ST. LOUIS -- With seven new faces on their 2009-10 roster, the Missouri State Bears have been picked to finish ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference this season, the league announced Tuesday at its annual Basketball Media Day festivities here.

Defending league tournament champion and regular-season co-champion Northern Iowa is the preseason league favorite, earning 38 of 39 first-place votes from the conference coaches, media, and sports information directors.

UNI received 389 total votes, and Creighton was tabbed second with 336. CU shared the 2008-09 regular season title with UNI and received the other first-place vote in the poll.

Illinois State (299), Southern Illinois (272), Wichita State (216), Bradley (208), Indiana State (173), Drake (105), MSU (92), and Evansville (55) round out the poll in the 10-team league.

"We are excited about the opportunity to compete this season," said the Bears' second-year head coach Cuonzo Martin. "The league is always competitive, and we are working hard to get ready."

Missouri State returns three starters from an 11-20 squad in Martin's first season with the Bears a year ago.  MSU finished 3-15 in the Valley in 2008-09 to finish 10th, but nine of the team's conference losses were by single figures, including a pair of overtime defeats.

No Bears were part of the league's preseason all-conference team, which was also announced Tuesday morning.

MSU opens the 2009-10 season on Monday, November 16 at JQH Arena in Springfield when it takes on Auburn at 7:05 p.m.