ST. LOUIS -- Indiana State junior guard Jordan Barnes has been named to the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason First Team as the annual preseason predictions were released today (Oct. 18) by the league office. The MVC Preseason predictions are conducted by a vote of league head coaches, sports information directors and a media panel.

Barnes was named the captain of the MVC Most Improved Team as well as an all-conference second team selection one year ago. He ranked third in the league with a 17.2 ppg average while his 17.2 ppg in league games was also third. Barnes topped the Missouri Valley Conference with 3.7 3-pointers made per game which ranked fourth-best nationally. He hit 117 3-pointers which was a new single season school record and the fourth-most ever in the history of the MVC (league record for a sophomore). Also steady at the free throw line he made 29 free throws in a row -- from January 17 through February 17 last season. Barnes connected on a career-high seven 3-pointers -- the most by a Sycamore in five seasons -- en route to scoring 23 points against Indianapolis. He also was the first Sycamore in 25 seasons to score at least 20 points in four consecutive games -- a run capped when he scored 22 points to lead ISU to a victory over Green Bay.

He drilled five 3-pointers and posted a career-high 27 points while pulling down a career-best nine rebounds in the home victory over Northern Iowa. Barnes paced the Sycamores with 19 points, hitting five 3-pointers and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the home win over Evansville and also led the team with 13 points in the regular season-finale win at Bradley which secured a spot in the 2018 MVC Tournament Quarterfinals.

He is joined on the MVC Preseason First Team by Clayton Cluster (Loyola), Phil Fayne (Illinois State), Armon Fletcher (Southern Illinois) and Milik Yarbrough (Illinois State). Custer was named the 2018-19 MVC Preseason Player of the Year. On the second team is Darrell Brown (Bradley), Keyshawn Evans (Illinois State), Cameron Krutwig (Loyola), Kavion Pippen (Southern Illinois) and Marques Townes (Loyola). 

The Sycamores have been picked to finish sixth in the MVC Preseason Poll. Loyola, who advanced to last season's Final Four after winning the regular season and Arch Madness is picked to win the league with 29 first place votes and 410 points. Illinois State, which garnered 10 first place votes, is second at 374 while Southern Illinois who earned four first place mentions is third at 362. Bradley was picked to finish to finish fourth with 305 points while UNI is fifth at 248 and Indiana State is sixth at 210. Behind the Sycamores are Valparaiso in seventh at 173, Missouri State in eighth at 125, Drake in ninth at 92 and Evansville rounds out the poll in 10th at 66 points.

This is a special season for the Sycamores as we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Indiana State reaching the NCAA Final Four and the National Championship Game against Michigan State. Still the highest rated college basketball broadcast in television history with 35.1 million viewers, we will take a closer look at the season when March Went Mad. The celebration will culminate with a special reunion on Saturday, January 19 when the Sycamores host Loyola. Tickets to the event are just $3 in the upper level and are on sale now.

Indiana State opens the 2018-19 campaign when they host Rose-Hulman in an exhibition contest on Thursday, November 1 at 7 pm (ET) inside Hulman Center. This game is a fundraiser for the Indiana State University build of a Habitat for Humanity house and all tickets to the game are available for just $5. All proceeds from the $5 ticket sales will go directly to the building of this Habitat for Humanity house. This game is part of the season ticket package and as such donation buckets for Habitat for Humanity will be available throughout the building on game night.