Despite the fact that Binghamton University’s men’s basketball team is returning only seven players, it finds itself in nearly the same position it was in exactly a year ago — as far as the preseason coaching poll is concerned, anyway.

The Bearcats, who were ranked fourth in the America East Coaches’ Preseason Poll before last season, were recently voted to be the fifth-best team in the nine-team conference. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.

Does this mean that all of Binghamton head coach Kevin Broadus’ claims that his team was striving to reach the “upper echelon of the America East” were all for naught? No, according to Broadus.

“I don’t know how much stock I put in these preseason polls,” he said. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where they pick you; it’s where you finish. We’re working hard to get to the top, to finish up there with Boston, Vermont, UMBC.”

Broadus added that if everything was decided by the preseason polls, then the season would not be worth playing.

Nobody can tell just how this season will end for the ultra-talented yet unfamiliar Bearcats team, which is only returning seven players. At this point, the starting lineup is essentially a toss up.

“We’ve got eight or nine guys that could be starters,” Broadus explained.

When asked about what would change if coaches were allowed to vote for their own teams, Broadus responded, “I don’t know where I would vote us. I don’t know how our guys are going to play together.”

Last year’s fifth-ranked team in the preseason poll, UMBC, happened to make it to the NCAA tournament after winning the America East Conference tournament. The Bearcats hope to enjoy a similar story in 2009.

Injury Update: Chretien Lukusa’s toe is not broken; he has been practicing with the team. D. J. Rivera has missed a week of practice due to a concussion and he will return to action this Wednesday.