ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Valley Conference cognoscenti looked at both the Indiana State men’s and women’s basketball teams and seemingly came to the same conclusion.
We think you’re getting better, but we’re still on the fence a little bit.
That notion was reflected in where both teams were picked in the MVC Preseason polls, announced Tuesday at MVC Media Day in St. Louis. The ISU men were picked to finish seventh in the league, ISU’s highest placing since the Sycamores were tabbed third in 2002, but under the expectations of some observers.
The ISU women — who were 14-16 last season, but were competitive in conference play until knee injures shelved Leah Phillips (who has since graduated), Deja Mattox and Kelsey Luna — were picked fifth.
As ever, ISU player representatives were blase’ about the picks themselves, knowing full well that the polls mean nothing once the season begins.
“We finished 11-21 last year, but we showed over the last nine games last year what we have to offer. What seventh place tells me is how much harder we have to work to beat the teams ahead of us. We know we can compete with anybody, we have to come out and show we can come out on top,” ISU guard Rashad Reed said.
ISU’s women weren’t given much benefit of the doubt considering the Sycamores were competing for the conference lead last season until they were waylaid by the triple knee injuries. Two years ago, Drake was chosen first after coming off an injury-marred previous season in which it finished eighth.
“Preseason picks are just that, we take it as it is, and then we’re done with it. Hopefully, we can look back and say, ‘Yeah, maybe they didn’t give us the benefit of the doubt’. I have faith in the team and we have faith in each other, that’s what’s going to make us successful,” said ISU guard Kelsey Luna, who was named to the All-MVC Preseason Women’s Team.
Luna’s selection returns a Sycamore to Preseason Women’s Team after one a one-year gap. Laura Rudolphi was a preseason selection in 2007-08.
“I’m extremely honored. I’ve respected all of the other players on the panel with me as first-teamers, so to be a part of that is a privilege and I’m glad to be a part of it,” Luna said.
No Sycamore men were named to the team, though Jake Kelly and Harry Marshall were both honorable mention selections. Illinois State senior swingman Osiris Eldridge was named the MVC Preseason Player of the Year for the second year in a row.
In the men’s preseason poll, Northern Iowa — co-champions of the Valley in 2009 — were a near-unanimous pick to win the league, garnering all but one of the first-place votes. The Panthers return all of their starters from a year ago. Creighton, the other 2009 co-champion, was picked second.
The Bluejays were picked to win the women’s race in a competitive vote. Though Creighton dominated the first-place votes — 2009 regular season champion Illinois State was the only other school to receive a first-place vote — only 143 points separated the top five picks down to ISU’s fifth-place selection. The conference does not name a preseason women’s player of the year.
“It’s been a good preseason. It’s probably one of the deepest and one of the biggest teams we’ve had in a long time. We have more length on the perimeter and it will allow us to do some of the things we’ve done in the past,” ISU coach Jim Wiedie said.
ISU coach Kevin McKenna mentioned during a coaches’ press conference that the buzz the men’s program is enjoying from the community going into the season is the best its been during his tenure in Terre Haute.
Channeling that buzz in the right direction is a big key for the Sycamores, who won seven of their last nine to finish the season last year.
Marshall is trying his best to tune the hype out.
“I don’t think we have the right or the privilege to have buzz just because we look good on paper. The buzz is great for our fans and hopefully it will be great for our attendance, but as far as paying any attention to it, I wouldn’t go so far to say it’s a distraction, but we can’t pay too much attention to it because it could be a downfall for our team,” Marshall said.
McKenna said he’s tried to strike a balance between grounding the Sycamores, but also, not wanting to shake the confidence the team should have.
“I’ve been trying to keep them as grounded as they possibly can be. On the other hand, you want them excited about the season, you want them playing confident and having the feeling we can do some things. And I feel that,” McKenna said. “But we’re a totally different team, it’s a new league, we have new chemistry, new players. We lose Jay Tunnell, but we add some players. We’ll be a different kind of team this year.”
Basketball begins early next week. The ISU women open their exhibition season Sunday against Bellarmine. The ISU men open next Tuesday in a highly-anticipated match-up with Rose-Hulman.
MEN'S PRESEASON POLL
1. Northern Iowa (38) 389
2. Creighton (1) 336
3. Illinois State 299
4. Southern Illinois 272
5. Wichita State 216
6. Bradley 208
7. Indiana State 173
8. Drake 105
9. Missouri State 92
10. Evansville 55
Preseason All-Conference team – Kwadzo Ahelegbe, UNI; Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State; Tony Freeman, SIU; Adam Koch, UNI; P'Allen Stinnett, Creighton; Josh Young, Drake.
Honorable mention — Kevin Dillard, SIU; Clevin Hannah, Wichita State; Jake Kelly, ISU; Sam Maniscalco, Bradley; Harry Marshall, ISU; Toure' Murry, Wichita.
Preseason Player of the Year — Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State
WOMEN'S PRESEASON POLL
1. Creighton (34) 393
2. Illinois State (3) 340
3. Drake 296
4. UNI 253
5. Indiana State 250
6. Bradley 214
7. Missouri State 188
8. Evansville 108
9. Wichita State 97
10. Southern Illinois 61
Preseason All-Conference team — Casey Garrison, Missouri State; Maggie Krick, Illinois State; Kelsey Luna, ISU; Megan Neuvirth, Creighton; Jordann Plummer, Drake.
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ISU men’s basketball picked in MVC second division
Women fifth, men seventh in preseason polls
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