RICHARDSON, Texas - Midwestern State Men's Basketball landed 14^th in the Lone Star Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Poll as voted upon by coaches and representatives across the league on Monday afternoon. The Maroon and Gold earned 260 points in the poll, with transfer guard Aric Demings LSC Player to Watch honors.
 
Voters project DBU to win the LSC again after winning both regular season and tournament championships last season, taking first place in the poll. The Patriots garnered 841 points with 35 first place votes. Eastern New Mexico followed behind with 751 points and six first place votes. Lubbock Christian took third spot, racking up 735 points with two first place votes. St. Edward's followed in fourth with 670 points and one first place vote, while Western New Mexico landed fifth with 657 points and six first place votes. Outside the top five, West Texas A&M (7^th), Angelo State (8^th), and UT Tyler (10^th) all garnered one first place vote.
 
In addition to the poll, the LSC announced that Oklahoma Christian senior, Miles Gibson, was named the LSC Preseason Player of the Year.
 
Jon Trilli enters his second season as MSU Men's Basketball head coach, as the Mustangs look to build off a 8-19 season in 2025-26. MSU brings in 10 new Mustangs to the fold, while Tehshaundre Cole, Kadon Jackson, Levi Rutledge, and Charles McClennahan, Jr. all return for another season in Wichita Falls. Demings, a senior guard from DeSoto, Texas, comes to MSU from West Florida. A multi-level scorer, Demings posted 14.8 points per game with the Argonauts, slashing 49.0% shooting from the field, 46.3% from behind the arc, and 82.6% at the foul line.
 
The Mustangs begin their season at D.L Ligon Coliseum on Monday, Nov. 9 against McMurry, with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off set between the Mustangs and the Warhawks. All Midwestern State home games and all Lone Star Conference games can be streamed on FloCollege.