South Dakota State was picked as the favorite to win the 2017-18 Summit League Men’s Basketball Championship according to the annual preseason poll of league coaches, SIDs and media.
The Jackrabbits, last season’s league tournament champion, garnered 339 points, including 13 first-place votes, to finish atop the poll.
Regular season champion South Dakota totaled 327 points and received 12 first-place votes to finish second. North Dakota State finished third ahead of Fort Wayne, which had the remaining first-place tally, and Denver.
SDSU junior forward Mike Daum, the reigning Summit League Player of the Year, was tabbed the preseason pick for the award. Daum is the nation’s leading returning scorer after averaging 25.1 points per game in a 2016-17 campaign that culminated in Associated Press All-American (honorable mention) honors.
Joining Daum on the top preseason team are three players who earned 2016-17 first team honors in Fort Wayne’s John Konchar, North Dakota State’s Paul Miller and South Dakota’s Matt Mooney. Denver’s Daniel Amigo, a second team all-league selection last season, and Oral Roberts’ Albert Owens, an honorable mention all-league pick a year ago, round out the first team.
