Eastern Michigan Athletics
Men's Basketball Picked as Favorite in MAC West for 2016-17
10/28/2016 10:31:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Eagles receieved 20 more points than Ball State to take the top spot in the division
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — After receiving votes from the conference's 12 head coaches and a 24-member media panel, the Mid-American Conference announced Friday, Oct. 28, that the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team was selected as the preseason favorite to win the MAC West Division for the upcoming 2016-17 campaign. The Eagles received 178 total points, which was 20 points more than the next closest in the division. In addition, EMU sophomore James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) was named to the preseason All-MAC West Division Team.
"We're very excited about our core group returning this season," remarked sixth-year Head Men's Basketball Coach Rob Murphy. "Our experience, with worthy additions, will bode well as we compete for a MAC Championship in one of the toughest mid-major basketball leagues in the country."
Following the Green and White in the MAC West Division, was Ball State with 158 points, then Northern Illinois (148), Toledo (100), Western Michigan (95) and Central Michigan (77). Eastern Michigan also received the most first-place votes in the West with 16, while BSU took 12, NIU grabbed five, the Chippewas earned two and UT snagged a single first place vote.
On the other side of the conference, Akron was selected as the favorite in the MAC East with 194 points, but Ohio did not trail by much, racking up 190 points in the poll. Buffalo was selected third with 144 points, followed by Kent State (116), Bowling Green (63) and Miami (49). Despite being selected second in the division, Ohio earned the most first place votes on the East side of the preseason poll with 16, while Akron earned 15 and Buffalo was awarded five.
In addition to being named the favorite in the East, the Zips earned the most votes as the predicted 2017 MAC Tournament Champion with 15. Ohio was next in line with 11, followed by EMU (3), Buffalo (2), NIU (2), CMU (1), the Golden Flashes (1) and Miami (1).
Following an outstanding freshman season where he was named MAC Freshman of the Year, Thompson was named to the Preseason All-MAC West Division Team. The 6-foot-10 front court member was the only underclassmen on either side of the conference to earn a preseason distinction. A season ago, Thompson scored 490 points, notching the most points scored by a freshman in Eastern Michigan history. In addition, Thompson pulled down 352 rebounds, good for the third-best total in a single season at EMU. Finally, his 64.5 field goal percentage ranks second all-time in single season history for Eastern and if the Baton Rouge, La. native can keep that pace through his career, he will hold the all-time career record at EMU. After one season donning the Green and White, Thompson has already placed himself inside the top-100 in EMU history for both rebounding and scoring. The 6-foot-10 front-court player is begins the 2016-17 season 98th on the all-time scoring list and 51st on the rebounding list.
In addition to the reigning rebounding champion and MAC Freshman of the Year in Thompson, the Eagles return a plethora of talent to its lineup. Redshirt senior Ray Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) returns for his final season donning the Green and White. Lee is the active leading scorer in the Mid-American Conference with 1,418 career points, a total which ranks 15th all-time in EMU laurels. The Green and White bring back its top-four scorers from a year ago and lose just one of its top-six point getters. Lee (15.1 ppg) leads the way, while Thomspon (14.8 ppg), Willie Mangum IV (Richmond, Va.-Marshall (San Jacinto College)) (12 ppg) and Ty Toney (Atlanta, Ga.-Alpharetta (Georgia Highlands)) (11 ppg) each make their return to the squad. Additionally, Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College) returns to the lineup after posting 8.8 points per contest. In total, the Eagles bring back 60.7 points per game from a year ago, which is good for 78.4 percent of last season's offensive output. Of those 60.7 points per contest, 46 points came from returners in the starting lineup.
The Green and White open up the 2016-17 slate Friday, Nov. 11, when it travels to Pittsburgh, Pa. to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers at 7 p.m. from the Peterson Event Center. That game will be the first-of-four games the Eagles will play within the 2016 2K Classic. EMU's first home game is Wednesday, Nov. 15, when it hosts Rochester College for an 11 a.m. tip at the Convocation Center.
Eastern will begin the Mid-American Conference portion of the schedule Tuesday, Jan. 3, when Central Michigan comes to Ypsilanti for a 7 p.m. matchup at the Convocation Center. With all 12 teams participating in the MAC Tournament, the postseason will open with first round games Monday, March 6, at campus sites. The final three rounds of the tournament will be played at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, March 9-11.
Eastern Michigan men's and women's basketball tickets are now available for purchase at EMUEagles.com/tickets, by calling 734.487.2282, or by visiting the EMU Ticket Office daily between 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
2016-17 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
East Division Predicted Order of Finish
1. Akron (15 first place votes) – 194 points
2. Ohio (16) – 190 points
3. Buffalo (5) – 144 points
4. Kent State – 116 points
5. Bowling Green – 63 points
6. Miami – 49 points
West Division Predicted Order of Finish
1. Eastern Michigan (16) – 178 points
2. Ball State (12 first place votes) – 158 points
3. NIU (5) – 148 points
4. Toledo (1) – 100 points
5. Western Michigan – 95 points
6. Central Michigan (2) – 77 points
2017 MAC Tournament Predicted Champion: Akron (15), Ohio (11), Eastern Michigan (3), Buffalo (2), NIU (2), Central Michigan (1), Kent State (1), Miami (1).
