SAU picked to finish 10th in Preseason Poll
http://www.aacsports.com/article/3630.php
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Union is the team to beat for the 2017-18 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) men's basketball championship, according to the AAC coaches' poll released Thursday. St. Andrews, coming off a season last year where they won 9 conference games for the first time ever and finished in 8th place at 12-17, (9-11), was chosen 10th of 11 schools in the preseason poll with 27 points.
Union has won or shared the last four AAC regular-season championships and has won the last four tournament crowns. The Bulldogs went 35-3 overall and 20-0 in the AAC en route to winning the 2017 NAIA Division II National Championship. Union also knocked out the Knights in the Quarterfinals of the conference tournament last February.
In the poll, Union received nine first-place votes and 119 total voting points. Montreat is second with one first-place vote and 102 points. Reinhardt, which also advanced to the national tournament last year, checks in third with 82 points.
Bluefield (77 points) and Tennessee Wesleyan (73) round out the top five.
SAU hosts a scrimmage on Friday vs. Guilford Tech at 5:00 PM before opening their season Nov. 14 vs. Point at home.
Here is the complete breakdown of the poll:
2017-18 Men's Basketball Coaches Poll
Team (First-Place Votes) - Total Voting Points
1. Union (9) - 119
2. Montreat (1) - 102
3. Reinhardt - 82
4. Bluefield - 77
5. Tennessee Wesleyan - 73
6. Milligan - 69
7. Allen (1) - 61
8. Truett McConnell - 50
9. Bryan - 46
10. St. Andrews - 27
11. Point - 20
The AAC Tournament is set for Feb. 21-24 at the MeadowView Marriott Convention Center & Conference Resort in Kingsport, Tenn. This year, only the top eight teams will advance to compete in the tournament.