ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri State Bears are picked second in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason men's basketball poll released Tuesday morning, the team's highest preseason placement since 1998-99.
Wichita State earned 33 of 39 first-place votes and 382 total points to take the top position in the poll, which was voted on by the league's head coaches, media and sports information directors. Missouri State claimed two first-place votes and an all-time high 313 poll points, followed by Northern Iowa (289), Creighton (282), Bradley (264), Illinois State (165), Indiana State (136), Drake (121), Southern Illinois (120) and Evansville (73). UNI received three first-place votes, and Bradley received two.
The Bears, who will have four returning starters in uniform when the 2010-11 season opens, are coming off a 24-12 season that saw Cuonzo Martin's team capture the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament title. Since joining the MVC in 1990-91, Missouri State has never been the league's preseason favorite, but has has now been picked to finish second four times, most recently in 1998-99.
''It is an honor to be considered among the top teams in the Missouri Valley,'' said Martin, now in his third season at MSU. ''This is a tough league from top to bottom. At the end of the day, the teams that set themselves apart are the ones that find a way to win on the road and defend their home floor. I hope our program is able to take that next step this season, but it will be a challenge every day.''
Bears' junior Kyle Weems (F, Topeka, Kan.) also earned a spot on the Preseason All-MVC team. Weems averaged team-bests 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in 2009-10 while earning All-MVC second-team and NABC All-Region second team honors.
He is joined on the preason all-conference squad by MVC Preseason Player of the Year Kenny Lawson of Creighton, Kwadzo Ahelegbe of UNI, Sam Maniscalco of Bradley, and Toure Murry of Wichita State. All are seniors except juniors Murry and Weems who were roommates and teammates for the Athletes in Action Division I All-Star team that toured Poland this summer.
MSU senior Adam Leonard (G, Lee's Summit, Mo.) was one of six players named Preseason All-MVC honorable mention. Leonard was named Valley Newcomer of the Year last season after hitting a school-record 103 three-pointers while averaging 13.0 points per game and starting all 36 contests.
The Bears begin a two-game exhibition schedule this Sunday at JQH Arena when they take on Upper Iowa at 1 p.m. Season ticket packages are available by calling (417) 836-7678, while single-game tickets for the two exhibition games and the Nov. 12 season opener against Oral Roberts are also on sale at the above number or on-line at www.MissouriStateTix.com.