Preseason All-MAC East Division Team
Isaiah Johnson, Sr., C, Akron
Blake Hamilton, Sr., W, Buffalo
Jimmy Hall, Sr., F, Kent State
Antonio Campbell, Sr., F, Ohio
Jaaron Simmons, Jr., G, Ohio
Preseason All-MAC West Division Team
James Thompson IV, So., F/C, Eastern Michigan
Franko House, Sr., F, Ball State
Marin Maric, Sr., C, Northern Illinois
Jonathan Williams, Sr., G, Toledo
Thomas Wilder, Jr., G, Western Michigan
"We're very excited about our core group returning this season," remarked sixth-year Head Men's Basketball Coach Rob Murphy. "Our experience, with worthy additions, will bode well as we compete for a MAC Championship in one of the toughest mid-major basketball leagues in the country."
Following the Green and White in the MAC West Division, was Ball State with 158 points, then Northern Illinois (148), Toledo (100), Western Michigan (95) and Central Michigan (77). Eastern Michigan also received the most first-place votes in the West with 16, while BSU took 12, NIU grabbed five, the Chippewas earned two and UT snagged a single first place vote.
On the other side of the conference, Akron was selected as the favorite in the MAC East with 194 points, but Ohio did not trail by much, racking up 190 points in the poll. Buffalo was selected third with 144 points, followed by Kent State (116), Bowling Green (63) and Miami (49). Despite being selected second in the division, Ohio earned the most first place votes on the East side of the preseason poll with 16, while Akron earned 15 and Buffalo was awarded five.
In addition to being named the favorite in the East, the Zips earned the most votes as the predicted 2017 MAC Tournament Champion with 15. Ohio was next in line with 11, followed by EMU (3), Buffalo (2), NIU (2), CMU (1), the Golden Flashes (1) and Miami (1).
Following an outstanding freshman season where he was named MAC Freshman of the Year, Thompson was named to the Preseason All-MAC West Division Team. The 6-foot-10 front court member was the only underclassmen on either side of the conference to earn a preseason distinction. A season ago, Thompson scored 490 points, notching the most points scored by a freshman in Eastern Michigan history. In addition, Thompson pulled down 352 rebounds, good for the third-best total in a single season at EMU. Finally, his 64.5 field goal percentage ranks second all-time in single season history for Eastern and if the Baton Rouge, La. native can keep that pace through his career, he will hold the all-time career record at EMU. After one season donning the Green and White, Thompson has already placed himself inside the top-100 in EMU history for both rebounding and scoring. The 6-foot-10 front-court player is begins the 2016-17 season 98th on the all-time scoring list and 51st on the rebounding list.
In addition to the reigning rebounding champion and MAC Freshman of the Year in Thompson, the Eagles return a plethora of talent to its lineup. Redshirt senior Ray Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) returns for his final season donning the Green and White. Lee is the active leading scorer in the Mid-American Conference with 1,418 career points, a total which ranks 15th all-time in EMU laurels. The Green and White bring back its top-four scorers from a year ago and lose just one of its top-six point getters. Lee (15.1 ppg) leads the way, while Thomspon (14.8 ppg), Willie Mangum IV (Richmond, Va.-Marshall (San Jacinto College)) (12 ppg) and Ty Toney (Atlanta, Ga.-Alpharetta (Georgia Highlands)) (11 ppg) each make their return to the squad. Additionally, Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College) returns to the lineup after posting 8.8 points per contest. In total, the Eagles bring back 60.7 points per game from a year ago, which is good for 78.4 percent of last season's offensive output. Of those 60.7 points per contest, 46 points came from returners in the starting lineup.
The Green and White open up the 2016-17 slate Friday, Nov. 11, when it travels to Pittsburgh, Pa. to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers at 7 p.m. from the Peterson Event Center. That game will be the first-of-four games the Eagles will play within the 2016 2K Classic. EMU's first home game is Wednesday, Nov. 15, when it hosts Rochester College for an 11 a.m. tip at the Convocation Center.
Eastern will begin the Mid-American Conference portion of the schedule Tuesday, Jan. 3, when Central Michigan comes to Ypsilanti for a 7 p.m. matchup at the Convocation Center. With all 12 teams participating in the MAC Tournament, the postseason will open with first round games Monday, March 6, at campus sites. The final three rounds of the tournament will be played at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, March 9-11.
Eastern Michigan men's and women's basketball tickets are now available for purchase at EMUEagles.com/tickets, by calling 734.487.2282, or by visiting the EMU Ticket Office daily between 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
2016-17 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
East Division Predicted Order of Finish
1. Akron (15 first place votes) – 194 points
2. Ohio (16) – 190 points
3. Buffalo (5) – 144 points
4. Kent State – 116 points
5. Bowling Green – 63 points
6. Miami – 49 points
West Division Predicted Order of Finish
1. Eastern Michigan (16) – 178 points
2. Ball State (12 first place votes) – 158 points
3. NIU (5) – 148 points
4. Toledo (1) – 100 points
5. Western Michigan – 95 points
6. Central Michigan (2) – 77 points
2017 MAC Tournament Predicted Champion: Akron (15), Ohio (11), Eastern Michigan (3), Buffalo (2), NIU (2), Central Michigan (1), Kent State (1), Miami (1).
Preseason All-MAC East Division Team
Isaiah Johnson, Sr., C, Akron
Blake Hamilton, Sr., W, Buffalo
Jimmy Hall, Sr., F, Kent State
Antonio Campbell, Sr., F, Ohio
Jaaron Simmons, Jr., G, Ohio
Preseason All-MAC West Division Team
James Thompson IV, So., F/C, Eastern Michigan
Franko House, Sr., F, Ball State
Marin Maric, Sr., C, Northern Illinois
Jonathan Williams, Sr., G, Toledo
Thomas Wilder, Jr., G, Western Michigan
Players Mentioned
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