LOUISVILLE, Ky.--The National Association of Basketball Coaches released its NCAA Division II men's basketball preseason poll today, and Bellarmine University is picked at No. 2. The poll places BYU-Hawaii in the top spot. 

Both Bellarmine and BYU-Hawaii narrowly missed advancing to the Elite Eight last season, and each has been tabbed as preseason No. 1 by different publications.  Bellarmine fell in overtime to the eventual national champion Findlay in the Midwest Regional final last year and were picked No 1. by The Sporting News in this year's preseason publication.  BYU-Hawaii lost by a point to eventual national runner-up Cal Poly Pomona in the West Regional finals and were selected No. 1 in the preseason by The DII Bulletin.

 

Southwest Baptist is third in the NABC pre-season poll followed by defending national champion Findlay and another team from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, defending regional champion Central Missouri.

 

The next five is headed by Cal Poly Pomona – who dropped the national championship game on a buzzer-beater shot last season – Valdosta State, Florida Southern, Bentley and Augusta State.

 

The 11-through-15 spots in the poll are held by St. Cloud State, Metropolitan State, Grand Valley State, Tusculum--who will  visit Bellarmine's Knights Hall on Dec. 21-- and Merrimack, while the next five are occupied by Kutztown, Central Oklahoma, Indiana (Pa.), Johnson C. Smith and Winona State.  Humboldt State heads the group in the final five slots, followed by Southwest Minnesota State, Northern Kentucky, Delta State and Rollins.