Nicholls, UNO lead Louisiana schools atop preseason Southland men’s basketball poll

Defending regular-season champion Colonels chasing fifth Southland title

FRISCO, Texas – Nicholls was voted to repeat as regular season conference champions in the 2021-22 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball preseason poll, announced by the league Tuesday.

With eight first-place votes and 91 total points, the Colonels narrowly edged out New Orleans, who received seven-first place votes and tallied 90 points.

Grabbing two spots on the preseason all-conference first team, Nicholls is led by defending Southland Newcomer of the Year Ty Gordon and center Ryghe Lyons. The Colonels also retooled with 10 newcomers, including six Division I transfers, in search of a fifth regular-season championship and their first tournament title since 1998.

The Privateers also brought in a bevy of Division I talent, pairing five top-level transfers with four returning starters, including First-Team Preseason All-Conference guard Troy Green. UNO was one of the hottest teams down the stretch last year, winning five of its last six to grab the No. 5 seed at the conference tournament and advancing to the second round in Katy before its season came to an end.

Southeastern garnered the remaining consideration for the top spot and rounded out the top three with 69 points. The Lions were one of three programs to place multiple honorees on the preseason all-conference teams in first-teamer Keon Clergeot and second-team nod Gus Okafor.

Northwestern State is picked to finish fourth, the same spot the Demons were seeded in last year’s conference tournament. Another winning record in league play would give NSU three-straight conference slates above .500 for the first time since 2012-15.

In its first year under head coach and former assistant John Aiken, McNeese slots in at No. 5 in the poll. The Cowboys lost nearly two-thirds of their scoring and rebounding from last season, but took advantage of the transfer portal with six Division I transfers.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi checks in at sixth in the poll with 37 points, followed by UIW (32) and HBU (22).

The preseason poll is voted on by the head coach and sports information director from each Southland school. Each individual ranks the other seven teams in their predicted order of regular season finish. Ranking one’s own school is not permitted.

2021-22 Southland Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll

School (First-place votes) Total
1. Nicholls (8) 91
2. New Orleans (7) 90
3. Southeastern (1) 69
4. Northwestern State 58
5. McNeese 49
6. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 37
7. UIW 32
8. HBU 22

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