MADISON, S.D. (playnorthstar.com) – The Valley City State University men’s basketball team has been picked to finish third in the North Star Athletic Association Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the conference office announced Monday.

The Vikings posted a 5-9 conference record and a 9-19 overall record last year, finishing tied for fifth in the NSAA regular season standings. VCSU opened the 2019-20 season this past weekend with pair of close losses at the Cedric Smith Classic hosted by the University of Jamestown. The Viking home opener is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 24, against Minot State University.

Bellevue (Neb.) picked up five first-place votes and collected 55 points to claim the top spot of the 2019-20 North Star Athletic Association men’s basketball coaches’ preseason poll.

The Bruins shared the conference regular-season title with Presentation (S.D.) last season with an 11-3 conference record.  BU fell to Mayville State (N.D.) in the conference postseason tournament’s championship game.  Bellevue finished the 2018-19 season with an overall record of 19-14.

Dickinson State (N.D.) registered two first-place votes and 48 points to finish second in the preseason poll.  Valley City State (N.D.) edged Mayville State (N.D.) 42-41 to finish third.  The Comets, who qualified for the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Tournament for two straight years, earned the final first-place vote in the poll.

Waldorf (Iowa) scored 35 points in the poll to place fifth, followed by Dakota State (S.D.) sixth with 32 points.  Viterbo (Wis.) was seventh with 23 points, while Presentation was eighth with 13 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. 7 with traveling partners playing each other.  Dakota State hosts Bellevue; Valley City State visits Dickinson State; Mayville State travels to Presentation and Waldorf welcomes Viterbo.

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. 25.  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. 29-March 1.

The NSAA’s tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D. at the Sanford Pentagon on March 11-17, 2020.  This year will be the final year as a member of the NAIA Division II, where all members will play in one NAIA basketball division next year.

Here is the complete 2019-20 NSAA Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Poll: