MADISON, S.D.(PlayNorthStar.com)– Bellevue (Neb.) is the coaches’ pick to win the 2018-19 North Star Athletic Association Men’s Basketball conference title, the preseason poll was announced Monday afternoon by the conference office. The Bruins tallied seven first-place votes and registered 63 points in the poll.
Bellevue won the 2017-18 NSAA regular-season title with an overall record of 21-12 and 11-5 NSAA record. The Bruins fell to Northwestern (Iowa) in the opening round of the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Tournament and finished at No. 23 in the final national poll.
Mayville State (N.D.) picked up the final first-place vote and collected 52 points to finish second in the poll. The Comets upset top-seed Bellevue in the semifinal round of the conference tournament and went on to win the tournament with a 73-70 victory before falling to College of Idaho in the opening round of the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Tournament.
Dakota State (S.D.) recorded 45 points to finish third in the coaches’ poll. Viterbo (Wis.) was picked to finish fourth with 35 points. Dickinson State (N.D.) edged Valley City State (N.D.) by two points (29-27) to place fifth. Waldorf (Iowa) was seventh with 22 points, while Presentation (S.D.) was eighth with 17 points.
Points are awarded on an 8-1 basis and coaches could vote for their own team.
The NSAA conference season gets underway on Dec. 1 with traveling partners playing each other. Bellevue hosts Dakota State; Valley City State visits Mayville State; Dickinson State travels to Presentation and Viterbo welcomes Waldorf.
Each NSAA member will be play a total of 14 conference game, playing seven home games and seven road games during the conference season.
The NSAA conference tournament opening round kicks off on Feb. 19 or Feb. 20. The four opening round winners will advance to the ‘Final Four’ tournament to be held at Watertown Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D. on Feb. 23-24.
The NSAA’s tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D. on March 6-12, 2019.
Here is the complete 2018-19 NSAA Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Poll:
| 2018-19 North Star Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll | ||
| Rank | School | Points |
| 1 | Bellevue (Neb.) (7) | 63 |
| 2 | Mayville State (N.D.) (1) | 52 |
| 3 | Dakota State (S.D.) | 45 |
| 4 | Viterbo (Wis.) | 35 |
| 5 | Dickinson State (N.D.) | 29 |
| 6 | Valley City State (N.D.) | 27 |
| 7 | Waldorf (Iowa) | 22 |
| 8 | Presentation (S.D.) | 17 |
| *First-place votes in parenthesis | ||