KANSAS CITY – The Augustana men's basketball team garnered 127 points to earn a preseason ranking of No. 17 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Top-25 poll. The ranking is the second preseason accolade for Augustana, having previously been ranked in the Basketball Times Preseason Top-20.
The Vikings return every starter from last season while tallying a 19-11 record despite fighting numerous injuries throughout the season.
After
Matt Cartwright was lost for the remainder of the 2019-20 season due to injury after averaging 13.8 points per game,
Matt Todd and
Tyler Riemersma rallied to each average 12.5 points per game. Riemersma, a First Team All-NSIC selection, averaged a double-double with 10.4 rebounds per game. During the NSIC season, he upped his averages to 13.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per outing.
Augustana also saw junior
Dylan LeBrun pour in 12.1 points per game. In all, Augustana returns nearly 88 percent of its points scored from last season.
The Vikings open the 2021 season with a pair of "nonconference" contests at MSU Moorhead on Jan. 2-3. The home debut of Augustana puts the Vikings against Minnesota State on Jan. 8-9 in the revamped NSIC schedule unveiled last week.
The NSIC is expected to release its preseason polls, along with the Preseason Player of the Year and student-athletes to watch, in mid-December.
Full NABC Top-25 Poll
1 Northwest Missouri State (16)
2 Lincoln Memorial
3 West Texas A&M
4 Indiana (Pa.)
5 Florida Southern
6 Nova Southeastern
7 West Liberty
8 Northern State (S.D.)
9 Missouri-St. Louis
10 Queens (N.C.)
11 Azusa Pacific
12 St. Thomas Aquinas
13 Colorado School of Mines
14 Alabama Huntsville
15 Ferris State
16 Point Loma
17 Augustana (S.D.)
18 St. Edwards (Texas)
19 Valdosta State
20 Fairmont State
21 Missouri Southern
22 Charleston (W.Va.)
23 Sioux Falls
24 Bridgeport
25 Southern Indiana
--GoAugie.com--
