ST. LOUIS – In the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball preseason poll, the University of Evansville was picked to finish sixth in the league this season. 
 
The Purple Aces received 186 votes in the poll, which was voted on by coaches, sports information directors and media representatives in the league.  Wichita State received all 40 first-place votes to tally 400 points.
 
Indiana State was picked in second place with 352 votes while UNI received 318 votes to stand in third place while Missouri State and Bradley rounded out the top five.
 
Evansville boasts new talent on the floor this season as six new players take to the floor, including redshirt freshman David Howard.  In the season-opening win over Trevecca Nazarene, it was freshman Blake Simmons posting a team high of 14 points and 8 boards. 
 
Duane Gibson finished the night with 11 tallies, 6 rebounds and 5 steals while Jaylon Brown chipped in 8 points.
 
Several returning players are also back on the floor for UE, led by a trio of sophomores, #D.J. Balentine#, Adam Wing and Egidijus Mockevicius.  The three had stellar freshman campaigns as Wing and Mockevicius were in the starting lineup last season and Balentine was the top scorer off the bench and is expected to be in the lineup moving forward.
 
Next up for the Aces is a second exhibition contest as they take on Illinois-Springfield on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.
 

No.	Team	(1st)	Points
1.	Wichita State Shockers	40	400
2.	Indiana State Sycamores		352
3.	UNI Panthers		318
4.	Missouri State Bears		258
5.	Bradley Braves		244
6.	Evansville Aces		186
7.	Illinois State Redbirds		139
8.	Southern Illinois Salukis		123
9.	Loyola Ramblers		95
10.	Drake Bulldogs		85

 
2013-14 MVC Preseason Team
Ron Baker, Wichita State So. G 6-3 Scott City (Kan.) High
Cleanthony Early, Wichita State Sr. F 6-8 Middletown (N.Y.) Sullivan JC
Desmar Jackson, Southern Illinois Sr. G 6-5 Warren (Ohio) U. of Wyoming
Walt Lemon, Jr., Bradley Sr. G 6-3 Chicago (Ill.) Julian
Marcus Marshall, Missouri State So. G 6-3 St. Paul (Minn.) Johnson
Jake Odum, Indiana State Sr. G 6-4 Terre Haute (Ind.) South Vigo
Seth Tuttle, UNI Jr. F 6-8 Sheffield (Iowa) West Fork
Honorable Mention Selections:
Manny Arop, Indiana State Sr. G/F 6-5 Edmonton (Alberta) Gonzaga
Tyshon Pickett, Bradley Sr. F 6-6 Passaic (N.Y.) High
Seth VanDeest, Drake Sr. C 6-11 Bettendorf (Iowa) High
Preseason Player of the Year: Cleanthony Early, Wichita State
    Team determined by panel of league SIDs, media, and coaches.