HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky men's basketball was tabbed third in the Horizon League Preseason Poll and both Trevon Faulkner and Marques Warrick were placed on the Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team the league office announced on Tuesday afternoon. The results were based on voting by the Horizon League coaches, athletic communications directors and members of the media.
 
This marks the fifth-straight season in which the Norse were chosen in the top-three of the preseason poll. Based off of winning percentage, Northern Kentucky has finished no worse than third in each of the first four seasons of that stretch. In fact, NKU has finished no worse than third in each of the last five seasons altogether, which includes two regular-season championships (2018, 2019). Since the start of the 2016-17 campaign, Northern Kentucky has qualified for three NCAA Tournaments and one NIT. Its 73-28 record against league competition since 2016-17 trails only Wright State by one game (74-27).
 
Faulkner garnered recognition on the All-Horizon League Second Team last season after finishing the year averaging 16.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game. With 965 career points, the Harrodsburg, Kentucky (Mercer County), native enters the 2021-22 campaign needing 35 points to become the 30^th member of NKU's 1,000-point club.
 
Warrick is the reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Year who, in addition to highlighting the all-freshmen team, was placed on the All-Horizon League Third Team last year. He averaged 15.8 points per game and poured in at least 20 points 10 times. The native of Lexington, Kentucky (Henry Clay), was also named Horizon League Freshman of the Week seven times.
 
The Norse return a bevy of experience in addition to Faulkner and Warrick, including 91 percent of the team's scoring, 87 percent rebounding and 84 percent of the minutes played. Among those returners are Adrian Nelson, who averaged 10.0 rebounds per game and was one of the country's most efficient scorers with the third-best effective field goal percentage (68.8) according to KenPom.com, and Bryson Langdon, who contributed 10.7 points and 4.0 assists per game. NKU also welcomed transfers Chris Brandon (Detroit Mercy) and Seybian Sims, as well as freshmen Sam Vinson (Fort Thomas, Kentucky/Highlands), Isaiah Mason (Bowling Green, Kentucky/Bowling Green), Imanuel Zorgvol (Paramaribo, Suriname/Central Florida Christian Academy) and Hubertas Pivorius (Vilnus, Lithuania/Christopher Columbus (Fla.)).
 
NKU opens the season against Wheeling on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at BB&T Arena and then hosts reigning SOCON regular-season and tournament champion UNC Greensboro on Friday, Nov. 12. Season tickets are currently on sale. For more information visit NorseTickets.com or contact Micki Ford (fordm10@nku.edu; 859-572-7848).
 
2021-22 #HLMBB Preseason Poll Results
Pl.           School (1st-place) – Votes
1.            Cleveland State (30) – 502
2.            Wright State (9) – 463
3.            Northern Kentucky (1) – 406
4.            Milwaukee (2) – 396
5.            Detroit Mercy (2) – 350
6.            Oakland – 340
7.            Youngstown State – 214
8.            UIC – 204
9.            Purdue Fort Wayne – 169
10.         RMU – 157
11.         Green Bay – 146
12.         IUPUI – 85
 
Preseason Player of the Year
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
 
Preseason All-League First Team (alphabetical order by school)
Torrey Patton, Cleveland State
Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy
Patrick Baldwin Jr., Milwaukee
Jalen Moore, Oakland
Grant Basile, Wright State
 
Preseason All-League Second Team (alphabetical order by school)
DeAndre Gholston, Milwaukee
Trevon Faulkner, Northern Kentucky
Marques Warrick, Northern Kentucky
Jarred Godfrey, Purdue Fort Wayne
Tanner Holden, Wright State