Conference

NBC Sports College Basketball Talk Mid-Major Power Rankings

Brooklyn, NY -- The two-time defending Northeast Conference champion LIU Brooklyn men's basketball team was ranked No. 12 in the Preseason Mid-Major Power Rankings, according to NBC Sports College Basketball Talk. The Blackbirds were the only NEC team selected by the online publication.

Four starters return from last season's championship squad, including NEC Player of the Year Julian Boyd, All-NEC First Team selection Jamal Olasewere and All-NEC Second Team honoree Jason Brickman.

Boyd and Olasewere comprise the top scoring duo (34.3 ppg) amongst NCAA Division I players returning from last season, while Brickman averaged 7.3 assists in 2011-12 and is the second-leading assist man in the nation returning from last year.

The Blackbirds will open their 2012-13 campaign on Friday, Nov. 9 at Barclays Center against Morehead State. The contest, set for 5:45 p.m., will be the first college basketball game ever played at the brand-new arena located less than a mile from LIU Brooklyn's campus.

NBC Sports College Basketball Talk Mid-Major Power Rankings (Oct. 10, 2012)
1. Creighton
2. North Texas
3. Drexel
4. South Dakota State
5. Davidson
6. Murray State
7. Valparaiso
8. Bucknell
8. Lehigh
10. Montana
11. Ohio
12. LIU Brooklyn
13. Northern Iowa
14. Detroit
15. Long Beach State