In what is a wide-open conference race this season, the Northern Iowa men’s basketball team was picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, the league announced Tuesday morning.
The Panthers received eight first-place votes, 22 fewer than preseason champion Missouri State. Loyola and Illinois State each received one first-place vote as well. Drake was picked to finish last in 10th.
The league’s coaches, sports information directors and media cast votes.
Additionally, Drake and UNI each had one player selected to the MVC preseason first team: Panthers forward Bennett Koch and Bulldogs guard Reed Timmer.