Coming off an 18-12 overall record and a 13-9 league mark a season ago, the Bemidji State University men’s basketball team was tabbed to finish 12th in the 2013-14 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll Wednesday. The Beavers were pegged to finish sixth in the NSIC North Division, while senior forward Zach Noreen (Avon, Minn.) was deemed BSU’s Player to Watch.

Entering his second season as bench boss, head coach Mike Boschee welcomed 10 newcomers (seven true freshmen) to the program this fall. The Beavers earned 77 points in the overall poll and 25 points, plus a first place vote in the NSIC North poll.

The 2012-13 regular season and conference tournament champion, Minnesota State University, Mankato was slotted to finish first, as the Mavericks earned 15 of 16 first place votes and totaled 225 points. St. Cloud State University, 2012-13 North Champions, and Winona State University, 2012-13 Central Region Champions, each totaled 191 points to tie for second. Augustana College earned the final first place vote and 181 points for fourth, while Southwest Minnesota State University was named the fifth place team with 174 points.

In the North, SCSU earned seven first place votes and 49 points to sit first. Minnesota State University Moorhead was second (41 points) and University of Minnesota Duluth was third (30 points). Just five points separated third, UMD, and sixth, BSU.

The NSIC North Division Preseason Player of the Year was Brett Ervin from Minnesota Duluth. Minnesota State’s Assem Marei was named the NSIC South Division Preseason Player of the Year.

NSIC coaches rank each team from one to 15 with a first place vote receiving 15 points, second place 14, third place 13, etc. Coaches do not rank their own team or vote for their own players.

The regular season champion will be based on the 22-game NSIC schedule. Each team will play teams in their division twice (14) and teams in the other division once (8). An NSIC North and South Division Champion will be awarded. Divisional standings will also be based on all 22 NSIC contests played. In the case of a tie, co-champions will be awarded. The 16-team NSIC / Sanford Health Men’s Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championships are set to take place Sat.-Tues., March 1-4 at the Sanford Health Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. First round games will be played on the campus of the top eight seeds Wednesday, Feb. 26.