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MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — The 2020-21 River States Conference Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Poll has predicted Indiana University East as the favorite this year. The Red Wolves are the defending RSC Championship winners, and they lead a crowd at the top of the preseason poll. 

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IU East, which was 23-10 overall, 14-2 RSC last year, won the RSC Championship with a thrilling win over Indiana University Kokomo at home. The Red Wolves garnered 134 total votes and five first-place votes to lead this year’s preseason poll. That’s right in front of IU Kokomo, which is coming off a season of 27-7 overall, 13-3 RSC and received 131 total votes and three first-place votes.

WVU Tech, which was last year’s RSC Regular Season Champion and RSC East Division Champion, came in third in the poll with 129 total votes and the remaining five first-place votes. The Golden Bears are coming off a season of 23-8 overall, 15-1 RSC. Indiana University Southeast came in fourth in the poll with 116 total votes to round out top four teams in the conference. The Grenadiers, 21-8 overall, 13-3 last year, won the RSC West Division a year ago.

Point Park (Pa.) University received 97 votes to place fifth in the poll. Midway (Ky.) University was next in sixth with 79 votes followed by Asbury (Ky.) University in seventh with 74 votes and Ohio Christian University in eighth with 61 votes. The top eight squads represented four from each division. 

University of Rio Grande (Ohio) got 57 votes for ninth place followed by Brescia (Ky.) University (50 votes) in 10th, Alice Lloyd (Ky.) College (49 votes) in 11th, conference newcomer Oakland City (Ind.) University (24 votes) in 12th and Carlow (Pa.) University (13 votes) in 13th. 

The preseason poll voting was also broken down into RSC East and West Divisions. IU Kokomo was the unanimous choice to win the RSC West with all 12 of the possible first-place votes. IU East was the favorite to win the RSC East with seven first-place votes, one more than WVU Tech. 

The 10-player RSC Men’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team was also conducted by voting from the league head coaches. Returning players from last year’s All-RSC First Team were automatically named, and returners from the All-RSC Second Team were voted onto this year’s preseason team. 

First-team returners from last year include IU Southeast forward David Burton, IU Kokomo forward Desean Hampton, Ohio Christian forward Justin Barksdale, Midway forward Kwon Evans and WVU Tech forward Tamon Scruggs.

Second-team returners voted onto the preseason team included IU Kokomo guard Trequan Spivey, IU East guard Garrett Silcott, Asbury guard Leander Ridgeway, IU Southeast guard Jocobi Hendricks and IU East forward Jehu Lafeuille. 

2020-21 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL COACHES’ PRESEASON POLL (OCT. 13)
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)

School

Votes

1. IU East (5)

134

2. IU Kokomo (3)

131

3. WVU Tech (5)

129

4. IU Southeast

116

5. Point Park (Pa.)

97

6. Midway (Ky.)

79

7. Asbury (Ky.)

74

8. Ohio Christian

61

9. Rio Grande (Ohio)

57

10. Brescia (Ky.)

50

11. Alice Lloyd (Ky.)

49

12. Oakland City (Ind.)

24

13. Carlow (Pa.)

13

RSC MEN’S BASKETBALL COACHES’ EAST DIVISION PRESEASON POLL
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)

School

Votes

1. IU East (7)

62

2. WVU Tech (6)

61

3. Point Park (Pa.)

45

4. Ohio Christian

30

5. Rio Grande (Ohio)

27

6. Carlow (Pa.)

12

RSC MEN’S BASKETBALL COACHES WEST DIVISION PRESEASON POLL
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)

School

Votes

1. IU Kokomo (12)

78

2. IU Southeast (1)

67

3. Midway (Ky.)

48

4. Asbury (Ky.)

46

5. Brescia (Ky.)

32

6. Alice Lloyd (Ky.)

31

7. Oakland City (Ind.)

13

2020-21 RSC MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

David Burton, F, IU Southeast

Desean Hampton, F, IU Kokomo

Justin Barksdale, F, Ohio Christian

Kwon Evans, F, Midway

Tamon Scruggs, F, WVU Tech

Trequan Spivey, G, IU Kokomo

Garrett Silcott, G, IU East

Leander Ridgeway, G, Asbury

Jocobi Hendricks, G, IU Southeast

Jehu Lafeuille, F, IU East