Men's Basketball
Men's Basketball
NSIC Preseason Poll: SCSU - 1st
MEN'S BASKETBALL: Huskies Preseason NSIC Favorite According to Coaches
Thursday, October 15, 2009
2009 NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament Champions |
St. Paul, Minn. -- The St. Cloud State University men's basketball team has been voted the 2009-10 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) preseason favorite, in a poll of the league coaches. The Huskies received three first place votes and tallied 171 points, two points ahead of Winona State.
St. Cloud State posted a 22-9 overall record last season, finished third in the NSIC regular season with a 14-6 record, went on to win the NSIC/Sanford Health Postseason Tournament, and advanced to the NCAA Division II North Central Region Tournament.
The 2009-10 season will mark the Huskies second season as a member of the NSIC.
St. Cloud State returns four starters from the 2008-09 season including a player to watch in senior leader Matt Schneck (Whitefish Bay, Wisc.). A center, Schneck averaged 14.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He shot 57 percent from the field, and was named to the All-NSIC Tournament Team. He is a Sporting News Preseason NCAA Division II Honorable Mention All-American.
The three other returning starters include junior forward Andrew Bernstetter (St. Joseph), junior guard Taylor Witt (Morris), and sophomore guard Brett Putz (Forest City, IA). Bernstetter was a Second Team All-NSIC pick and averaged 9.3 points and 6.1 rebounds. Witt was an All-NSIC First Team selection, the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament MVP, and an NABC All-District Team member. He averaged a team leading 15.9 points per game. Putz played in all 31 games and started 18 in his first year as Husky, and averaged 8.8 points per game.
St. Cloud State head coach Kevin Schlagel, the winningest coach in school basketball history returns to the court for his 13th season. He has compiled a 237-112 overall record in his first 12 seasons. His teams have won three conference championship tournaments (two in the North Central Conference) and the 2003 NCC regular season conference title. His teams have advanced to six NCAA Division II tournaments since the 2000 season.
St. Cloud State will open the 2009-10 season at home on Friday, Nov. 20 in the Radisson Suites St. Cloud Hoopster Classic. The Huskies opponent will be crosstown neighbor St. John's University. St. Cloud State will open the NSIC season as host to Winona State on Dec. 4, putting two of the league's top teams in the spotlight.
2009-10 NSIC Men's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll
1. St. Cloud State (3) 171
2. Winona State (6) 169
3. Minnesota State (2) 164
4. Southwest Minnesota St. 143
5. Augustana College 136
6. Concordia-St. Paul 117
7. Northern State 113
8. Minnesota Duluth 97
9. Bemidji State 89
10. Wayne State 65
11. MSU Moorhead 60
12. Upper Iowa 59
13. University of Mary 45
14. Minnesota, Crookston 28
()First place votes
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