Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Indiana State basketball team has been picked to finish third in the 2011-12 Missouri Valley Conference race. The defending State Farm MVC Tournament Champion Sycamores are also represented by sophomore Jake Odum on the Preseason All-MVC Team. The league's annual preseason poll is conducted by a vote of the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives.

The Sycamores earned a third place selection as they amassed 331 points and four (of a possible 40) first place votes. Creighton is the league's preseason favorite with 29 first place votes and 389 points. Wichita State garnered second place with seven first place votes and 350 total points.

Northern Iowa was picked fourth with 245 points, Evansville with 234 points and Missouri State rounded out the Top 6 with 216 points. Drake was picked seventh with 159 points while Illinois State was eighth with 111 points. Southern Illinois was picked ninth with 90 points and Bradley was 10th with 75 points.

Odum headlines a group of five players selected to the 2011-12 MVC Preseason All-Conference Team. Joining Odum are Creighton's Doug McDermott, Wichita State's Toure' Murry, Evansville's Coly Ryan and Missouri State's Kyle Weems. Weems is the league's preseason player of the year.

Indiana State has not been picked as high as third since the 2001-02 preseason poll when the Sycamores were also picked third. The Sycamores were picked to finish third in three consecutive seasons (1999-00, 00-01 & 01-02). Third place is the highest that any Sycamore team has ever been picked since the league began the practice of using preseason polls in 1985-86.

The Sycamores are in the midst of preseason practice and open up the season with its lone exhibition contest on Saturday, November 5 when they host Truman State at Noon (ET).