FLASH FORWARD! SAINT FRANCIS U CHOSEN TO CAPTURE THE 2018-19 NEC MEN’S BASKETBALL TITLE

Somerset, NJ -- For the second straight year, Northeast Conference (NEC) head coaches have crowned Saint Francis U as the men’s basketball preseason favorite. The Red Flash, who are seeking the program’s first NEC title since 1991, received eight first place votes. The announcement of the annual preseason poll was made Wednesday during the seventh annual NEC Basketball “Social” Media Day at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Fairleigh Dickinson was picked second, followed by defending champion LIU Brooklyn in the third spot. Both school picked up a single first place vote. Wagner was tabbed fourth with Robert Morris fifth and Central Connecticut sixth in the rankings. St. Francis Brooklyn claimed the seventh spot and Bryant landed in the eighth position. Sacred Heart and Mount St. Mary’s rounded out the 10-team poll. Conducted annually, NEC coaches have only managed to correctly forecast the eventual league champion two times in the last 19 years. Over the last 31 years, the coaches have proven inaccurate on 27 occasions or 87 percent of the time.

2018-19 NEC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Saint Francis U (8) 2. Fairleigh Dickinson (1) 3. LIU Brooklyn (1) 4. Wagner 5. Robert Morris 6. Central Connecticut 7. St. Francis Brooklyn 8. Bryant 9. Sacred Heart 10. Mount St. Mary’s