Sunshine State Conference

2017-18 SSC Men’s Basketball Outlook, Barry Favored to Repeat

10.27.17

Head coaches select Barry to win a third consecutive SSC regular season title

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Sunshine State Conference men’s basketball coaches select Barry University to win its third consecutive regular season championship. The Buccaneers take the top spot following 95 total votes and six first-place votes in the preseason poll.

WATCH: 2017-18 Men’s Basketball Season Outlooks with SSC Head Coaches

Barry edges out Rollins College for the top spot in the coaches poll. The Tars, last year’s SSC tournament champs, tallied 87 total votes and three first-place votes. Three votes separate teams three through five, with the University of Tampa grabbing 68 votes, Eckerd College receiving 67 votes, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University garnering 65 votes. Embry-Riddle and Lynn University split the final two first-place votes.

During the 2016-17 season Barry (23-7, 13-5), Eckerd (21-9, 13-5), and Rollins (24-11, 12-6) gained entry into the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship Tournament. Barry defeated Eckerd (91-87) in the opening round of the tournament before falling in the next round to the University of Alabama - Huntsville (96-82). Hot-handed, Rollins rode into the NCAA tournament on an eight-game win streak. The Tars then took down Valdosta State University (89-85, OT), Delta State University (88-61), and Alabama-Huntsville (72-68) to win the regional tournament. Rollins’ season came to an end in the Elite Eight following a loss to Fairmont State University (86-68).  

In the Division II Bulletin Preseason Top-25, Rollins ranks No. 10 and Barry is pegged as No. 16. Additionally, Barry ranks No. 5 in Street & Smith’s preseason poll. SSC Player of the Year, Elvar Fridriksson, has been named a D2 Bulletin Super 16 (All-American) selection and a preseason All-American by Street & Smith's. Sam Daniel of Florida Tech is recognized by the D2 Bulletin as a preseason Honorable Mention All-American.

The 2017-18 season tips off with Saint Leo University and Palm Beach Atlantic University in California on November 3rd. Conference play begins with a full slate of games on November 15th.

Below are the full results of the 2017-18 SSC preseason coaches’ poll. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams (points: 11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first-place votes in parentheses).

2017 - 18 SSC MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL