ST. LOUIS – For the third time in the last four seasons, the University of Evansville men's basketball team has been picked in the top five in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll as it was released today by the league along with the Preseason All-Conference and Honorable Mention Teams.
Evansville was picked to finish in fourth place in the poll behind Wichita State, UNI and Missouri State. It matches the second-highest preseason pick for the Purple Aces. In each of its first three seasons in the conference (94-95, 95-96 and 96-97), UE was picked in the spot. The Aces' highest preseason rank was second in the 2000-01 campaign.
UE brings back all five starters from last year's 14-19 squad. The Purple Aces will be led by first team all-conference selection D.J. Balentine along with 6-10 junior Egidijus Mockevicius. Ball movement is the name of the game for the Aces, as Evansville led the conference with 14.7 assists per game last season. This unselfish play should carry over into 2014-15 as the starting core continues to develop chemistry.
Balentine, the league's leading scorer and ranked eighth in the nation, was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Mockevicius was named an honorable mention. He finished his sophomore campaign as the leading shooter and rebounder in the league.
Preseason Poll
- Wichita State (45) 459
- UNI 411
- Missouri State 338
- Evansville 300
- Illinois State (1) 287
- Indiana State 219
- Southern Illinois 191
- Bradley 140
- Drake 92
- Loyola 91
2014-15 MVC Preseason Team
Ron Baker, Wichita State Jr. G 6-3 Scott City (Kan.) High
D.J. Balentine, Evansville Jr. G 6-2 Kokomo (Ind.) High
Tekele Cotton, Wichita State Sr. G 6-2 Marietta (Ga.) Whitefield Acad.
Seth Tuttle, UNI Sr. F 6-8 Sheffield (Iowa) West Fork
Fred VanVleet, Wichita State Jr. G 5-11 Rockford (Ill.) Auburn High
Honorable Mention Selections:
Anthony Beane, Southern Illinois Jr. G 6-2 Normal (Ill.) High
Milton Doyle, Loyola So. G 6-4 Chicago (Ill.) Marshall High
Marcus Marshall, Missouri State Jr. G 6-3 St. Paul (Minn.) Johnson High
Egidijus Mockevicius, Evansville Jr. C 6-10 Kursenai (Lithuania)
