City of Basketball Love

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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The Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) released its preseason men's basketball coaches poll on Wednesday, and it's a two-team race at the top.

Defending league champions Neumann University and Gwynedd Mercy University both received five first-place votes in the 10-team league, though it's Neumann who  rightfully has the target on its back, picking up 94 points to Gwynedd's 92. The Knights return most of the team that won the league and made the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance a year ago.

Cabrini, who'd won the league five straight times prior to last year's 93-92 OT loss in to Neumann in the championship, was picked third with 80 points overall.

"Knowing the strength of several of the teams in our conference, it is a great honor to be selected as the preseason favorite," Neumann head coach Jim Rullo said in the league's release. "I realize this could have easily been given to any number of different schools. Our expectation is to try and get better every day. We are hoping that a very challenging non-conference schedule will prepare our players for an even more demanding CSAC slate. We wish all the CSAC teams good luck this season."

Neumann, Cabrini and Gwynedd had incredibly similar records last year; Neumann was 17-11 (12-6 CSAC), Cabrini was 17-10 (13-5 CSAC) and Gwynedd 17-10 (11-7 CSAC), and it could be just as tight this year around, despite Cabrini losing a three-man senior class that included All-American Aaron Walton-Moss.

Picked behind that group in fourth is Centenary, who went 15-13 last year (11-7 CSAC), followed by Rosemont (13-13, 11-7) and Keystone (9-16, 9-9).

Immaculata, Marywood, Cairn and Summit University (formerly Baptist Bible) rounded out the poll.

CSAC Preseason Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
1. Neumann, 94 pts (5)
2. Gwynedd Mercy, 92 pts (5)
3. Cabrini, 80 pts
4. Centenary, 59 pts
5. Rosemont, 58 pts
6. Keystone, 49 pts
7. Immaculata, 46 pts
8. Marywood, 38 pts
9. Cairn, 18 pts
10. Summit, 16 pts