including transfers Cam Martin (Jacksonville State), Ted Brown(Concordia-St. Paul) and Reggie Tharp (Paris JC). Freshman Kyle Younge and Jadis White, both St. Louis products, should also add depth in the lineup.
Head Coach Jeff Boschee was named the 2017-18 MIAA Men's Basketball Coach of the Year after leading the Lions to a second-place finish while being picked sixth in the preseason poll.
The Lions open up the regular season in the MIAA/NSIC Challenge in Mankato, Minn. Southern takes on No. 18 St. Cloud State and Minnesota State in the season-opening tournament on November 9 and 10.
The complete national poll is listed below.
Team Record Points
1. Bellarmine (Ky.) 29-3 398 (14 first place votes)
2. West Liberty (W.Va.) 26-4 364 (1 first place vote)
3. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 32-2 347
4. West Texas A&M 32-4 332
5. Northwest Missouri State 27-4 277 (1 first place vote)
6. Saint Anselm (N.H.) 22-9 272
7. Queens (N.C.) 32-4 259
8. Indiana (Pa.) 22-8 231
9. Cal Poly Pomona 23-7 225
10. Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 27-3 207
11. Valdosta State (Ga.) 26-5 196
12. West Florida 28-4 195
13. Ferris State (Mich.) 31-8 183
14. Western Washington 21-8 182
15. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) 27-6 155
16. Virginia State 25-5 144
17. Morehouse (Ga.) 25-3 136
18. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 24-9 121
19. Regis (Colo.) 27-6 117
20. Southwest Minnesota State 25-9 93
21. Dallas Baptist (Texas) 26-6 92
22. Florida Southern 21-11 78
23. Findlay (Ohio) 28-5 70
24. UC San Diego 21-11 65
25. Missouri Southern 20-10 48
Others receiving votes: Clayton State (Ga.) 40, Fairmont State (W.Va.) 38, UNC Pembroke 35, Point Loma (Calif.) 34, Saint Martin's (Wash.) 32, Northern State (S.D.) 27, Nova Southeastern (Fla.) 19, Barry (Fla.) 18, Minnesota State 18, Texas A&M-Commerce 17, Drury (Mo.) 13, Shaw (N.C.) 13, Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 12, Dominican (N.Y.) 12, Ashland (Ohio) 11, Lees-McRae (N.C.) 13, Tarleton State (Texas) 10, Claflin (S.C.) 9, Daemen (N.Y.) 8, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 4, Merrimack (Mass.) 4, Chico State (Calif.) 3, King (Tenn.) 3, Clark Atlanta (Ga.) 2, Stanislaus State (Calif.) 2, Colorado School of Mines 1, Dixie State (Utah) 1.Records are final from 2017-18 season.
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