The University of Minnesota Crookston men’s basketball team was picked seventh (out of 16 teams) in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll. The Golden Eagles are coming off a Division II program-record 17 wins and nine conference wins last season.
The Golden Eagles return the core of last season’s squad led by two-time All-NSIC First Team pick Harrison Cleary. Cleary has been the nation’s free throw percentage leader the last two season’s and is third all-time in NSIC scoring. Cleary averaged 22.2 points per game last season. Malcolm Cohen (Sr., G/F, Detroit, Mich.) averaged nine points per game, Ben Juhl (Jr., G, Clive, Iowa) added eight points per game, Javier Nicolau (Sr., F/C, Castellon, Spain) added five points and four rebounds per game, and Brian Sitzmann (R-So., G/F, Savage, Minn.) added seven points per game.
UMC will open the season against the defending Division II National Champion Northwest Missouri State University on November 8 in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Minnesota State University-Mankato was picked to win the league with seven first-place votes and 214 overall points. Augustana University was selected second with six first-place votes and 208 points, while the University of Minnesota Duluth was picked third with three first-place votes. Minnesota State was picked to win in the NSIC South, while Minnesota Duluth was chosen to win in the NSIC North.
Brandon Myer of Minnesota Duluth was selected as the NSIC North Preseason Player of the Year, while Cameron Kirksey of Minnesota State was picked as the NSIC South Preseason Player of the Year.
Overall Points
1. Minnesota State (7) …………………. 214
2. Augustana (6) …………………………. 208
3. Minnesota Duluth (3) ………………. 196
4. Northern State ………………………… 177
5. MSU Moorhead………………………. 169
6. Winona State ………………………….. 164
7. Minnesota Crookston ………………. 109
8. St. Cloud State ……………………….. 106
9. Bemidji State ………………………… 100
10.Sioux Falls………………………………. 96
Wayne State …………………………… 96
12. Southwest Minnesota State ……… 91
13. Upper Iowa ……………………………. 62
14. University of Mary ………………….. 59
15. Minot State ……………………………. 51
16. Concordia-St. Paul…………………… 22
first place votes in ( )
