Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Men's Basketball picked to finish third in MVC
10/25/2005 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
Oct. 25, 2005
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - For the first time in league history, Northern Iowa was selected as the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball pre-season favorite, the conference office announced Tuesday.
The announcement was made at the MVC's annual media day, held this year at the Sheraton City Center hotel.
Southern Illinois was picked to finish third. Voters included league beat writers, radio announcers, head coaches and sports information directors. Saluki guard Jamaal Tatum was named to the pre-season all-conference team, however SIU must replace two of its all-time great players in Darren Brooks and Stetson Hairston if it hopes to win its fifth-straight league title.
Lowery said the situation is similar now to what it was two years ago when Brooks and Hairston replaced star players Kent Williams and Jermaine Dearman. The program didn't miss a beat and enters the 2005-06 season with a string of four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
"Our kids have really done a good job of being understudies in the past and then stepping up and taking different roles and not trying to replace the name that was such a big name the year before," Lowery said. "Learning leadership skills, learning and watching in tough times how the older guys would react, what to say, making plays at the end of the shot clock, doing the small things that we preach on a daily basis - they've done a tremendous job of doing those things."
Lowery said leadership must come from Tatum and fellow guard Tony Young, both juniors.
"Our older kids have taught our younger kids the way to be and the way to act in our program," he said.
School (First-Place Votes) Total
1. UNI (23) -- 379
2. Creighton (15) -- 372
3. Southern Illinois (1) -- 311
4. Missouri State -- 252
5. Wichita State -- 244
6. Bradley -- 226
7. Drake -- 141
8. Indiana State (1) -- 118
9. Evansville -- 90
10. Illinois State -- 67
Poll determined by panel of league sports information directors, media, and coaches.
2005-06 Preseason Team:
Nate Funk, Creighton, G, 6-3, 205, Sr., Sioux City (Iowa) Heelan High
Ben Jacobson, UNI, G, 6-3, 205, Sr., Sioux City (Iowa) East High
David Moss, Indiana State, G, 6-5, 195, Sr., Chicago (Ill.) Thornwood High
Marcellus Sommerville, Bradley, F, 6-7, 225, Sr., Peoria (Ill.) Central High
Jamaal Tatum, Southern Illinois, G, 6-2, 175, Jr., Jefferson City (Mo.) Helias High
Preseason Player of the Year -- Ben Jacobson, UNI
