BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The Minnesota State men's basketball team has been selected as the favorite in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Poll, the league announced Friday morning. Senior guard Arhman Lewis was also named the Mavericks' Player to Watch for the 2026-27 season.
Minnesota State received 216 points and eight first-place votes in the overall poll. St. Cloud State was selected second with 211 points and six first-place votes. The Mavericks and Huskies tied atop the South Division standings with 45 points each, with St. Cloud State receiving four first-place votes and Minnesota State earning three.
Minnesota Duluth was picked third overall with 195 points and one first-place vote. The Bulldogs were selected to win the North Division. Southwest Minnesota State was fourth with 170 points, followed by Concordia-St. Paul with 153 points to round out the top five.
"What excites me most about this year's team is the way they're coming together," Minnesota State head coach Matt Margenthaler said. "We have a group that genuinely enjoys being around each other, is hungry to get better and understands we're building habits every day to be successful. We have talent, but what really excites me is our chemistry, our competitiveness and our willingness to work."
Margenthaler enters his 26th season at the helm of the Mavericks, owning a career record of 529-235 (.692). Minnesota State finished 21-12 overall and 13-9 in NSIC play during the 2025-26 season. The Mavericks have now posted 20 or more wins in three consecutive seasons and have reached the 20-win mark 16 times under Margenthaler's leadership.
A native of Madison, Wis., Lewis returns after earning First Team All-NSIC honors last season. He appeared in all 33 games and made 30 starts while averaging 12.3 points and a team-leading 5.8 assists per game. Lewis ranked second in the NSIC in assists and led the league with a 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. He also earned South Division Player of the Week honors twice during his first season with the Mavericks after transferring from Emporia State.
"Ahman has put together a really impressive preseason," Margenthaler said. "He's playing with confidence, has become more consistent and has shown a great understanding of what we need from him on both ends of the floor. He has the ability to impact the game in many different ways, and his experience and leadership are going to be very important to us this season."
Also returning for the Mavericks is senior guard Traijan Sain, who earned Second Team All-NSIC recognition in 2025-26. Sain appeared in 32 games and made 24 starts while averaging 12.6 points per game. He scored 404 points on the season, second-most on the team, and ranked third on the squad with 141 made field goals.
Minnesota State also returns Caden Kirkman, Will Opsahl and Carson Schweim, all of whom appeared in more than 25 games last season. Returning Mavericks Phoenix Childs, AJ Bender, Ganden Gasch and Colton Benson add further experience to the roster.
The Mavericks also welcome several newcomers, including Jamestown transfer Thomas Diew, along with junior-college transfers Aric Walls, Wylee Dauenbaugh and Preston Thielke. Freshmen Brock Badding and Bryce Ott round out the 2026-27 roster.
Minnesota State opens the 2026-27 season looking to build on its recent success and contend for both NSIC and NCAA regional championships.
