RICHARDSON, TX (10.21.14) - The UT Dallas men's basketball team received 9-of-26 first-place votes to earn a second-place nod in the American Southwest Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Poll, released Tuesday morning.

COMPLETE ASC RELEASE

The Comets posted a 27-4 overall record in 2013-14 and led the ASC with a 20-2 mark en route to a return trip to the NCAA Division III "Sweet 16". However, the loss of several key contributors to last year's squad led to doubt in the voters' minds as UTD finished second in the preseason poll behind league favorite Hardin-Simmons.

Hardin-Simmons also garnered nine first-place votes and edged the Comets by just six points in the voting, finishing with 234 points. UTD collected 228 points. Mary Hardin-Baylor was third in the poll with 210 points while Concordia Texas was a close fourth with 205 points. Both teams earned three first-place votes each. Louisiana College and Texas-Tyler tied for fifth with 163 points each while East Texas Baptist was seventh at 116, Sul Ross State eighth at 95, Howard Payne ninth at 73, Ozarks 10th at 58 and LeTourneau 11th at 40.

UTD seniors Matthew Medell and Nolan Harvey have been listed on the ASC's Preseason Watch List. Medell was a second team All-ASC pick as a junior after averaging 15.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Medell ranked 15th in the ASC in scoring and fourth in field goal percentage (54.8%) as a junior., Harvey contributed 13.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game as a junior as he was named third team All-ASC. Harvey ranked fourth in the league in both three-point percentage (44.9%) and free-throw percentage (84.2%).

The Comets open the 2014-15 campaign on Saturday, Nov. 15, when they host Texas Lutheran for Homecoming. Game time is 3 p.m. at the UTD Activity Center.