November 12, 2007

The final countdown is on to the tip-off of the 2007-08 basketball season. All nine teams in the SLIAC on both the men's and women's side open play this weekend and will have only 3.5 weeks until conference play begins on Wednesday, December 5. This year's conference race looks to be tight among the men, while the women will be looking to spoil Maryville University's 60-game regular season conference win streak.

Here's a look at the 2007-08 men's and women's basketball pre-season coaches' polls...

MEN'S BASKETBALL PRE-SEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Fontbonne (5)
2. Webster (4)
3. Westminster (Mo.)
4. Greenville
5. Maryville (Mo.)
6. Eureka
7. Blackburn
8. MacMurray
9. Principia

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRE-SEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Maryville (Mo.) (7)
2. Fontbonne (1)
3. Greenville
4. Principia
5. Eureka
    Webster
7. Westminster (Mo.)
8. Blackburn
9. MacMurray