D3hoops.com Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Saint John's University basketball team was ranked No. 12 in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25 poll released Tuesday, Oct. 29.

Two other MIAC schools were ranked in the top 25, St. Thomas at No. 15 and Augsburg at No. 23.

The Johnnies were ranked No. 3 nationally by Street & Smith's magazine earlier this fall.

SJU (23-5, 17-3 MIAC) won its sixth MIAC Playoff championship in program history (first since 2001) and made its second consecutive national tournament appearance in 2018-19, ending the season ranked No. 23 nationally. The Johnnies ended the 2018-19 season as the Division III statistical leader in shooting percentage (.536), second in rebound margin (+12.6 rpg.), third in scoring margin (+18.0 ppg.) and eighth in three-point percentage (.407).

The Johnnies open the 2019-20 season against No. 8 Nebraska Wesleyan - the first of two non-conference games Nov. 8-9 in Superior, Wis. - which went 27-2 last season and 30-3 en route to the 2018 NCAA Division III title. The Johnnies will play either Marian (Wis.) or host Wisconsin-Superior the following day. 

Non-conference play continues with a trip to Minnesota-Morris Nov. 13 before SJU hosts Carleton Nov. 20. The ledger consists of four straight road games after that, including two in Oregon Dec. 20-21 at Linfield and Willamette, respectively.

The D3hoops.com top-25 poll is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, sports information directors and media members from across the country, and is published weekly. Points are awarded on a 25-24-23-22-etc. basis.