After having its season unexpectedly cut short last year, Eureka College is predicted to be the last team standing in SLIAC Men's Basketball this season. The Red Devils received over half the first-place votes from the league's coaches and are the presumptive favorites in 2021-22.
#1
With 46 total points, including five first-place votes, Eureka College is picked as the preseason favorite in SLIAC Men's Basketball. The Red Devils were 8-3 last season and while head coach Chip Wilde brings back just three starters, losing two All-Conference players, he does return 14 players in total. Ian Milsteadt, an All-Conference pick last season, is back after leading the SLIAC in scoring at 24.7 points per game. Jalen Hosea, a two-year starter, fills out the backcourt and had a 2-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season. J'Len Crawford was third on the team in scoring last year at 11.6 points per game while Charlie McKinty started 10 of 11 games last season. The group of newcomers is headlined by a familiar face in the conference, Logan Dorethy. The former MacMurray Highlander forward averaged 19.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last time SLIAC fans saw him on the court. Other newcomers include junior swingman Zach Briggs and sophomore guard David Hill.
#2
Blackburn College picked up one first-place nod and totaled 39 points, finishing 2nd in the coaches' preseason poll. Head Coach Austin Kirby brings back three starters from the first Beaver team to a SLIAC Championship since 2005. Their only real loss was the graduation of Cristian Wagner although reigning SLIAC Player of the Year Chanz Aldridge, a do it all guard, will sit out the first semester before using his final eligibility in the second semester. Until his return, the team will rely on a pair of senior guards in Javon Stovall and Bryson Kirby. Stovall, a First Team All-Conference and All-Defensive pick, averaged 15.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season. Kirby averaged 6.2 points per game and is a career 39-percent three-point shooter. Jarrius Burnett started 10 games as a freshman, averaging 6.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while Payton Krager saw action in 9 games as a true freshman. Players that could see time on the court are transfers Tyler Jelks, Kevin Hubbard Jr., and Izayah Talmadge.
#3
With 38 points and two first-place votes, Webster University comes in 3rd on the preseason poll. The Gorloks are coached by Chris Bunch and return four starters and 14 players from last year's team that was 4-6 overall. Rodson Etienne, a three-time All-Conference player, is back as a graduate student. Last spring he averaged 18.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 66-percent from the field and being named the SLIAC Defensive Player of the Year. Wynne Brown Jr. was second on the team in scoring last season at 17.3 points per game and led the team with 45 assists. Also returning is fellow guard Mark Moore, who averaged 6.8 points and 2.2 assists per game. Two young forwards, Markus Becton (9.3 ppg/5.6 rpg) and Javane Nugent (5.6 ppg/6.6 rpg) will look to continue their growth. Top newcomers for the Gorloks include a trio of freshmen in Karl Moore, Tryston Doherty, and Johan Bennett.
#4
Greenville University grabbed 29 total points, placing them 4th on the poll. Head Coach George Barber has just two starters back but one returner is guard Kenneth Cooley, who led the team at 14.1 points per game last season. With top outside threat, Kameron Vinsel graduating, Jarred Johnson (35 three's) is the team's most dangerous returning long-range shooter. Romello Ball averaged 11.1 points and 4.3 assists per game last season and will take over top point guard duties with the loss of Dustin Bankowski. Henry Johnson also returns after averaging 10.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while finishing with 25 steals in just 14 games last season. After missing last season Chris Jackson returns this year after putting up 8.3 points per game as a junior. Top newcomers include a trio of transfers in Darryl Skinner, Diyahvion Skinner, and LJ Lampley.
#5
Finishing 5th on the preseason poll is Fontbonne University with 27 points. The Griffins will be centered around a pair of All-Conference guards in Anthony Jones and Caden Clark. Jones led the team at 17.3 points per game and knocked down 38-percent of his triples while Clark averaged 13.1 points and 5.2 assists per game. Also back is Elijah Rice, who put up 12.4 points per game connected on 40-percent of his three-point attempts. Head Coach Lance Thornhill will work newcomers Brent Wagner, Will Sullentrop, and Carlton King into the lineup.
#6
Westminster College totaled 24 points in the poll, ranking them 6th. The Blue Jays are coached by Matt Mitchell, in his 24th season, and return four starters and 12 players. Jaxon Althaus and Landon Harrison are former All-Conference players and back for their senior seasons. Althaus averaged 14.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while Harrison averaged 13.7 points per game and is a career 40-percent three-point shooter. Fellow seniors Emil Spriggs, Devonte Hubbard, and Ethan Thompson will give the team plenty of experience. Joining the program are freshmen Ben Eberlin and Caleb Maassen and transfer Jonathan Richmond.
#7
Spalding picked up 10 points in the rankings and return three starters and 11 players from last year's team that went 1-5 overall. Christian Stewart (13.7 ppg) is joined by Troy Amanor (13.3 ppg) as the Golden Eagles' top scoring options. Tylan Mann is also back after averaging 6.2 points per game his first year with the program. Other returnees include Parker Chatman, Jacoby Johnson, Jonathan Henson, and Maxton Campbell. Head Coach Kevin Gray brings in a class that includes two transfers (Brandin Obidike and Jonah Butts) and four freshmen.
#8
After sitting out last season, Principia College returns to the court this season and was picked 8th in the poll with 9 total points. The Panthers, coached by Todd Zimmerman, will look to a core group of returners (Clark Davidson, AJ Byrd, and Payton Sellers) to lead his team. Sellars put up 14.9 points per game during the 2019-20 season, finishing in the top ten in the league in three-point field goals. Clark Davidson provides the inside game for the Panthers and averaged 14.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 62-percent from the field. Byrd averaged 13.9 points per game in his first season with the team and was second in assists with 72. Coach Zimmerman is expecting newcomers Shermarri Miles and Jake Kampf to work into the rotation of 13 players this season. Others to keep an eye on are Nate Brantingham and Kevin Wingert, who should play larger roles after showing improvement since the last time on the court.
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