MADISON, S.D. -- The Bellevue University men's basketball team has been picked to finish second in the nine-team North Star Athletic Association Preseason Coaches' Poll as announced by the conference office.

The Bruins earned 72 points in the poll, including a pair of first place votes, after sharing the league's regular-season title in 2015-16. Defending NSAA tournament champion Dakota State edged Bellevue and topped the poll with 79 points and seven first place votes.

Jamestown (57 points), Dickinson State (48), and Valley City State (47) rounded out the top five in the poll. Waldorf (38) was picked sixth followed by Viterbo (26), Presentation (24), and Mayville State (17).

Points are awarded on a 9-1 basis (9 for first, 8 for second, etc.) and coaches could not vote for their own team.

Each NSAA member will be playing a total of 16 conference games this season, with each team playing home and away against every school during the conference slate.

The conference season gets underway on Friday, Dec. 2. Bellevue plays their first NSAA game at Viterbo at 7:30 p.m.

The North Star Men's Basketball Postseason Tournament Champion will receive an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Tournament to be held in Point Lookout, Mo. The National Tournament takes place from Mar. 8-14.

Three conference teams earned NAIA National Tournament bids in 2015-16. Bellevue reached the tournament for the 14-straight season and Dakota State went for the second-straight year. Valley City State reached the Sweet 16.

Head Coach Shane Paben returns for his ninth season at the helm. BU has won or shared the conference regular-season championship in each of the last seven seasons under his guidance. The Bruins have also claimed five conference tournament titles during his tenure.

BU returns three letter-winners off last year's roster led by first team all-NSAA pick senior Mike Cardenas (13.5 PPG, 38.4% 3FG). Also returning are seniors Jerred Cook (7.2 PPG, 44.8% 3FG) and Tyler Morgan (2.4 PPG, 39.4% 3FG) as well as junior Jykwentin Johnson and sophomore Austin Moore, both of whom redshirted a season ago.

Bellevue has 11 players new to the roster entirely. There are 10 juniors – Terrance Wienecke (Fresno CC), Nick Hilton (Fresno CC), BJ Shelton (Fresno CC), Jaffrey Stillman (Fresno CC), Jalen Hall (Saddleback CC), Blake Wilder (Iowa Lakes CC), Isaiah Brown (Monterey Peninsula College), Shelton Black (Cabrillo College), and Ty Anderson (St. Mary) – and two freshmen in Garrett Ford (Eleanor Roosevelt HS/Eastvale, Calif.) and Brian Stokes (Omaha North HS/Omaha, Neb.).

The Bruins open their season at the York College Classic on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 28-29.

Bellevue fans can catch their first glimpse of this year's team on Wednesday, Nov. 2 when BU hosts Grace University at 5:30 p.m. in their home-opener.

2016-17 NSAA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

* First place votes in parentheses