Agree 100%.
I think they deserve to be a top ten team right now.
The best west coast conference ever.
San Diego and santa clara should be dancing as well.
Have been looking for odds on west coast cant find them.
Conference Preseason polls info
- Thread starter shawn555
- Start date
Agree 100%.
I think they deserve to be a top ten team right now.
The best west coast conference ever.
San Diego and santa clara should be dancing as well.
Have been looking for odds on west coast cant find them.
Agree On San Diego, Santa Clara is borderline. Got about 10 of St. Marys games on the college package last year, Hope I get them this year too!
MAC
MAC
Kent State, Western Michigan Named Preseason Favorites
CLEVELAND ? For the second consecutive season, the Mid-American Conference announced today that Kent State (East Division) and Western Michigan (West Division) have been chosen as preseason favorites to win their respective divisions in men?s basketball. Voting was conducted by members of the MAC News Media Association. The MAC announces the top six teams in each division and the tournament winner in its preseason poll. The Golden Flashes were also tabbed to win the MAC Tournament.
Kent State finished last season with an overall record of 28-7 (13-3 MAC) and will be coming off its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 10 years. As the team enters its first season in the Geno Ford era, the Golden Flashes have their sights set on earning a second straight MAC Championship and extending its run of 10 consecutive 20-win seasons, a feat accomplish by just seven programs in the country. KSU welcomes back eight letterwinners, including three starters. Among those returning for the Golden Flashes is 2008 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American, Al Fisher. Fisher finished last season with 13.9 ppg., 4.0 apg and helped KSU earn a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest seed in school history. Fisher will highlight a core group of eight returnees that made up 65.1 percent of the offensive productive from last season.
The RedHawks were selected to finish second in the East Division and received seven votes to win the MAC Tournament Championship. Miami finished last season with a 17-16 overall record (9-7 MAC) and earned a berth in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) last season. The RedHawks will bring back 11 letterwinners, including four starters. Head Coach Charlie Coles welcomes back 2008 All-MAC second team selection Michael Bramos, as well as starters Tyler Dierkers, Kenny Hayes and Eric Pollitz. Overall, Miami returns 71.9 percent of its rebounding and 70.5 percent of its scoring from a season ago.
Bowling Green was selected to finish third in the East, while Akron was picked to finish fourth. Ohio and first-year head coach John Groce and Buffalo rounded out the East Division and were picked fifth and sixth, respectively. The Zips (NIT) and Bobcats (CBI) represented the MAC in postseason play last season.
Western Michigan received 15 first place votes to win the West Division and return a talented cast of eight letterwinners, including last year?s entire starting backcourt. Western Michigan finished 20-12 in 2007-08 and 12-4 in conference play to claim the MAC West and the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. 2008 All-MAC first team selection David Kool will return after leading the conference in scoring with 17.8 points per conference game and 16.3 points in all games.
Eastern Michigan received seven first place votes to win the West Division and two votes to win the MAC Tournament Championship. The Eagles welcome back 11 letterwinners, including three starters. Leading the charge in 2008-09 will be a trio of returning starters in point guard Carlos Medlock, wing Wendale Farrow and center Justin Dobbins. Medlock earned honorable mention All-MAC honors last year after finishing in the top nine in the MAC in five categories: eighth in scoring (14.8), fourth in assists (4.1), sixth in assists to turnover ratio (1.18), eighth in free throw percentage (.818) and ninth in three-point field goals made (2.03 per game).
Central Michigan was tabbed to place third in the West Division, while Toledo and new head coach Gene Cross were selected to finish fourth. Ball State and Northern Illinois rounded out the West Division predictions, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively.
The MAC regular season gets underway on Wednesday, November 12 as Miami faces off against Weber State in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Conference action begins on Saturday, January 10 as all teams will start to fight for position in the FirstEnergy Men?s Basketball Tournament that will take place on March 10, 12-14 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
2008-09 MAC Men?s Basketball Preseason Poll
MAC East Division
1. Kent State (16 first place votes) ? 124 points
2. Miami (6) ? 109 points
3. Bowling Green ? 70 points
4. Akron ? 67 points
5. Ohio ? 66 points
6. Buffalo ? 35 points
MAC West Divison
1. Western Michigan (15) ? 122 points
2. Eastern Michigan (7) ? 105 points
3. Central Michigan ? 79 points
4. Toledo ? 71 points
5. Ball State ? 55 points
6. Northern Illinois ? 39 points
Tournament Champion Votes:
Kent State (11), Miami (7), Bowling Green (2), Eastern Michigan (2)
Copyright 2008 - Mid-American Conference All Rights Reserved
MAC
Kent State, Western Michigan Named Preseason Favorites
CLEVELAND ? For the second consecutive season, the Mid-American Conference announced today that Kent State (East Division) and Western Michigan (West Division) have been chosen as preseason favorites to win their respective divisions in men?s basketball. Voting was conducted by members of the MAC News Media Association. The MAC announces the top six teams in each division and the tournament winner in its preseason poll. The Golden Flashes were also tabbed to win the MAC Tournament.
