Press Release
Oct. 27, 2010
Bearcats Selected Ninth in Preseason Polls
Click HERE to visit the Virtual Media Day homepage
Click HERE to read Coach McCollum comments
KANSAS CITY, Mo.-The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association announced its preseason men's basketball poll today as part of its Virtual Media Day. Northwest Missouri State was selected to finish ninth by both the media and the conference coaches.
Central Missouri was the favorite in the coaches' poll garnering 10 of the 17 first-place votes. Fort Hays State (5) and 2010 MIAA Tournament Champion Nebraska-Omaha (2) collected the other first-place votes. In the media poll, it was Fort Hays getting the nod with six first-place votes. Central Missouri, Nebraska-Omaha and Missouri Southern also received votes.
The Bearcats are coming off a 12-15 season where they went 7-13 in the MIAA and needed a win in the season finale against Missouri Southern to get into the MIAA Tournament. Northwest lost to the Lions in overtime 89-81, keeping them out of the tournament.
Northwest returns four players, Elijah Allen, Jake Reinders, Arunas Simanavicius and Bryston Williams that started 12 games or more last season for the Bearcats. DeShaun Cooper, who was last season's MIAA Freshman of the Year, also returns.
Allen was named All-MIAA Honorable Mention last season. He averaged 17.6 points per game which was fourth-best in the league, and pulled down 6.2 rebounds, good enough for 10th. Allen's 54 percent shooting percentage was third-highest in the MIAA.
The Bearcats are coached by Ben McCollum who begins his second season as head coach at Northwest.
| Coaches' Poll | ||
| 1. | Fort Hays State (6) | 113 pts. |
| 2. | Central Missouri (3) | 105 pts. |
| 3. | Nebraska-Omaha (2) | 102 pts. |
| t-4. | Missouri Southern (1) | 85 pts. |
| t-4. | Washburn | 85 pts. |
| 6. | Missouri Western | 78 pts. |
| 7. | Southwest Baptist | 63 pts. |
| 8. | Emporia State | 54 pts. |
| 9. | Northwest Missouri State | 42 pts. |
| 10. | Pittsburg State | 32 pts. |
| 11. | Truman | 22 pts. |
| 12. | Lincoln | 11 pts. |
| Media Poll | ||
| 1. | Central Missouri (10) | 190 pts. |
| 2. | Fort Hays State (5) | 186 pts. |
| 3. | Nebraska-Omaha (2) | 157 pts. |
| 4. | Washburn | 148 pts. |
| 5. | Missouri Western | 123 pts. |
| 6. | Southwest Baptist | 121 pts. |
| 7. | Missouri Southern | 115 pts. |
| 8. | Emporia State | 95 pts. |
| 9. | Northwest Missouri State | 76 pts. |
| 10. | Pittsburg State | 56 pts. |
| 11. | Truman | 36 pts. |
| 12. | Lincoln | 23 pts. |
For more information, please contact:
Phillip Dowden, Media Relations/Sports Information
sid@nwmissouri.edu | 660.562.1118 | Fax: 660.562.1582
Northwest Athletics
Lamkin Activity Center | 800 University Drive | Maryville, MO 64468
