SIOUX FALLS – The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) has ranked the University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team 23rd in its 2020-21 preseason NCAA DII poll released today (Nov. 17).

It is the second national ranking in 2020-21 for USF which was ranked 19th earlier this fall by The Basketball Times, a monthly print publication which has covered college basketball for more than 40 years. In the NABC poll, the Cougars received 78 points. Northwest Missouri State received 16 first place votes and 400 points to earned the No. 1 ranking. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) was ranked second at 367 points followed closely West Texas A&M at 366 points. The NABC's first regular season poll will be released on Dec. 5.

Directed by NSIC Coach of the Year Chris Johnson (233-166 overall –  USF career wins leader with 217-151 mark), the Cougars finished 22-8 (best record at the DII level, since 2012) and won the NSIC South Division with a DII program best mark of 17-5 in 2019-20.

USF, which was seeded No. 2 in the conference tourney and reached as high as No. 8 in the regional rankings in 2019-20, returns five starters, which includes first team all-conference junior guard Chase Grinde and second team all-league redshirt senior forward Teathloach Pal. Sophomore guard Jack Thompson (10.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.7 spg) also returns after earning NSIC All-Freshman Team honors. USF also welcomes back 6-9 senior forward Austin Slater (9.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg) as well junior guard Troy Houghton (6.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and a group of talented newcomers.

The Cougars will feature significant experience with eight of the top nine players returning and a host of talented newcomers. USF led the NSIC in scoring defense at 66.2 ppg and was second in rebounding margin at 7.3 per game (35.7 to 28.4). The Cougars also blocked three shots per game and ranked fifth with 6.37 steals per game. Cougars advanced to the NSIC quarterfinals for the fifth straight year where they lost to Minnesota State, 60-59 and season ended. They were ranked as high as eighth in the central region rankings.
 
USF is scheduled to open a 16-game (conference only) regular season on Jan. 2 against U-Mary at the Stewart Center.

NABC Poll - Preseason - Nov. 17, 2020
(School, 2019-20 record, poll points)
1. Northwest Missouri State, 31-1, 400
2. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.), 32-1, 367
3. West Texas A&M, 32-1, 366
4. Indiana (Pa.), 28-2, 318
5. Florida Southern, 29-2, 309
6. Nova Sotheastern (Fla), 23-6, 295
7. West Liberty (W. Va.), 27-4, 282
8. Northern State (S.D.), 26-6, 255
9. Missouri-St. Louis, 27-6, 240
10. Queens (N.C.), 24-7, 223
11. Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 25-4, 195
12. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.), 25-5, 190
13. Colorado School of Mines, 22-10, 177
14. Alabama Huntsville, 26-5, 165
15. Ferris State (Mich.), 27-6, 152
16. Point Loma (Calif.), 24-6, 137
17. Augustana (S.D.), 19-11, 127
18. St. Edward's (Texas), 27-4, 264
19. Valdosta State (Ga.), 26-4, 245
20. Fairmont State (W. Va.), 23-7, 91
21. Missouri Southern, 23-8, 84
22. Charleston (W. Va), 25-6, 80
23. Sioux Falls, 22-8, 78
24. Bridgeport (Conn.), 24-4, 50
25. Southern Indiana, 22-8, 47

Others receiving votes: Augusta (Ga.) 37, Truman State (Mo.) 33, Saint Anselm (N.H.) 25, Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 25, Chico State (Calif.) 24, Findlay (Ohio) 24, Seattle Pacific (Wash.) 22, UNC Pembroke 22, Angelo State (Texas) 20, Indianapolis (Ind.) 17, Mercyhurst (Pa.) 16, Lubbock Christian (Texas) 13, Miles (Ala.) 13, Washburn (Kan.) 12, DBU (Texas) 11, Jefferson (Pa.) 9, Shippensburg (Pa.) 9, Biola (Calif.) 7, Cal Poly Pomona 6, Black Hills State (S.D.) 4, Western Oregon 4, Minnesota State 3, Concordia (Calif.) 2, Colorado Mesa 2, Daemen (N.Y.) 2, Stonehill (Mass.) 2, Union (Tenn.) 2, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 1, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 1, Rogers State (Okla.) 1, Walsh (Ohio) 1.