Panthers Selected 3rd in MVC Preseason Poll

ST. LOUIS – The UNI men's basketball team was predicted to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference as announced by the league office on Thursday morning. UNI's AJ Green was named Preseason First Team All-MVC, the only Panther selected on the preseason list.

The annual preseason poll was determined by the leagues sport information directors, members of the media and coaches.

Missouri State has been selected as the league favorite, receiving 29 first-place votes with 410 total points. This marks the second time in three seasons the Bears have been preseason favorites. Bradley, last season's MVC Tournament Champions have been selected to finish second, with five first-place votes and 368 total points.

The Panthers received three first-place votes and 343 total points to land in third place while Loyola trails close behind with six first-place votes and 340 total points. After a strong season a year ago, Drake received 243 to round out the top five.

UNI's AJ Green, the 2018-19 Freshman of the Year, is named Preseason First Team All-MVC joining Darrell Drown (Bradley), Tulio Da Silva (Missouri State), Tyreke Key (Indiana State), and Cameron Krutwig (Loyola). Krutwig was named the Preseason Player of the Year.

MVC Preseason Poll
Rank School (First Place Votes) Total

Missouri State (29) 410
Bradley (5) 368
UNI (3) 343
Loyola (6) 340
Drake 243
Indiana State 210
Illinois State (1) 193
Evansville 132
Valparaiso 98
Southern Illinois 83

2019-20 MVC Preseason Teams
FIRST TEAM
Darrell Brown Jr., BU                       G             Sr.           5-10 Memphis (Tenn.) Germantown
Tulio Da Silva, MSU F              Sr.           6-8        Formiga (Brazil) Arlington Country Day
AJ Green, UNI                                    G             So.         6-4 Cedar Falls (Iowa) Cedar Falls High
Tyreke Key, INS G             Jr. 6-2 Celina (Tenn.) Clay County High
Cameron Krutwig, LUC                 C             Jr. 6-9 Algonquin (Ill.) Jacobs

SECOND TEAM
Jordan Barnes, INS G             Sr.           5-10       St. Louis (Mo.) CBC High
Elijah Childs, BU F              Jr.           6-7         Kansas City (Mo.) Lee's Summit West
Keandre Cook, MSU                        G             Sr.           6-5         Baltimore/Edmondson-Westside
Ryan Fazekas, VU G/F Sr.           6-8 Chesterton (Ind.) Marquette Catholic
Javon Freeman-Liberty, VU          G             So.          6-3         Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young

THIRD TEAM
Zach Copeland, ILS G             Sr.           6-4 Oakland (Calif.) Berkeley High
Gaige Prim, MSU                              F              Jr.           6-8 Aurora (Colo.) Grandview High
Lamont West, MSU                         F              Sr.           6-8 Cincinnati (Ohio) Miller Grove [Ga.]
D.J. Wilkins, DU G             So.          6-2   Merrillville (Ind.) Merrillville (FSW)
DeAndre Williams, UE                    F              So. 6-9 Houston (Texas) Klein Forest
Lucas Williamson, LUC G             Jr. 6-4         Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young

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