IU Kokomo leads RSC Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll, Preseason All-Conference Team
IU Kokomo leads RSC Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll, Preseason All-Conference Team
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MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- The 2019-20 River States Conference Men's Basketball Media Day tips off with the release of the RSC Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll and the RSC Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team. IU Kokomo headlines both areas as this year's RSC preseason favorite and with a league-high three players on the preseason team.
RSC Men's Basketball Media Day continues later today on the RSC Facebook Page with video interviews featuring head coaches and players from all 13 schools. The interviews begin at 11 a.m. ET and continue through 2 p.m. ET. Tune in for one of the biggest Media Days in NAIA basketball stretching across the five states in the conference -- Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
IU Kokomo was picked first overall of the 13 schools in the RSC preseason poll. The Cougars received 137 votes and eight of the possible 12 first-place votes. That edged out IU East, which was second overall with 134 votes and three first-place votes. IU Southeast came in third with 114 votes, and WVU Tech was fourth with 109 votes, including the remaining two first-place votes.
IU Kokomo was 26-8 overall, 13-5 RSC last year as RSC West Division champions and RSC Championship finalists. The Cougars are picked first in the RSC West this preseason after getting 83 votes in the divisional poll and all 12 of the possible first-place votes to win the division. IU Kokomo, which made it to the Round of 16 of the NAIA Division II National Championship last year, headlines the RSC Preseason All-Conference Team with three selections -- junior guard Trequan Spivey, senior guard Akil McClain and senior guard Antoin Clifton.
IU East was picked second overall in the conference and as the top team in the RSC East Division with 70 votes in the latter category. The Red Wolves, who were 26-9 overall, 15-2 last year as a national quarterfinalist, got 10 out of a possible 12 first-place votes in the division. IU East returns preseason all-conference pick Bishop Smith, a senior guard.
IU Southeast was picked second in the RSC West and is coming off a season of 19-11 overall, 12-6 RSC. The Grenadiers had 69 votes in the divisional poll, and they have junior guard/forward David Burton from the preseason all-conference team.
WVU Tech was 30-5 overall, 15-2 RSC last years as RSC regular season and tournament champion. The Golden Bears reached the Round of 16 of the national tournament. They came in second in the RSC East poll with 58 votes and three first-place votes there. Junior Arrey made preseason all-conference for WVU Tech.
The top four teams in each division will qualify for the RSC Championship. Predicted as playoff teams from the RSC East are University of Rio Grande (Ohio) and Point Park (Pa.) University in third and fourth place. The RSC West had Brescia (Ky.) University and Asbury (Ky.) University as the final two playoff teams. Midway (Ky.) University was fifth in the west and eighth overall in the conference.
For the complete RSC Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Polls and the RSC Preseason All-Conference Team, see below. Both were voted on by the RSC's head coaches. The preseason teams included 10 players from eight different schools.
2019-20 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL (OCT. 16)
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)
| School | Votes |
| 1. IU Kokomo (8) | 137 |
| 2. IU East (3) | 134 |
| 3. IU Southeast | 114 |
| 4. WVU Tech (2) | 109 |
| 5. Rio Grande (Ohio) | 94 |
| 6. Brescia (Ky.) | 87 |
| 7. Asbury (Ky.) | 82 |
| 8. Midway (Ky.) | 60 |
| 9. Point Park (Pa.) | 49 |
| 10. Ohio Christian | 47 |
| 11. Alice Lloyd (Ky.) | 46 |
| 12. Cincinnati Christian | 43 |
| 13. Carlow (Pa.) | 12 |
2019-20 RSC MEN'S BASKETBALL EAST DIVISION PRESEASON POLL
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)
| School | Votes |
| 1. IU East (10) | 70 |
| 2. WVU Tech (3) | 58 |
| 3. Rio Grande (Ohio) | 54 |
| 4. Point Park (Pa.) | 36 |
| 5. Ohio Christian | 30 |
| 6. Carlow (Pa.) | 17 |
2019-20 RSC MEN'S BASKETBALL WEST DIVISION PRESEASON POLL
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)
| School | Votes |
| 1. IU Kokomo (12) | 83 |
| 2. IU Southeast (1) | 69 |
| 3. Brescia (Ky.) | 53 |
| 4. Asbury (Ky.) | 49 |
| 5. Midway (Ky.) | 44 |
| 6. Alice Lloyd (Ky.) | 33 |
| 7. Cincinnati Christian | 26 |
2019-20 RSC MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
| Name | Pos. | Cl. | School |
| Trequan Spivey | G | Jr. | IU Kokomo |
| Bishop Smith | G | Sr. | IU East |
| Kayode Daboiku | F | Sr. | Brescia |
| Blake Smith | G | Sr. | Alice Lloyd (Ky.) |
| Ailk McClain | G | Sr. | IU Kokomo |
| Kwon Evans | F | Jr. | Midway (Ky.) |
| Cameron Schreiter | F | Sr. | Rio Grande (Ohio) |
| David Burton | G/F | Jr. | IU Southeast |
| Antoin Clifton | G | Sr. | IU Kokomo |
| Junior Arrey | G | Jr. | WVU Tech |