RICHARDSON, Texas –– The Howard Payne men’s basketball team have been predicted to finish 3rd in the American Southwest Conference West Division after a vote of each division’s head coaches, sports information directors and media members, the conference office announced on Wednesday.
Howard Payne University (14-12, 11-10 ASC last season) garnered 127 points and one first-place vote to land the third place spot. At 14-13 overall last season, the Jackets knocked off the east division #1 seat Mississippi College in the openning round of the ASC post-season tournament.
The 2008-09 season – the 13th in league history – begins as early as November 15. The three-day, eight-team conference tournament is slated for February 27-March 1 at the site of the East Division’s top seed and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship will be on the line.
2008-09 ASC PRESEASON MEN’S BASKETBALL POLL
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors and Media Members]
WEST DIVISION
|
|
Team (first-place votes)
|
Points
|
2007-08 Record
|
|
1.
|
Mary Hardin-Baylor (18)
|
183
|
26-4, 19-2 ASC
|
|
2.
|
Concordia Texas (3)
|
168
|
19-9, 14-7 ASC
|
|
3.
|
Howard Payne (1)
|
127
|
14-13, 11-10 ASC
|
|
4.
|
McMurry
|
111
|
12-13, 9-12 ASC
|
|
5.
|
Hardin-Simmons (1)
|
107
|
15-12, 13-8 ASC
|
|
6.
|
Sul Ross State (1)
|
82
|
8-17, 7-14 ASC
|
|
7.
|
Texas Lutheran
|
48
|
3-22, 3-18 ASC
|
|
8.
|
Schreiner
|
38
|
5-20, 5-16 ASC
|
EAST DIVISION
|
|
Team (first-place votes)
|
Points
|
2007-08 Record
|
|
1.
|
Mississippi College (19)
|
145
|
19-6, 16-4 ASC
|
|
2.
|
Texas-Dallas (1)
|
109
|
17-9, 13-7 ASC
|
|
3.
|
Texas-Tyler (1)
|
103
|
14-12, 13-7 ASC
|
|
4.
|
East Texas Baptist
|
79
|
9-17, 9-11 ASC
|
|
5.
|
LeTourneau
|
74
|
12-13, 9-11 ASC
|
|
6.
|
Louisiana College
|
46
|
9-15, 8-12 ASC
|
|
7.
|
Ozarks
|
32
|
8-17, 5-15 ASC
|