South Dakota State, last season’s regular season co-champion, is the preseason favorite to win the 2015-16 Summit League Men’s Basketball Championship according to the annual preseason poll of league coaches, SIDs and media.
The Jackrabbits garnered 30-of-34 first-place votes to finish ahead of 2014-15 regular season co-champion and tournament champion North Dakota State.
Oral Roberts senior guard Obi Emegano was tabbed as The Summit League’s Preseason Player of the Year and leads all returnees in scoring after averaging 18.3 points per game last season.
SDSU returns four starters, including Summit League Newcomer of the Year Deondre Parks (14.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg), off a team that recorded The Summit League’s first NIT victory in 25 years. Tabbed second, the Bison ended last season in the NCAA Tournament and reigning Summit League Coach of the Year David Richman returns four starters, led by Sixth Man of the Year Dexter Werner (8.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg).
Oral Roberts, which received a first-place vote, finished third in the preseason poll. The Golden Eagles advanced to the second round of the College Basketball Invitational last season before being eliminated by the eventual tournament champion.
The Jackrabbits and Bison each had a league-high three players named to the preseason all-league teams. Along with Parks, SDSU guards Jake Bittle (10.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and George Marshall (13.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg) were named to The Summit League first team. NDSU’s A.J. Jacobson (11.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg), was a first-team honoree while teammates Kory Brown (8.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Werner were second team selections.
Western Illinois’ Garret Covington (15.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg) rounded out the first team. Fort Wayne’s duo of Mo Evans (10.2 ppg, 3.3 apg) and Max Landis (9.3 ppg) along with IUPUI’s Marcellus Barksdale (9.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg) received second team nods.
| SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL
2015-16 PRESEASON POLL |
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| Place | Team | Points (1st) |
| 1. | South Dakota State | 541 (30) |
| 2. | North Dakota State | 481 (3) |
| 3. | Oral Roberts | 403 (1) |
| 4. | Fort Wayne | 316 |
| 5. | South Dakota | 283 |
| 6. | IUPUI | 239 |
| 7. | Omaha | 192 |
| 8. | Denver | 164 |
| 9. | Western Illinois | 126 |
