The Horizon League conference office released its men’s basketball preseason conference poll and all-conference teams as voted on by the coaches, sports information directors and members of the media. Northern Kentucky was selected to finish 10th in the poll.
Valparaiso topped the league poll with 418 points. Oakland was second with 368 points and was closely followed by Milwaukee’s 344 in third. Youngstown State was picked to finish ninth, just ahead of NKU by a slim six points.
Oakland’s Kahlil Felder was tabbed as the preseason player of the year and highlighted the first team all-conference list.
Northern Kentucky returns 61 percent of its scoring from last season’s team, including seniors Jalen Billups and Tyler White. The nation’s leader in shooting at 69.6 percent last year, Billups averaged 11.1 points per game to go along with 5.9 boards. White closed the season with three-straight 19-point efforts to finish the year averaging 10.2 points.
Brannen begins his first season guiding the Norse following 17-years as an assistant at Alabama, VCU, St. Bonaventure, Eastern Kentucky and Charleston. The native of the Northern Kentucky region most recently led Alabama to a 1-1 mark in the NIT as interim head coach before coming home to take the helm at NKU.
Norse Nation will get its first glimpse at the 2015-16 team on Nov. 7 when Northern Kentucky hosts Ohio Northern in an exhibition contest. The regular season kicks off on Nov. 13 at West Virginia.
Preseason Poll
- Valparaiso (36) – 418
- Oakland (6) – 368
- Milwaukee – 344
- Detroit (1) – 289
- Wright State – 253
- Green Bay – 215
- Cleveland State – 173
- UIC – 125
- Youngstown State – 93
- Northern Kentucky – 87
Preseason Player of the Year: Kahlil Felder, Oakland
Preseason All-League First Team
Kahlil Felder, Oakland (Jr., G)
Alec Peters, Valparaiso (Jr., F)
Matt Tiby, Milwaukee (Sr., F)
Paris Bass, Detroit (So., G/F)
Jordan Fouse, Green Bay (Sr., F)
Preseason All-League Second Team
Bobby Hain, Youngstown State (Sr., C)
JT Yoho, Wright State (Sr., F)
Vashil Fernandez, Valparaiso (Sr., C)
Tevonn Walker, Valparaiso (So., G)
Darien Walker, Valparaiso (Sr., G)
