PRESEASON LSC BASKETBALL POLL HAS LION MEN NINTH, WOMEN 11TH

Michelle Sutton

COMMERCE, Texas -- The Lone Star Conference has announced the preseason polls for the 2012-13 men's and women's basketball with the A&M-Commerce men being ranked ninth and the women checking in at 11th. The preseason poll was voted on by the conference's head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives from throughouth the region.

The Lion men garnered 91 points in the preseason poll, checking in at ninth four points behind eighth-place Angelo State. A&M-Commerce closed out the 2011-12 regular season in eighth in the LSC standings, falling to Midwestern State in the opening round of the Lone Star Conference tournament. Tarleton State was the preseason favorite with 269 points with Midwestern State (262), West Texas A&M (246), Incarnate Word (166) and Cameron (139) rounding out the top five.

A&M-Commerce's women's team checks in at 11th in the standings, where it finished the 2011-12 season. The Lions are looking to build off last year's season-ending victory over Angelo State as head coach Nicole Anderson has a good mix of returning veterans and talented newcomers heading into 2012-13. Reigning champion Tarleton State was picked first with 323 votes with West Texas A&M (303), Midwestern State (262), Angelo State (212) and Incarnate Word (211) rounding out the top-five.

We are less than two weeks from the start of the 2012-13 A&M-Commerce basketball season, which kicks off with the men's team facing St. Edward's in Austin on Friday, November 9. The first home games of the season will be on Tuesday, November 13 when the Lion men host Dallas Baptist at 7 p.m., followed by the women's season-opener against Southern Arkansas on Wednesday, November 14 at 7 p.m. at the Field House.

2012 Lone Star Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

2012 Lone Star Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Poll