Kent State finished last season with an overall record of 28-7 (13-3 MAC) and will be coming off its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 10 years. As the team enters its first season in the Geno Ford era, the Golden Flashes have their sights set on earning a second straight MAC Championship and extending its run of 10 consecutive 20-win seasons, a feat accomplish by just seven programs in the country. KSU welcomes back eight letterwinners, including three starters. Among those returning for the Golden Flashes is 2008 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American, Al Fisher. Fisher finished last season with 13.9 ppg., 4.0 apg and helped KSU earn a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest seed in school history. Fisher will highlight a core group of eight returnees that made up 65.1 percent of the offensive productive from last season.
The RedHawks were selected to finish second in the East Division and received seven votes to win the MAC Tournament Championship. Miami finished last season with a 17-16 overall record (9-7 MAC) and earned a berth in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) last season. The RedHawks will bring back 11 letterwinners, including four starters. Head Coach Charlie Coles welcomes back 2008 All-MAC second team selection Michael Bramos, as well as starters Tyler Dierkers, Kenny Hayes and Eric Pollitz. Overall, Miami returns 71.9 percent of its rebounding and 70.5 percent of its scoring from a season ago.
Bowling Green was selected to finish third in the East, while Akron was picked to finish fourth. Ohio and first-year head coach John Groce and Buffalo rounded out the East Division and were picked fifth and sixth, respectively. The Zips (NIT) and Bobcats (CBI) represented the MAC in postseason play last season.
Western Michigan received 15 first place votes to win the West Division and return a talented cast of eight letterwinners, including last year?s entire starting backcourt. Western Michigan finished 20-12 in 2007-08 and 12-4 in conference play to claim the MAC West and the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. 2008 All-MAC first team selection David Kool will return after leading the conference in scoring with 17.8 points per conference game and 16.3 points in all games.
Eastern Michigan received seven first place votes to win the West Division and two votes to win the MAC Tournament Championship. The Eagles welcome back 11 letterwinners, including three starters. Leading the charge in 2008-09 will be a trio of returning starters in point guard Carlos Medlock, wing Wendale Farrow and center Justin Dobbins. Medlock earned honorable mention All-MAC honors last year after finishing in the top nine in the MAC in five categories: eighth in scoring (14.8), fourth in assists (4.1), sixth in assists to turnover ratio (1.18), eighth in free throw percentage (.818) and ninth in three-point field goals made (2.03 per game).
Central Michigan was tabbed to place third in the West Division, while Toledo and new head coach Gene Cross were selected to finish fourth. Ball State and Northern Illinois rounded out the West Division predictions, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively.
The MAC regular season gets underway on Wednesday, November 12 as Miami faces off against Weber State in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Conference action begins on Saturday, January 10 as all teams will start to fight for position in the FirstEnergy Men?s Basketball Tournament that will take place on March 10, 12-14 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
2008-09 MAC Men?s Basketball Preseason Poll
MAC East Division
1. Kent State (16 first place votes) ? 124 points
2. Miami (6) ? 109 points
3. Bowling Green ? 70 points
4. Akron ? 67 points
5. Ohio ? 66 points
6. Buffalo ? 35 points
MAC West Divison
1. Western Michigan (15) ? 122 points
2. Eastern Michigan (7) ? 105 points
3. Central Michigan ? 79 points
4. Toledo ? 71 points
5. Ball State ? 55 points
6. Northern Illinois ? 39 points
Tournament Champion Votes:
Kent State (11), Miami (7), Bowling Green (2), Eastern Michigan (2)
Copyright 2008 - Mid-American Conference All Rights Reserved
Spang,
Great stuff as always on the MAC.....i am a sucker for Miami, but they have to stay healthy. Lst year injuries derailed them.
Won some cash on them thorughout non conference play as an underdog.
Do you think they'll still be a solid OOC dog?
Otherwise, anything can happen in the MAC.
Great stuff as always on the MAC.....i am a sucker for Miami, but they have to stay healthy. Lst year injuries derailed them.
Won some cash on them thorughout non conference play as an underdog.
Do you think they'll still be a solid OOC dog?
Otherwise, anything can happen in the MAC.
TP, I think that Miami will be very tough despite the huge loss of Tim Pollitz who IMO was pound for pound the toughest player in the league. Bramos has to stay healthy for the Redhawks to make an impact. As I'm sure that you recall, he was hurting most of the year last season. It also will be good to see Charlie back on the bench.I think Miami is always a great dog play because they're smart and rarely beat themselves.
Akron will be the real question mark. They are so young but have several quality freshmen coming in. If a couple of those kids step up they will surprise some people.
