BISMARCK, N.D. — Coming off the program’s 22nd NAIA National Tournament Appearance – all since 1998 – the Bellevue University men’s basketball team has been chosen second in the North Star Athletic Association Preseason Coaches’ Poll, as announced by the NSAA office on Monday.
Dickinson State University (17-13/6-6 NSAA) took home top billing with 29 points, coming off a season in which they tied for third in the regular season and reached the NSAA Tournament Championship where they fell to BU.
The Bruins and Blue Hawks shared six first place votes, with each team picking up three.
Bellevue (15-16/8-4 NSAA) and the University of Jamestown (17-12/12-8 GPAC) each received 27 points and share second in the preseason poll. The Jimmies return to the conference for the first time since the 2017-18 season after spending the past six seasons as a member of the GPAC.
Dakota State University (17-13/6-6 NSAA) picked up 18 points while Mayville State University (20-9/7-5 NSAA) collected 16 and Valley City State University (11-17/3-9 NSAA) rounded out the poll with nine.
Last season the Bruins took home their seventh NSAA regular season championship and fourth NSAA tournament title, the 15th time that BU has claimed both conference regular season and tournament crowns in the same season. The program has tallied 37 conference championships since winning their first during the 1997-98 season.
The Bruins return four players who started at least 10 games a season ago in senior point guard Christian Carter (5.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 57 assists), senior guard TJ Fritz (13.4 ppg, 79 3-fg, 43% 3-fg), senior center Emarr Vinson (6.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 59% fg), and freshman forward Liam Thompson (3.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 21 blocks).
Senior point guard Caleb Chiang (5.7 ppg, 38% 3-fg) and senior center Nigel Wilson (9.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 55 blocks) also return for the Bruins after playing significant minutes a season ago.
Bellevue welcomes several players into the fray that will be expected to be significant contributors, including a trio who redshirted a season ago in senior guard Raphael Allen (3.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg in 22-23), junior center RJ Smith (12.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 55% fg in 22-23 at Yuba College), and freshman forward Matt Mathok (Council Bluffs, Iowa/Abraham Lincoln HS) along with junior guard Willie Williams (15.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg), a transfer from the City College of San Francisco.
Bellevue opens the 2024-25 season when they host the Chick-fil-A Classic on Friday-Saturday, Nov. 1-2. The Bruins face Oakland City University at 7 p.m. on Friday before entertaining Peru State College at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
