St. Scholastica edges Bethany Lutheran by one point in UMAC Preseason Poll
ST. PAUL, Minn.---Two years ago, the College of St. Scholastica ended the University of Northwestern's three-year reign atop the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) in men's basketball before seeing the Eagles take back the title in 2016-17. Heading into the 2017-18 season though, the UMAC men's hoops coaches expect St. Scholastica to win the title with Bethany Lutheran College just behind as announced in the UMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll Thursday.
The Saints topped the poll with 58 points and four first-place votes, while the Vikings were one point behind at 57 with three first-place votes. Reigning champion Northwestern was a close third with 54 points and two first-place votes, showing the growing competitive nature and parity in the top half of the league.
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Poll |
Matchups |
Team Previews |
Last season, St. Scholastica finished tied for second with Bethany Lutheran at 12-4, but fell to the No. 3 seed in the tournament on tiebreakers. However, the Saints avenged two regular season losses to the Vikings in the conference tournament semifinal as they defeated their foe 90-70 on the road to advance to the title game. The Saints narrowly ended the Eagles' postseason streak but eventually fell after four hard-fought overtime periods in the championship game.
This season, the Saints will look to make a third-straight tournament championship appearance, but will be positioned to take the title with the return of several key players. Brandon Newman returns for his junior season after being named All-UMAC First Team a year ago. Newman was fifth in conference scoring at 17.6 points per game (ppg), and shot an impressive 50.5 percent from the field. He was also third in free-throw conversion (83.3 percent). Newman is the lone returning All-UMAC player, but Zach Dahlman joins for his senior season after scoring 7.8 ppg, as does Collin Anderson who had a solid rookie season and exploded for 36 points off the bench in the tournament title game hitting four 3-pointers in overtime.
Capturing the title won't come easy as the Saints were only the favorite by one point over the Vikings that had a huge turnaround last year moving from sixth to second in the standings under new Head Coach Matt Fletcher. The Vikings lose Player of the Year Brandyn Frelix, but welcome back two Honorable Mention selections in Neil Eichten and Brady Rose who averaged in double-digit scoring last year. They return a total of four starters and eight of 10 players in last year's rotation. Austin Bauer also started all 26 games for the Vikings last year and should be an impact player as well.
Northwestern will look to make an eighth-straight NCAA tournament appearance this year and capture the UMAC title for a second-straight regular season, but it will be without all five starters from last season. The Eagles graduated three All-UMAC performers and five key players who have been critical to the success of the Eagles run atop the league. They return experience in Anderson Bazile, Jr., who has seen significant playing time in his first two years as well as Caleb Hegeman who should see an expanded role this year.
The University of Minnesota Morris has qualified for the UMAC tournament in each of the last eight years, and the Cougars should have a chance at challenging all three of the top programs coming in fourth in the poll with 42 points. The Cougars will rely heavily on 2016-17 statistical leader CD Douglas who averaged 19.9 ppg in league play and has been back-to-back All-UMAC First Team. Junior Noah Grove also returns after scoring 13.9 ppg.
Crown College will look to make the postseason for the first time since the 2013-14 season. The Storm garned 34 points from the coaches for fifth in the poll. Timothy Wendell was a First Team honoree and Rookie of the Year after finishing seocnd in scoring (18.9 ppg) as a rookie, while Austin VanderHeyden was third (18.4 ppg) – the pair will serve as a dual threat for the Storm this winter.
The University of Wisconsin-Superior came in sixth with 38 points in its first season under new coach Greg Palkowski. The Yellowjackets will look to challenge for a postseason position after missing out last year. Senior Shaq Coleman will be the top threat after an Honorable Mention season last year.
Despite a huge turnaround season to finish fourth last year, Northland College was slated seventh with 24 points after losing First Teamer Dan Campion to graduation. Honorable Mention Thomas Whiting returns to lead the LumberJack charge in the 2017-18.
North Central University was selected eighth with 18 points and welcome back three double-digit scorers in C.J. Lewis, Jared High and Joel Cline. Martin Luther College rounds out the poll in ninth with nine points and will be led by sophomore Ian Paulsen.
The UMAC men's basketball teams begin the season Wednesday, Nov. 15 with six teams in action and several taking on some of the top programs in the nation
– St. Scholastica opens with preseason top-20 Saint John's University on the road on Nov. 17. UMAC teams will face some of the top squads from the regional conferences in the non-conference portion of the season.
Conference play begins Wednesday, Dec. 6 with a huge match up right off the bat between Northwestern and Bethany Lutheran. That Saturday will then see the top two vote-getters in St. Scholastica and Bethany Lutheran meet in Duluth. This will also be the first season of UMAC squads playing league games on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Following the holiday break, Crown and Wisconsin-Superior – two teams that will be fighting for the postseason – play on Wednesday, Jan. 3 before Northwestern and St. Scholastica face off that weekend in a rematch of last year's overtime thriller. The season then wraps up Saturday, Feb. 17 and will be followed by the postseason tournament the week after.
Complete UMAC Schedule
2017-18 UMAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. St. Scholastica - 58 points (4 First Place Votes)
2. Bethany Lutheran - 57 points (3 First Place Votes)
3. Northwestern - 54 points (2 First Place Votes)
4. Minnesota Morris - 42 points
5. Crown - 34 points
6. Wisconsin-Superior - 28 points
7. Northland - 24 points
8. North Central - 18 points
9. Martin Luther - 9 points
Team Previews
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Bethany Lutheran College
Matt Fletcher | 2nd season |
2016-17 Season
12-4, 17-9 | 2nd |
Postseason: Lost in semifinals of UMAC tournament to Scholastica.