Still, I think the east is Kent's to lose. Ford will do a good job of coaching and they have a nice juco talent coming in Tyree Evans. He's a real talent and will make an immediate impact if Ford can keep him out of jail. He's not the kind of guy that you would want to date your daughter.
Should be a fun season and I wish you the best.
Titans to rely on Akognon for stability
Big West basketball: CSF and UC Irvine take a back seat in the polls to CS Northridge.
IRVINE -- There are a lot of new faces at CS Fullerton, a semblance of normality at Long Beach State and optimism at UC Irvine.
However, as the Big West men's basketball coaches and select players converged upon the Irvine Hilton for the annual media day Wednesday, it was CS Northridge that was tabbed as this year's favorites.
The Matadors, led by senior forward Tremaine Townsend and guard Deon Tresvant received eight of the nine-first place votes in the coaches' poll and 14 of 20 in the media poll.
CS Fullerton, led by guard Josh Akognon, was picked to finish fourth in both polls. CSF coach Bob Burton is faced with the difficult task of trying to mesh together nine new players. CSF received one first-place vote in the media poll.
"We got two guys back and I don't even know the rest of the guys' on the team faces ?.I still have them practicing in name tags so I don't call them the wrong names," Burton joked.
One face that Burton will not have any trouble remembering is that of Akognon. Akognon declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft after last season, but ultimately decided to return for his senior season.
Burton said that Akognon will see some time as point guard this season.
"I really think he has an NBA career ahead of him," Burton said. "We felt that one of the great things about him testing the waters early was getting into those camps and for him to get the exposure and for him to find out what he has to do to play at that level."
Long Beach State coach Dan Monson finds himself in the direct opposite situation. The 49ers return all five starters from last year's team, including senior guard Donovan Morris.
Monson took over a team last year that had to replace the top eight scorers.
The 49ers were picked eighth in the coaches' poll, but fifth in the media.
"It is a lot easier for me because the players who in the program last year, help you coach," Monson said. "Last year, I had 14 freshmen. They were all trying to learn everything, our terminology, our expectations and it was very daunting to go through that.
"This year, the veteran players that have been here a year, they know the system, they know the expectations and that has made it a lot easier for me to coach."
UC Irvine was picked to finish sixth in both polls. The Anteaters return three starters and will be looking for a big year from senior center Kevin Bland."He came in as a heralded player last year," UCI coach Pat Douglass said. "He didn't have a great junior year, but he's really played well in practice so far.Bland averaged 5.8 points and 5.4 rebounds last season.The UC Riverside women's basketball team was picked to win the conference by both the coaches and media.
Big West basketball: CSF and UC Irvine take a back seat in the polls to CS Northridge.
IRVINE -- There are a lot of new faces at CS Fullerton, a semblance of normality at Long Beach State and optimism at UC Irvine.
However, as the Big West men's basketball coaches and select players converged upon the Irvine Hilton for the annual media day Wednesday, it was CS Northridge that was tabbed as this year's favorites.
The Matadors, led by senior forward Tremaine Townsend and guard Deon Tresvant received eight of the nine-first place votes in the coaches' poll and 14 of 20 in the media poll.
CS Fullerton, led by guard Josh Akognon, was picked to finish fourth in both polls. CSF coach Bob Burton is faced with the difficult task of trying to mesh together nine new players. CSF received one first-place vote in the media poll.
"We got two guys back and I don't even know the rest of the guys' on the team faces ?.I still have them practicing in name tags so I don't call them the wrong names," Burton joked.
One face that Burton will not have any trouble remembering is that of Akognon. Akognon declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft after last season, but ultimately decided to return for his senior season.
Burton said that Akognon will see some time as point guard this season.
"I really think he has an NBA career ahead of him," Burton said. "We felt that one of the great things about him testing the waters early was getting into those camps and for him to get the exposure and for him to find out what he has to do to play at that level."
Long Beach State coach Dan Monson finds himself in the direct opposite situation. The 49ers return all five starters from last year's team, including senior guard Donovan Morris.
Monson took over a team last year that had to replace the top eight scorers.
The 49ers were picked eighth in the coaches' poll, but fifth in the media.
"It is a lot easier for me because the players who in the program last year, help you coach," Monson said. "Last year, I had 14 freshmen. They were all trying to learn everything, our terminology, our expectations and it was very daunting to go through that.
"This year, the veteran players that have been here a year, they know the system, they know the expectations and that has made it a lot easier for me to coach."
UC Irvine was picked to finish sixth in both polls. The Anteaters return three starters and will be looking for a big year from senior center Kevin Bland."He came in as a heralded player last year," UCI coach Pat Douglass said. "He didn't have a great junior year, but he's really played well in practice so far.Bland averaged 5.8 points and 5.4 rebounds last season.The UC Riverside women's basketball team was picked to win the conference by both the coaches and media.
