FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – With the calendar set to flip to November, signaling the start of basketball season, Nova Southeastern will tip-off its 2019-20 campaign ranked as the No. 2 team in the nation following the release of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Preseason Poll on Tuesday.

The NABC is the second poll to list the Sharks at No. 2 after Street & Smith's did so back in September. Division II Bulletin, meanwhile, has NSU listed at No. 3 in its edition of the preseason rankings.

The Sharks return All-American Mark Matthews after ripping off a program-best 29 wins a year ago en route to the Elite Eight. The redshirt-senior will be joined alongside by sharp-shooters Mikkel Kolstad, Eddie Puisis and Nick Smith, who accounted for nearly 200 combined three-pointers last winter, with newcomers Jake Maranville, RJ Sunahara and Matt Weir also expected to make an impact.

Defending national champion Northwest Missouri State opens as the unanimous No. 1 team in the land after collecting all 16 first-place votes. Bellarmine enters at No. 3, followed by fourth-ranked West Liberty and No. 5 UC San Diego.

To view the complete NABC Preseason Poll, click here.

NSU will face Florida National in an exhibition contest on Sat., Nov. 9. To stay up-to-date with the Sharks throughout the season, follow them on Twitter @NSU_MBasketball.