Top Returners
- Neil Eichten, Sr, G | UMAC Honorable Mention | 13.0 PPG, 3.3 Assists Per Game, 41.7% FG |
- Brady Rose, Sr, G/F | UMAC Honorable Mention | UMAC Defensive Team | 11.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 49.5% 3Pt FG |
- Austin Bauer, Jr, G | 9.0 PPG, 91.4% FT, Started 26 of 26 games played
Need to Know
Return 8 of our 10 rotation guys from last year and 4 of 5 starters.
The College of St. Scholastica
David Staniger | 18th Season |
2016-17 Season
12-4, 17-10 | T-2nd |
Postseason: L in 4OT to Northwestern in UMAC Tournament Championship
Top Returners
- Brandon Newman, Jr., G | 2016-17 First Team All-UMAC; 2015-16 UMAC Freshman of the Year | 16.4 ppg., 112 free throws made, 76 assists|
- Zach Dahlman, Sr., G| 121 rebounds, 7.8 ppg, 24 steals |
- Colin Anderson, So., G | 11.5 ppg (off bench), 57 3-point FG, .909 FT pct. |
Need to Know
The Saints have back-to-back seasons of at least 12 wins in league play for the first time in program history.
Crown College
Luke Herbert | 8th Season |
2016-17 Season
5-11 UMAC, 8-17 | 7th |
Top Returners
- Austin VanDerHeyden, SR, P | All-UMAC 2nd Team 2016, 2017, All-UMAC Honorable Mention 2015, UMAC FR of the Year 2015 | 15.9 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.18 BPG |
- Timothy Wendel, SO, F | All-UMAC 2nd Team 2017, UMAC FR of the Year 2016-17 | 18.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 42.7% Three-Point % Josh Volness, JR, G 11.1 PPG, 40.2% Three-Point %, 88.1% Free Throw % |
Martin Luther College
Greg Holzhueter | 2nd season |
2016-17 Season
1-15 UMAC, 2-23 overall | 9th place |
Top Returners
- Ian Paulsen, So., F | 12.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.7 BPG |
- T.J. Babinec, Jr., G | 10.3 PPG, 29 3FG, 39.0% 3FG |
- Nate Lindloff, So., G | 6.1 PPG, 36 3FG, 48.6% 3FG |
North Central University
Jon High | 10th Season |
2016-17 Season
UMAC - 4-12, Overall 8-16, | 8th |
Top Returners
- CJ Lewis, Sr., G | 15.1 ppg, 2.5 apg, 2.7 rpg |
- Jared High, Jr., W | 11.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 46.4 FG% |
- Joel Cline, Sr., P | 10.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 45.7 FG% |
Northland College
Scott Sorenson | 6th Season|
2016-17 Season
10-6 UMAC, 13-13 Overall | 4th |
Postseason: No. 4 seed UMAC Tournament. Lost opening round UMAC playoff game to UM-Morris
Top Returners
- Thomas Whiting, Senior, Forward | All-Conference Honorable Mention, UMAC All-Defensive Team | 12.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 58.8% FG
- Harrison Lucas, Senior, Wing-Guard | 5.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 48.6% FG
- Danon Briggs, Senior, Point Guard | 6.7 ppg, 3.8 apg, 3.95-to-1 Assist-to-turnover
Need to Know
The 2016-17 Northland LumberJack team was the first to have a winning regular season since 1996, hosted their first playoff game since 2000 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
University of Minnesota Morris
Paul Grove | 16th season |
2016-17 Season
9-7 UMAC, 15-12 Overall| 5th |
Postseason: defeated Northland in UMAC quarters, lost to Northwestern in semis
Top Returners
- CD Douglas, Sr., G | ’15 UMAC All-Defensive, ’16 All-UMAC First Team and All-Defensive, ’17 All-UMAC First Team | 18.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.3 apg, .574 FG %, 49 steals |
- Noah Grove, Jr., G | 13.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.5 apg, .400 3PT % |
- Jeremy Halverson, Jr., F | 8.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 44 blocks, .420 3PT % |
Need to Know
Minnesota Morris led the UMAC in 3-point field goals made (274) and in 3-point FG percentage (.406).
The Cougars have reached UMAC postseason play in eight straight seasons.
University of Northwestern
Tim Grosz | 18th Season |
2016-17 Season
20-8 Overall, 13-3 UMAC | 1st |
Postseason: Won the post-season championship and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to UW-Whitewater
Top Returners
- Anderson Bazile Jr., Jr., G | Career-high 21 pints vs. Northland (Feb. 3, 2017), Career-high 3 assists vs. St. Scholastica (Dec. 3, 2016), Career-high 9 rebounds vs. St. Scholastica (Dec. 3, 2016)|
- Caleb Hageman, Jr., G | 2016-17 UMAC Academic All-Conference | Career-high 13 points vs. Hamline (Nov. 15, 2016), Career-high 3 assists vs. Finlandia (Dec. 16, 2016), Career-high 7 rebounds vs. Crown (Feb. 11, 2017) |
- Tanner Youngberg, So., G | 2016-17 UMAC Academic All-Conference, |Career-high 14 points vs. Crown (Jan. 6, 2017), Career-high 5 assists vs. Macalester (Nov. 22, 2016), Career-high 8 rebounds vs. Morris (Jan 7, 2017)|
Need to Know
- Northwestern won the regular season conference title
- UNW won the post-season tournament championship for the seventh-straight year
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Greg Polkowski | 1st season |
2016-17 Season
6-10 UMAC, 7-18 overall| 6th|
Top Returners
- Shaq Coleman, Sr., G | UMAC Honorable Mention | 14 ppg, 5 rpg, 2.8 apg |
- Montroy Scott, Jr., G| 12ppg, 3rpg, 47.6 % from field |
- Nate Kalien, Sr., G |7.6ppg, 40.4 % from 3-point, 1.3 apg |