The UMSL Tritons will begin the new season on November 8. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
The Great Lakes Valley Conference released its preseason men’s basketball poll for the 2024-25 season on Wednesday. The annual poll was voted on by the league’s coaches and ranks all 15 teams in predicted order of finish.
The University of Missouri-St. Louis Tritons were picked to finish seventh, after earning 132 points in the voting. UMSL in coming off a 13-16 season last year, in which the Tritons earned a spot in the GLVC Tournament.
The Tritons lost in the first round to Upper Iowa. It was the sixth straight season that UMSL qualified for the postseason. UMSL won the GLVC Tournament in 2022.
Junior PG Matt Enright, an All-GLVC performer last season, is UMSL’s top returning scorer after averaging 13.9 points per game. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Truman State was the team picked to win the GLVC this season. The Bulldogs received six first-place votes and 164 total points. Illinois-Springfield came in second, with two first-place votes and 162 points.
William Jewell, the defending league champion, received four first-place votes and 161 total points to come in third. Lewis was fourth with 153 points, followed by Upper Iowa (two first-place votes and 152 points) and Indianapolis (one first-place vote and 140 points).
Drury (107 points), McKendree (91 points), and Missouri S&T (88 points) came in behind UMSL to round out the top 10. Lincoln (58), Maryville (49), Rockhurst (45), Quincy (44), and Southwest Baptist (21) were teams 11-15.
Each GLVC team will play an 18-game conference schedule, which will begin at the end of November and conclude in February. The top eight teams will earn a spot in the GLVC Tournament, which will be played March 6-9, 2025, at Lindenwood University’s Hyland Arena.
The winner of the conference tournament will earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament.
UMSL made the NCAA Tournament in 2020, 2022, and 2023, and won the Midwest Regional championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight during that 2023 campaign.
The new season will begin on November 8 and 9 for the Tritons, who will be in Wisconsin to compete in the JustAGame Crossover.
UMSL will play Michigan Tech in its season opener on November 8, and Northern Michigan the following day on November 9. UMSL’s home opener will be on November 13 at the Mark Twain Building, when the Tritons will host Winona State.
2024-25 GLVC Preseason Men’s Basketball Poll
| Place | School | Points (1st-place votes) |
| 1. | Truman State | 172 (6) |
| 2. | Illinois Springfield | 162 (2) |
| 3. | William Jewell | 161 (4) |
| 4. | Lewis | 153 |
| 5. | Upper Iowa | 152 (2) |
| 6. | Indianapolis | 140 (1) |
| 7. | Missouri-St. Louis | 132 |
| 8. | Drury | 107 |
| 9. | McKendree | 91 |
| 10. | Missouri S&T | 88 |
| 11. | Lincoln | 58 |
| 12. | Maryville | 49 |
| 13. | Rockhurst | 45 |
| 14. | Quincy | 44 |
| 15. | Southwest Baptist | 21 |
2024-25 UMSL TRITONS MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 8, 2024 (Friday) | 2 p.m. | Neutral | Michigan Tech | Wisconsin Dells, Wis. | JustAGame Crossover |
| November 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 7 p.m. | Neutral | Northern Michigan | Wisconsin Dells, Wis. | JustAGame Crossover |
| November 13, 2024 (Wednesday) | 6 p.m. | Home | Winona State | Mark Twain Building | |
| November 21, 2024 (Thursday) | 5:30 p.m. | Neutral | Alabama – Huntsville | Lebanon, Ill. | |
| November 22, 2024 (Friday) | 5:30 p.m. | Neutral | Lake Superior State | Lebanon, Ill. | |
| November 30, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Illinois-Springfield | Springfield, Ill. | |
| December 2, 2024 (Monday) | 7:30 p.m. | Home | Maryville | Mark Twain Building | |
| December 5, 2024 (Thursday) | 7:30 p.m. | Home | UIndy | Mark Twain Building | |
| December 7, 2024 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Lewis | Mark Twain Building | |
| December 17, 2024 (Tuesday) | 3 p.m. | Neutral | Pittsburg State | San Antonio, Texas | River City Holiday Classic |
| December 18, 2024 (Wednesday) | 1 p.m. | Neutral | Rogers State | San Antonio, Texas | River City Holiday Classic |
| January 3, 2025 (Friday) | 7:30 p.m. | Away | Upper Iowa | Fayette, Iowa | |
| January 5, 2025 (Sunday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Quincy | Quincy, Ill. | |
| January 9, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:30 p.m. | Home | Southwest Baptist | Mark Twain Building | |
| January 11, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Rockhurst | Mark Twain Building | |
| January 16, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:30 p.m. | Away | Lincoln | Jefferson City, Mo. | |
| January 18, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Missouri S&T | Rolla, Mo. | |
| January 23, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:30 p.m. | Away | Maryville | St. Louis, Mo. | |
| January 30, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:30 p.m. | Home | Illinois-Springfield | Mark Twain Building | |
| February 1, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | McKendree | Mark Twain Building | |
| February 6, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:30 p.m. | Away | Lewis | Romeoville, Ill. | |
| February 8, 2025 (Saturday) | 2:30 p.m. | Away | UIndy | Indianapolis, Ind. | |
| February 13, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:30 p.m. | Home | Quincy | Mark Twain Building | |
| February 15, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Upper Iowa | Mark Twain Building | |
| February 20, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:30 p.m. | Away | William Jewell | Liberty, Mo. | |
| February 22, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Truman State | Kirksville, Mo. | |
| February 27, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:30 p.m. | Home | Drury | Mark Twain Building | |
| March 6-9, 2025 | TBD | Neutral | GLVC Tournament | St. Charles, Mo. / Hyland Arena | GLVC MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT |