SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The Susquehanna University men's basketball team has been picked to finish sixth in the Commonwealth Conference during the upcoming season, as selected by the league's eight head coaches and released by the conference on Monday.

The Crusaders return just one starter – senior power forward Bubba Mills – from a team that finished 15-9 overall and in fifth place in the conference last season with a 7-7 mark after being a unanimous pick to win the league title in last year's poll.

Head coach Frank Marcinek enters his 16th season with a 216-159 record as head coach of the Crusaders. He became the winningest coach in program history last season and equals Amos Alonzo Stagg, Jr. (1935-51) for the most seasons coached at Susquehanna this year.

Widener was picked by the coaches to win the Commonwealth regular-season title with 45 points, followed closely by Albright and Elizabethtown who tied with 41 points. Following the poll were Lebanon Valley, Messiah, Susquehanna, Juniata and Moravian.

The Crusaders open the 2004-05 season at Houts Gymnasium on Friday, November 19 at 8 p.m. against Elmira in the Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip Off Tournament.