CARBONDALE - In what could be the year of the newcomer in the Missouri Valley Conference, it was encouraging for Southern Illinois University's men's basketball team to have one of its own on the preseason team Tuesday.

Senior Tony Freeman, the only redshirt off last year's 13-18 squad and the only fifth-year player on this year's team, joined five others on the league's preseason all-conference team at media day. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Iowa transfer had to help the Salukis from the bench last season, as he was able to practice and travel with the team but not play via NCAA rules.

He will start his final collegiate season as one of the six best projected players in the Valley, along with preseason player of the year Osiris Eldridge of Illinois State, guards Kwadzo Ahelegbe of Northern Iowa, P'Allen Stinnett of Creighton, Josh Young of Drake and Panthers forward Adam Koch.

"All you can do is practice with the guys, but when it comes time to proving a point, and actually playing in a game, you can't do that stuff, so, that's where the frustration set in," Freeman said at the Sheraton City Center in St. Louis. "So, I'm definitely ready to go this year."

Saluki guard Kevin Dillard, last year's MVC freshman of the year, said SIU was ready to go behind him.

"He can shoot. He's a leader on the team this year," he said. "We got to play for him, and that's what coach always says, and that's what we're going to take pride in doing. This is his last season, and we want to make sure he has a good one."

SIU has 10 newcomers this season, including Freeman, and might not have the league's newcomer of the year. Jake Kelly, a 6-6 junior guard who transferred in from Iowa, received a hardship waiver from the NCAA and could play a big role with Indiana State. Kelly joins Dillard and four others on the honorable mention all-conference list. Then there's 6-10 sophomore center Bryan Bouchie of Evansville, who sat out last season after transferring from Valparaiso, and Bradley guard Andrew Warren, who missed the 2008-09 campaign with a broken foot.

Bouchie averaged seven points and 3.3 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2007-08. Warren, a 6-5 junior, averaged 13.2 points per game and was a preseason all-conference honorable mention pick in 2007-08.

Defending league champ Northern Iowa was picked to repeat in the preseason poll, receiving 38 of 39 first-place votes and 389 points. Panthers coach Ben Jacobson has all five starters back from UNI's record-breaking 23-11 squad, which tied the school mark for wins and captured its first regular-season title.

Creighton received the other first-place vote and came in second with 336 points. Illinois State (299), SIU (272) and Wichita State (216) rounded out the top five. Bradley (208), Indiana State (173), Drake (105), Missouri State (92) and Evansville (55) rounded out the list.

It was the Salukis' lowest finish in the poll since 2003-04. However, SIU won the league title that year, as the favorite, Wichita State, finished tied for second.

The Salukis are coming off their first losing season since 1997-98 but could be in position to climb back into the upper tier of the conference. Five of SIU's top nine of last season return, including three players that started at least one game. Of the 10 newcomers, four of them are upperclassmen.

"Everybody brings their own unique talent, and I think once everybody learns the system, and things like that, it's going to be hard to match up with us," Dillard said.

SIU opens the season Saturday night in an exhibition game against Henderson (Ark.) State. Tipoff is set for 3:05 p.m. at SIU Arena.

todd.hefferman@thesouthern.com / 618-351-5087

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