ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released the 2024-25 Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll on Thursday and Crown was picked 4th.
The Polars placed fourth in the preseason poll with 31 points. Last year, Crown finished fifth in the UMAC with a 7-7 conference record, going 20-10 overall and eventually went on to win the NCCAA DII National Champiponship. Crown returns 4 of 5 starters and added a number of players to the mix.
Tyrus Buckner returns after averaging 18.3 ppg and 7.4 rpg.
Micah Ladd returns after leading the UMAC in assists and assists to turnover ratio. Ladd is just 28 assists shy of breaking the UMAC all-time record for career assists.
Carter Behne returns after averaging a career high 8.2 ppg last season.
2024-25 UMAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Bethany Lutheran | 48 (6)
2. UW-Superior | 41 (2)
3. Northwestern | 34
4. Crown | 31
5. North Central | 30
6. Minnesota Morris | 20
7. Martin Luther | 13
8. Northland | 7
The 2024-25 men's basketball regular season opens on Friday, November 8. The top four teams in the standings at the close of the regular season will compete in the UMAC Tournament, with the semifinals scheduled for Wednesday, February 26 and the championship game slated for Saturday, March 1. The tournament champion will receive the UMAC's automatic qualifying bid to the 2025 NCAA DIII Men's Basketball Championship to compete in the national tournament.
