ST. LOUIS - Some quick takeaways from the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball poll, announced this morning at the league's media day:

Wichita State is NOT a unanimous choice to repeat at the champ. The 11th-ranked Shockers, who ran through the league undefeated a year ago while finishing 34-1 overall, picked up 45 of the possible 46 first-place votes. Illinois State received the other first-place vote. If I find out who picked the Redbirds, I'll report it.

Missouri State came in third. That's right on target, the way I see it. It's only the third time since 2000 that the Bears have been third or higher, the last time being in 2010-11 when they were picked second and wound up winning the league.

Northern Iowa returns all its key players and is a solid selection for second. After that, it's a made scramble. Evansville came as at No. 4 and I agree with that, though others might see that Purple Aces as being a question mark to climb all the way from eighth. They do have the league's scoring champ returning in D.J. Baletine.

Illinois State is picked for fifth. The Redbirds are perhaps the biggest wild-card team as coach Dan Muller's roster has been a revolving door during his first two seasons. Word is he has a lot of incoming talent - but will the roster upheaval continue? We'll see.

Indiana State could be a sleeper at No. 6. It would be surprising if the rest of the pack - Southern Illinois, Bradley, Drake or Loyola threatened the upper half of the standings.

The preseason all-Valley team is right on target with three Shockers - Fred Van Vleet, Ron Baker and Tekele Cotton. Balentine and Northern Iowa's Seth Tuttle round it out.

Missouri State's Marcus Marshall is among four honorable-mentions. Marshall was preseason all-Valley a year ago, but is coming off knee surgery that cut his sophomore season short. It would not be a surprise if Marshall played his way onto the first team by season's end.

I'll have more from media day later as coaches and players begin interview sessions later this morning.

MVC women's poll

(First-place votes in parentheses)

1. Wichita State (36) 395

2. Northern Iowa (2) 348

3. Drake (2) 315

4. Evansville 252

5. Indiana State 234

6. Missouri State 190

7. Loyola 166

8. Illinois State 125

9. Southern Illinois 116

10. Bradley 60

Preseason all-MVC

Kyndal Clark, 5-5 senior, Drake

Sara Dickey, 5-11 spohomore, Evansville

Alex Harden, 5-11 senior, Wichita State

Jen Keitel, 6-3 junior, Northern Iowa

Dvana Pierre, 6-2 junior, Southern Illinois

Lizzy Wendell, 6-0 sophomore, Drake