One year after sharing the regular season title in the Summit League, the South Dakota State men are once again considered one of the top teams in the conference.

The Jackrabbits are second in the league's pre-season poll, picking up nine first place votes, trailing only to pre-season favorite Fort Wayne. The Mastodons were last season's regular season co-champion with SDSU.

South Dakota State, and new head coach T.J. Otzelberger, tipoff the season November 3 with an exhibition game with South Dakota Mines, in Brookings. The regular season starts November 11 at California.

South Dakota is seventh in the pre-season poll. The Coyotes open the season at Drake, November 11.

SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S BASKETBALL 2016-17 PRE-SEASON POLL

  1. Fort Wayne
  2. South Dakota State
  3. North Dakota State
  4. Omaha
  5. IUPUI
  6. Oral Roberts
  7. South Dakota
  8. Denver
  9. Western Illinois

SDSU's Mike Daum is the Summit League's pre-season Player of the Year after winning both the Freshman of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year awards last season. He averaged 17 points and seven rebounds per league game as a freshman.

PRE-SEASON ALL SUMMIT LEAGUE FIRST TEAM

  • G - Darell Combs (IUPUI) - Senior
  • G - Garret Covington (Western Illinois) - Senior
  • G - Jon Konchar (Fort Wayne) - Sophomore
  • G - Tra-Deon Hollins (Omaha) - Senior
  • G - Paul Miller (North Dakota State) - Junior
  • F - Mike Daum (South Dakota State) - Sophomore

PRE-SEASON SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • Mike Daum - South Dakota State

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