(HALIFAX, N.S.) - In a close vote by the conference's head coaches, the Saint Mary's Huskies edged out defending champion Dalhousie by a three-point margin, in the 2015-16 pre-season coaches poll.
This marks the first year for the AUS pre-season coaches' poll, which is voted on by the league's eight head coaches, who are not permitted to vote for their own teams.
The Huskies, AUS championship finalists last season, received three first-place votes and 43 total points in the poll. The Tigers, fresh off an 88-78 AUS final win over the Huskies came in second with 40 points including one first place vote.
The Memorial Sea-Hawks and UPEI Panthers each received a pair of first place votes from the league's coaches to rank third and fourth respectively in the poll. Last year, Peter Benoite's Sea-Hawks made their first playoff appearance since the 2005-06 season and will now look for their first post-season victory since 2002.
The Panthers, with just one AUS title in the past 26 campaigns, will look to have another great season from Tyler Scott who finished second in CIS scoring last year with 23.9 points per game .
The Cape Breton Capers picked up 19 points in the poll to rank fifth while the StFX X-Men, who missed the playoffs last year for the first time under coach Steve Konchalski, were sixth with 17 points.
The UNB Varsity Reds, last season's top team in the regular season with a 16-4 record, received 16 points in the voting placing them seventh in the poll. Reigning CIS scoring leader Javon Masters returns for a third year to continue his assault on the AUS and UNB record books. The Acadia Axemen, coming off a 2014-15 season in which they went 5-15, rounded out the poll in eighth spot with 13 points.
2015-16 AUS Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Saint Mary's (3), 43 pts.
2. Dalhousie (1), 40 pts.
3. Memorial (2), 39 pts.
4. UPEI (2), 37 pts.
5. Cape Breton, 19 pts.
6. StFX, 17 pts.
7. UNB, 16 pts.
8. Acadia, 13 pts.
The 2015-16 regular season gets underway this weekend with eight games.
Fri. Nov. 6 - StFX at UPEI, 8:00 PM
Fri. Nov. 6 - UNB at Dalhousie, 8:00 PM
Fri. Nov. 6 - Acadia at Cape Breton, 8:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 7 - StFX at UPEI, 4:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 7 - Saint Mary's at Memorial, 8:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 7 - Acadia at Cape Breton, 8:00 PM
Sat. Nov. 7 - UNB at Dalhousie, 8:00 PM
Sun. Nov. 8 - Saint Mary's at Memorial, 1:00 PM
For the full 2015-16 AUS men's basketball schedule, click here. All games will be webcast live at www.AUStv.ca.