Despite winning the regular season Northeast Conference title with a 14-2 record last year, the Robert Morris men’s basketball team was slated to finish third in the league in the NEC preseason coaches poll, announced Tuesday afternoon at NEC media day at the Barclay’s Center in New York City.

For the ninth straight year, Robert Morris was picked to finish in the top three. St. Francis Brooklyn and Central Connecticut State took the top two spots, and the Colonials didn’t receive any first place votes.

After averaging 13.9 points per game last season, senior Lucky Jones was selected to the 2014-15 Preseason All-NEC Team, along with the SFU’s Earl Brown, St. Francis Brooklyn forward Jalen Cannon, guard Dyami Starks of Bryant and CCSU’s Kyle Vinales.

The Colonials failed to make the NCAA Tournament last season by losing in the conference title game for the second time in three years. RMU was invited to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) for the second consecutive season, upsetting No. 1 seed St. John’s 89-78 on March 18.

Robert Morris, who returns three starters from last season’s squad, also added depth to a once shortened bench with the addition of five freshman and three transfers.

The Colonials begin the regular season in the Charles L. Sewall Center on Nov. 14 against Lafayette before participating in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament two days later against North Carolina in Chapel Hill.