SLIPPERY ROCK — The Slippery Rock University men’s basketball program has come full circle under coach Kevin Reynolds.

When Reynolds took the reins at SRU in 2008, opposing PSAC coaches didn’t know what his team had — and predicted The Rock to finish eighth in the Western Division.

This year, coaches don’t know what Reynolds has again — and predict The Rock to finish third in the league.

Two trips to the PSAC Championship Game and NCAA Division II Tournament in the past three years will do that.

“It’s based on reputation, sure,” Reynolds allowed. “I treat it as a compliment.”

Nonetheless, he has his work cut out for him this season.

The Rock returns only one starter — preseason All-PSAC West choice Tabari Perry (10.3 ppg., 6.3 rpg.) — from last year’s 23-9 PSAC finalist squad. One top reserve is back in senior guard Sa’Quan Davis (5.8 ppg.).

“Tabari can play all over the floor and that’s the kind of player we want,” Reynolds said. “Sa’Quan averaged about 20 minutes per game last year. We’re gonna need him to distribute a little better, create more opportunities for other guys.”

Other returnees include redshirt sophomore guards Jordan Grady, Chris Hays and Maxx Rynd.

Senior guard Josh Martin, a transfer from Bridgeport, and 6-4 junior guard Antionio Butler from Garrett College will join Davis in seeing time at point fguard.

Maurice Lewis-Briggs, a 6-8 senior center and transfer from Morehead State, figures to anchor the front-court.

Other additions include junior guards Matej Delinac (Marshalltown CC) and Abdul King (Kutztown), forward Kelvin Dixon (Iowa Western CC), sophomore guard T.J. Jones (St. Thomas Aquinas) and forward Erik Raleigh (Central Connecticut State).

Jones and Butler graduate Luke Hartung — a 6-4 guard and lone freshman on the roster — are expected to red-shirt. Junior forward Daivon Jackson is recovering from a knee injury.

“Schools like Gannon, California and Mercyhurst can recruit to a system,” Reynolds said. “We can’t do that and be successful here.

“We bring in players and try to figure out how to play to our strengths. The type of game we play changes from year to year, based on what we’ve got.”

That method has worked so far. Reynolds is 97-50 in his first five years at The Rock.

“We played 11 guys in our exhibition games against Southern Mississippi and Pitt,” Reynolds said. “It will take us a while to sort things out.

“Last year, we had eight guys average 20 to 29 minutes per game. This year, it will be more like nine or 10 guys averaging 15 to 26 minutes per game.”

SRU opens the regular season at 2 p.m. Saturday, facing Charleston in a tournament hosted by Shepherd in West Virginia.

PSAC Preseason Poll

West Division

1. Indiana (7)

2. Gannon (1)

3. Slippery Rock (1)

4. California

5. Pitt-Johnstown

6. Mercyhurst

7. Seton Hill

8. Edinboro

9. Clarion

East Division

1. West Chester (5)

2. East Stroudsburg (3)

3. Millersville

4. Bloomsburg

5. Mansfield (1)

6. Lock Haven

7. Cheyney

8. Kutztown

9. Shippensburg

(first-place votes in parentheses)

Preseason All-PSAC

West

Adam Blazek (Gannon), Bryan Theriot (Edinboro), Mathias Keita (Indiana), Tabari Perry (Slippery Rock), Mike Kromka (Clarion), Marcel Souberbielle (Indiana)

East

Dontahe Jordan (Bloomsburg), Joe Bell (Mansfield), Wali Hepburn (Lock Haven), Dylan Edgar (Shippensburg), Whis Grant (East Stroudsburg), Cory Blake (West Chester)