MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State men's basketball team is ninth in the preseason National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Preseason Top 25, released Tuesday.  
 
The Mavericks received 198 points in the poll and finished the 2025-27 season with a 21-12 record overall and a 13-9 mark in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play, losing to St. Cloud State in the semifinals of the conference tournament.  
 
Headlining the preseason poll is Nova Southeastern who garnered 387 points and seven of 16 first-place votes, followed by Washburn with 362 points and three first-place votes, while defending national champion Gannon sits third with 342 points and six first-place nods.  West Liberty is fourth, followed by Dallas Baptist to round out the top five.  Sitting sixth is Black Hills State, followed by Lander, Cal State East Bay, MSU and West Alabama rounds out the top ten. 
 
St. Cloud State is 22^nd in the poll to begin the season, while Minnesota Duluth is receiving votes.  The Mavericks open the 2026-27 season Nov. 13 in Kansas City, Mo., facing Missouri S&T at 12 p.m., and then face No. 2 Washburn on Nov. 14 at 4 p.m.  The Mavericks open the 2026-27 season inside The Taylor Center on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. versus Dakota State.  
 
MSU was tabbed as NSIC preseason favorites in both the overall standings and tied for the South Division title with St. Cloud State.  MSU head coach Matt Margenthaler returns for his 26^th season at the helm, owning a career record of 529-235 (.692).  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.
 
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