Oct. 25, 2011
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - After being picked to finish in the top-five the last five-consecutive seasons, the Illinois State women's basketball team was projected to finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll for the 2011-12 season, as voted on by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media.
Illinois State received 224 votes in the poll. Of the 29 preseason polls in conference history, the Redbirds have only been picked to finish out of the top-five 10 times. ISU was picked sixth just once before, in 1998-99, and finished ninth in the conference regular-season standings.
Missouri State is the preseason favorite to win the conference with 396 points and 36 first-place votes, followed by Northern Iowa (322) and Wichita State (315). Creighton (246), Indiana State (234) and Illinois State (224) round out the top-six teams. Along with Missouri State, Northern Iowa was the only other team to garner first-place votes with four.
Drake (168), Bradley (162), Evansville (68) and Southern Illinois (65) occupy the final four spots in the preseason poll.
Illinois State was selected to finish fourth during the 2010-11 season and ended the regular season in second place. The Redbirds have won at least 12 Valley games in each of the last five years.
2011-12 MVC Preseason Poll
1. Missouri State - 396 (36)
2. Northern Iowa - 322 (4)
3. Wichita State - 315
4. Creighton - 246
5. Indiana State - 234
6. Illinois State - 224
7. Drake - 168
8. Bradley - 162
9. Evansville - 68
10. Southern Illinois - 65
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