Independent file photo SMSU’s Kenny Byers puts up a shot during their Nov. 19, 2018 game against Bethany Lutheran.

BURNSVILLE — The Southwest Minnesota State University’s men’s basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the South Division and 12th overall in the annual 16-team Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll that was released on Thursday.

Minnesota State was chosen as the preseason overall favorite earning 214 points, with seven first-place votes (coaches can’t vote for their own team). Augustana was selected second with 208 points (six first place votes), followed by Minnesota Duluth (96, 3 first place votes), Northern State (177) and MSU Moorhead (169) rounding out the top five.

Winona State (164) was picked to finish sixth overall, ranking ahead of Minnesota Crookston (109), St. Cloud State (106), Bemidji State (100), while Sioux Falls and Wayne State (96) tied for 10th. SMSU was chosen 12th (91), followed by Upper Iowa (62), UMary (59), Minot State (51) and Concordia-St. Paul (22).

MSU earned 47 points with five first place votes to top the NSIC South Division poll, while Augustana garnered 44 points and three first place votes for second. Winona State was picked third (37), followed by Sioux Falls (25), Wayne State (24), SMSU (22), Upper Iowa (18) and Concordia-St. Paul (7).

Senior forward from Minnesota State, Cameron Kirksey, was chosen as the NSIC South Division Preseason Player of the Year.

Minnesota Duluth was chosen as the favorite to win the NSIC North Division with 49 points and seven first place votes. UMD’s senior forward, Brandon Myer, was named the NSIC North Preseason Player of the Year.

SMSU junior guard Kenny Byers was named a “Player to Watch” in the NSIC this season. Byers, a native of Kansas City, started 31 games last season and finished third on the team averaging 10.2 points per game while shooting 49 percent (130 of 266) from the field.

SMSU head coach Brad Bigler, a two-time NSIC Coach of the Year and the program’s all-time leader in victories, begins his 11th season with a career record of 179-124, including 122-96 in NSIC play. During his time as head coach, SMSU has made three NCAA Tournament appearances, won a pair of NSIC South Division championships, won two NSIC Tournament championships and has played in five NSIC Tournament championship games. The Mustangs have won 19 or more games four times including recording a combined 71 victories the past three seasons (2016-19).

SMSU will play the “Andy Wiersma Alumni Game” this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. inside the PE Gym. The Mustangs playing two more exhibition games this month including at the University of Minnesota on Monday, Oct. 28, starting at 7 p.m. and at St. Olaf College on Thursday, Oct. 31.

SMSU opens the regular season on Nov. 9-10 at the Central Region Classic in Warrensburg, Mo. The Mustangs face Central Missouri on Nov. 9 before taking on Arkansas-Monticello on Nov. 10. SMSU will have its home opener on Thursday, Nov. 21, taking on Mayville State at 7 p.m.

— Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications