Northeast Conference Announces 2018-19 Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches Poll
The Blue Devils were picked sixth in the league's preseason poll.
The Northeast Conference announced its Preason Coaches' Poll and Preseason All-NEC Team on Wednesday at the league's "Social" Media Day at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The Central Connecticut men's basketball was picked to finish sixth in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, while senior Tyler Kohl was named to the Preseason All-NEC Team.
Head coach Donyell Marshall is set to begin his third season at the helm of the Blue Devils and will look to Kohl and fellow senior Deion Bute to lead the way. Kohl started 28 games and led the team in scoring (16.7 ppg), rebounding (8.2 rpg), assists (4.1 apg) and steals (1.4 spg) and earned Second Team All-NEC honors. Kohl was one of two players nationally to lead his team in all four categories and the only player in the conference to rank in the Top 10 in each category.
Saint Francis U received eight first-place votes and was picked as the league's preseason favorit. Fairleigh Dickinson and LIU Brooklyn each received a first-place vote and were picked second and third, respectively. Wagner and Robert Morris were picked next at fourth and fifth.
The Blue Devils will host Arcadia University in an exhibition game open to the public on Saturday, October 27, at 4:00 p.m. The Blue Devils begin the 2018-19 season at Hartford on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at 7:00 p.m. Central is also slated to participate in the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic this season. Fans can enter to win a trip to the tournament in a contest presented by TickPick.
2017-18 NEC PRESEASON COACHES POLL (first place votes in parenthesis)
1. Saint Francis U (8)
2. Fairleigh Dickinson (1)
3. LIU Brooklyn (1)
4. Wagner
5. Robert Morris
6. CENTRAL CONNECTICUT
7. St. Francis Brooklyn
8. Bryant
9. Sacred Heart
10. Mount St. Mary's
2018-19 MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON ALL-NEC TEAM
Keith Braxton, SFU, Jr, G, 6-4, 208 lbs., Glassboro, NJ/Delsea
Raiquan Clark, LIU, Sr, G/F, 6-6, 195 lbs., New Haven, CT/Hillhouse
Mike Holloway Jr., FDU, Sr, F, 6-8, 260 lbs., Pittsgrove, NJ/Arthur P. Schalick
Jamaal King, SFU, Sr, G, 5-10, 170 lbs., Salisbury, MD/Bishop O'Connell (VA)
Tyler Kohl, CCSU, Sr, G/F, 6-5, 220 lbs., Allentown, PA/Mineral Area College