The UMSL Tritons will begin the new season on November 4. (Photo courtesy: UMSL Athletics)

Jason Barnes
Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s basketball team was picked to finish third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Preseason Poll, which was announced by the league office Thursday morning. The annual GLVC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll was voted on by the league’s coaches and ranks all 14 teams in predicted order of finish.

UMSL, which won the GLVC championship in 2022, finished as the league runner-up last year, and is the defending NCAA Midwest Regional champion, received 128 points in the poll. The Tritons are coming off a 24-11 campaign that saw them advance to the Elite Eight, before losing to eventual national champion Nova Southeastern.

The Tritons bring back seven players from last year’s squad, including GLVC All-Freshman team selection Matt Enright.

Enright appeared in all 35 contests last season with 34 starts and averaged 7.1 points per game, connected on 33 percent of his three-point attempts, and was second on the team with 91 assists. Also returning are Janeir Harris and Mayson Quartlebaum. Harris averaged 6.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, while Quartlebaum averaged 5.0 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest.

Indianapolis, last season’s regular season champion, was tabbed as the favorite with 169 points, including 13 of the 14 available first place votes. Illinois-Springfield was picked second, garnering 155 points in the poll and the final first-place vote. UMSL, William Jewell (118), and McKendree (117), last year’s GLVC Tournament winner, rounded out the top five.

The top-eight teams with the most points derived from the GLVC Point Rating System at the end of the regular season will earn a berth to the GLVC Championship Tournament, which will be played March 7-10 at Lindenwood University’s Hyland Arena.

UMSL will begin the new season in just over a week, when the club will travel to Lakeland, Fla., to play in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.

The Tritons will play two games in that event, beginning with the opener, next Saturday, November 4, against Cedarville. UMSL will then play a second game the next day against Bentley.

UMSL’s home opener will be November 30, when the Tritons will host its first GLVC game of the year against William Jewell.

No. 1 Indianapolis

  • Received 13 first-place votes and 169 total points.
  • Earned GLVC Regular Season title and top seed in Championship Tournament this past year.
  • Garnered berth to NCAA Midwest Regional last season.
  • Coached by reigning GLVC Coach of the Year Paul Corsaro, who enters his fourth campaign after a 26-5 overall and 17-3 GLVC record in 2022-23.
  • Return GLVC Player of the Year, Kendrick Tchoua, and fellow unanimous First Team All-GLVC selection Jesse Bingham, who was also a member of the All-Defensive team.

No. 2 Illinois-Springfield

  • Received one first-place vote and 155 total points.
  • Earned second seed in GLVC Championship Tournament this past year.
  • Coached by Matt Brock, who enters his fifth season after a 19-10 overall and 13-7 GLVC record in 2022-23.
  • Return First Team All-GLVC selection Jack Weber, Second Team selection Max Kunnert, and All-Defensive selection Jacob Hanna.

No. 3 UMSL

  • Received 128 total points.
  • Finished runner-up in GLVC Championship Tournament as fifth seed this past season.
  • Advanced to NCAA Elite Eight after winning Midwest Regional last year.
  • Coached by Bob Sundvold, who enters his 11th campaign after a 24-11 overall and 11-9 GLVC record in 2022-23.
  • Return GLVC All-Freshman selection Matt Enright.

No. 4 William Jewell

  • Received 118 total points.
  • Earned third seed in GLVC Championshi1p Tournament this past year.
  • Coached by Chris McCabe, who enters his fifth season after a 15-14 overall and 12-8 GLVC record in 2022-23.
  • Return First Team All-GLVC selection Jordan Jermain.

Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 14th was McKendree University (117 points), Missouri S&T (97), Southwest Baptist University (84), Upper Iowa University (78), Quincy University (69), Lewis University (63), Rockhurst University (61), Drury University (51), Maryville University (46), and Truman State University (38).

The complete poll and voting results can be found below.

2023-24 GLVC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Indianapolis 169 (13)
2. Illinois Springfield 155 (1)
3. UMSL 128
4. William Jewell 118
5. McKendree 117
6. Missouri S&T 97
7. Southwest Baptist 84
8. Upper Iowa 78
9. Quincy 69
10. Lewis 63
11. Rockhurst 61
12. Drury 51
13. Maryville 46
14. Truman State 38