The Wayne State College men's basketball team was picked 12
th in the 2024-25 NSIC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll released Thursday morning by the league office in Burnsville, Minnesota. Wildcat senior guard
Jay Saunders was listed as the Wildcat Player to Watch this season.
The Wildcats collected 57 points in voting for the poll. WSC returns three starters from last year's team that was 16-14 overall and 9-13 in NSIC games.
Minnesota State, who won last year's NSIC regular season title, edged MSU Moorhead as the team to beat in the NSIC this season. MSU received 186 points and eight first-place ballots with MSU Moorhead right behind in second at 183 points and six first-place votes. Minnesota Duluth came in third with 172 points and the remaining first-place vote with Southwest Minnesota State (152) and Bemidji State (121) rounding out the top five teams.
Saunders, a 5-11 senior guard from Omaha (Omaha South HS), started 28 of 29 games last season and averaged 3.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He ranked fourth in the NSIC last year in steals (41) and fourth in the league last season in assist/turnover ratio at 2.2 (72 assists/33 turnovers).
Wayne State opens the 2024-25 season on Friday, November 8
th facing Emporia State at the Missouri Western Classic in St. Joseph, Missouri. The first home game for the Wildcats is Friday, November 15
th vs. Barclay College at 6:30 p.m.
2024-25 Preseason NSIC Men's Basketball Coaches Poll
1. Minnesota State (8) 186 pts.
2. MSU Moorhead (6) 183 pts.
3. Minnesota Duluth (1) 172 pts.
4. Southwest Minnesota State 152 pts.
5. Bemidji State 121 pts.
6. Augustana 117 pts.
7. Sioux Falls 116 pts.
8. Concordia-St. Paul 105 pts.
9. St. Cloud State 96 pts.
10. Minot State 90 pts.
11. Winona State 84 pts.
12. Wayne State 57 pts.
13. Northern State 52 pts.
14. Minnesota Crookston 24 pts.
15. University of Mary 20 pts.
first place votes in ( )
