COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Saint John's University basketball team was ranked No. 13 in the Basketball Times Preseason Top 20 poll released Thursday, Oct. 22.

SJU returns three starters from the 2019-20 team (27-2, 19-1 MIAC), which tied the program record for single-season wins (1978-79), won its ninth MIAC regular-season title and seventh MIAC Playoff championship, and made its third consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament appearance. 

An All-MIAC first-team selection last season, senior post Zach Hanson (New Prague, Minn.) shot 56.7 percent (156-for-275) from the field and finished second on the team in scoring (13.3 ppg.), rebounding (6.0 rpg.) and blocked shots (13). He posted a .673 shooting percentage (68-for-101) with an average of 16.3 points and 7.7 rebounds over the Johnnies' final 10 games.

Senior wing Oakley Baker (Geneva, Minn./New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva) led SJU with 65 three-pointers, at a 40.9-percent clip, finished second in assists (72) and just missed double figures in scoring per game (9.8) a year ago. He is currently fourth in school history in three-point percentage (.425) and is tied for eighth with 150 career three-pointers.

Junior guard Colton Codute (Wayzata, Minn./Orono) led the Johnnies with 89 assists and finished second in three-pointers (58) and steals (24), and averaged 10.3 points per contest.

The Johnnies advanced to the third round (Sweet 16) of the NCAA Tournament, where they were scheduled to host St. Thomas (March 14), but the season abruptly ended with the NCAA's cancellation of all winter and spring championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. SJU ended the season ranked No. 2 nationally in the final D3hoops.com Top 25 poll.