CHICAGO – The Horizon League announced Thursday (Nov. 5) the preseason poll for the upcoming 2020-21 basketball season, with the Flames slated to finish fifth in the 12-team league.
 
The preseason poll was voted on by the league's 12 head coaches, sports information directors and two media representatives from each school.
 
Reigning Horizon League regular-season champion Wright State was picked to repeat as conference champion this year, garnering 37 first place votes. Youngstown State, who fell to the Flames in the conference tournament quarterfinals a year ago, was picked to finish second and earned three first-place votes. Northern Kentucky collected the final four first-place votes and was slated to finish third in the league.
 
Conference newcomer Robert Morris was predicted to finish in fourth place this upcoming season, followed by the Flames in fifth place.
 
UIC opens its conference schedule on Dec. 19 and 20, playing host to Oakland. The complete conference schedule can be found here.
 
2020-21 #HLMBB Preseason Poll Results
Pl.         School (1st-place) – Votes
1.           Wright State (37) – 517
2.           Youngstown State (3) – 423
3.           Northern Kentucky (4) – 413
4.           Robert Morris – 345
5.           UIC – 312
6.           Oakland – 288
7.           Cleveland State – 283
8.           Green Bay – 253
9.           Detroit Mercy – 185
10.         Milwaukee – 172
11.         Purdue Fort Wayne – 127
12.         IUPUI - 114
 
#HLMBB Preseason Player of the Year
Loudon Love, Wright State
 
Preseason All-Horizon League First Team (alphabetical order by school)
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
Amari Davis, Green Bay
Marcus Burk, IUPUI
Loudon Love, Wright State
Darius Quisenberry, Youngstown State
 
Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team (alphabetical order by school)
Algevon Eichelberger, Cleveland State
Te'Jon Lucas, Milwaukee
Rashad Williams, Oakland
AJ Bramah, Robert Morris
Naz Bohannon, Youngstown State