The University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team is predicted to finish fifth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference’s East Division in 2016-17 by the conference head coaches. USI was 19-11 overall and a 10-8 in the GLVC a year ago, earning a sixth-straight trip to the conference’s post-season tournament.
In the preseason poll, the Screaming Eagles collected 76 points and one first place vote in the East Division that also features Bellarmine University, the University of Indianapolis, the University of Illinois Springfield, Lewis University, McKendree University, Saint Joseph’s College, and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
Bellarmine, the defending East Division title holder, was picked first in the East with 114 points and nine first place votes. The University of Wisconsin-Parkside was selected second with 90 points and two first place votes, while Lewis University and the University of Indianapolis tied for third with 88 points. Uindy and Lewis had three first place votes and one first place vote, respectively.
Illinois Springfield (41 points), McKendree (35 points) and Saint Joseph’s (33 points) were in the bottom three at sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
Quincy University is predicted to win the West Division, receiving 113 points and nine first place votes. Drury University, the defending West Division champion, was second with 109 points and six first place votes, while Truman State University was third with 94 points and one first place vote.
Rockhurst University rounded out the top half of the West Division with 70 points for fourth place. The bottom half of the West Division includes the University of Missouri-St. Louis (63) points), Maryville University (54 points), William Jewell College (35 points), and Missouri University of Science & Technology (30 points).
The Eagles start the 2016-17 campaign with an exhibition game November 1 at Purdue University in West Lafayette. The USI regular season tips off November 12-13 at the GLVC/GLIAC at the University of Indianapolis. The Eagles also are hosting the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic November 18-19 at the Ford Center for their first games in Evansville this year.
The complete 2016-17 GLVC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll follows:
2016-17 Men’s Basketball East Division Preseason Poll
1. Bellarmine                     114 (9)
2. UW-Parkside                  90 (2)
3. Indianapolis                    88 (3)
Lewis                             88(1)
5. Southern Indiana       76 (1)
6. McKendree                     46
7. Illinois Springfield            34
8. Saint Joseph’s                32
2016-17 Men’s Basketball West Division Preseason Poll
1. Quincy                           113 (9)
2. Drury                             109 (6)
3. Truman State                   94 (1)
4. Rockhurst              70
5 . Missouri-St. Louis       63
6. Maryville               54
7. William Jewell                 35
8. Missouri S&TÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 30
