cleveland
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MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
Early Favorites 2017-2018
1. Western Michigan - 4/5 starters back
2. Ball State - 4/5 starters back
3. Ohio - 4/5 starters back
4. Akron - 3/5 starters back
5. Buffalo - 3/5 starters back
6. Kent State - lost of points to replace
7. Toledo - key transfers already on campus
8. Eastern Michigan - talent still on hand
9. Northern illinois - Young talent on hand
10. Bowling Green - program can make a jump
11. Miami - New coach, same players
12. Central Michigan -- New players, same coach.
WILL MOST DEFINITELY BE ADJUSTED AFTER RECRUITING/TRANSFERS ARE ADDED AND SUBTRACTED.
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03-18-2017 08:20 AM |
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kreed5120
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
I'd probably put Ohio #1 and I wouldn't even know where to guess from there. The MAC might end up being even worse next year given all the talent we're losing.
(This post was last modified: 03-18-2017 10:52 AM by kreed5120.)
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03-18-2017 08:40 AM |
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Bull_Is_Back
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
I'd put UB a bit lower than 5.... Maybe 7. They have some very athletic underclassmen but we're losing a ton.
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03-18-2017 09:12 AM |
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epasnoopy
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
NIU is losing it's best and only consistent player, big man Marin Maric. We have no other players who were consistent and we're losing two talented sophomores (Wilson and Porter) because they couldn't do the things required of staying on the team.
I think we end up regressing just like this season.
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03-18-2017 09:23 AM |
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Dwight
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
Didn't Weber and House both start for Ball State, and aren't both seniors? Even if that is the case, though, I agree that BSU will be near the top of the conference. They had good depth this year and will return plenty of capable players.
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03-18-2017 09:55 AM |
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cleveland
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
(03-18-2017 09:55 AM)Dwight Wrote: Didn't Weber and House both start for Ball State, and aren't both seniors? Even if that is the case, though, I agree that BSU will be near the top of the conference. They had good depth this year and will return plenty of capable players.
Forgot about Webber .. but still top 4
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03-18-2017 10:48 AM |
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Siborg
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
BG at 10 is about right. Losing experience and hopefully gaining some talent with 7 new players (2 red-shirts and 5 new recruits). Returning 1 starter, 3 part time starters and 1 other guy(the only senior) with significant minutes.
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03-18-2017 11:19 AM |
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Love and Honor
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
Miami has been poorly coached for so long that if we make a solid hire we might rise up a little bit in the standings next year given how we have some young talent returning. We probably won't be a serious contender for a while, but it's not out of the realm of possibility for us to host a first round game if we get a good coach back on our sidelines.
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03-18-2017 01:36 PM |
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pennies4everybody
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
(03-18-2017 09:55 AM)Dwight Wrote: Didn't Weber and House both start for Ball State, and aren't both seniors? Even if that is the case, though, I agree that BSU will be near the top of the conference. They had good depth this year and will return plenty of capable players.
Sellers (21 starts), Weber (25) and Kiapaway (22) essentially split the starts for the season at the 2 and 3, so saying four starters return isn't really off-base. I would struggle to put the Cards at #2 at this point because Franko was so important. I think Weber can be replaced by Sellers and (hopefully) Gunn, but there is no one who can replace the physicality of House. Thus far, there are no inside recruits either signed or mentioned anywhere, so the 4 and 5 will be split between Teague, Mallers and Moses. Moses is pretty solid, but is more finesse than bruiser, and is prone to foul trouble. Teague is more of a slasher and a front facing player, and also foul prone. Mallers, IMHO, would be better suited backing up Sellers at the 3. Hollywood will be a RS freshman and is 6'9", but he's really a shooter and not a back-facing big and is unproven. So, being so thin inside, I can't rate them that high personally. The team is solid at the 1 and 2, with everyone returning (Tyler, Kiapaway, Persons, Sellers), and with newcomers El-Amin and Walker looking very promising, I have little concerns about our outside game outside of quickness on defense. But I have huge concerns about Whit's big man recruiting. If he can't recruit quality bigs, I fear that BSU has plateaued at their highest point... good, and in the upper half of the conference, but never among the elite teams.
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03-18-2017 01:52 PM |
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NickleCity
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
We all know the East will be beast like every year (sans one) for over a decade running.
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03-18-2017 02:08 PM |
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NIU007
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
I would say #9 is about right for us. I'd like to be more optimistic but we've lost too much talent. Maric, Wilson, and Porter are apparently all gone. Not sure about the recruits coming in but we don't seem to be able to hold on to half the talent we bring in.
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03-18-2017 02:16 PM |
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MaddDawgz02
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
Not a believer in Ball State. Id say Buffalo, EMU, Western Michigan, Toledo, and Ohio are your 5 best teams, not sure of the order
(This post was last modified: 03-18-2017 07:55 PM by MaddDawgz02.)
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03-18-2017 07:54 PM |
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Slinkin Street Flash
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
Yes, it's not easy to replace a 1st-team All MAC, but Kent State as a lot coming back. Deon Edwin should be replaced by Desmond Ridenour or Taishaun Johnson. The other guards (and we played 4 guards a lot this year) come back, and Jaylin Walker should be a star. Jalen Avery took a big step up, and Mitch Peterson and Kevin Zabo are solid.
The front court does need work - we will miss Jimmy Hall, and we need a second forward too. Adonis De La Rosa should develop a bit, Danny Pippen and Alonzo Walker will be sophomores, and incoming freshman BJ Duling looks good.
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03-18-2017 10:32 PM |
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Ohio Poly
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
Akron loses the Big Dog but should still be a scrappy bunch with a new style of play as the others step up.
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03-19-2017 10:10 AM |
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Kittonhead
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
(03-18-2017 01:36 PM)Love and Honor Wrote: Miami has been poorly coached for so long that if we make a solid hire we might rise up a little bit in the standings next year given how we have some young talent returning. We probably won't be a serious contender for a while, but it's not out of the realm of possibility for us to host a first round game if we get a good coach back on our sidelines.
The MAC is hoping for a big hire here and a new arena announcement to go with.
Would really fix a sore spot for the basketball conference IMO.
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03-19-2017 11:13 AM |
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kreed5120
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
(03-19-2017 10:10 AM)Ohio Poly Wrote: Akron loses the Big Dog but should still be a scrappy bunch with a new style of play as the others step up.
They are also losing Kwan. Akron's front court is going to be extremely inexperienced and undersized. I expect them to still be competitive in the MAC, but see them finishing somewhere in the middle of the conference, not the top.
(This post was last modified: 03-19-2017 11:33 AM by kreed5120.)
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03-19-2017 11:30 AM |
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emu steve
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
EMU returns JT4 at center, Bond at SF, transfer sitout Minnie, at PF. Transfer sitout Paul Jackson at PG and ? at SG.
For those who have watched EMU realize that we are replacing most of our backcourt, Toney, Lee, and Mangum.
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03-19-2017 02:01 PM |
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Wadszip
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
(03-19-2017 11:30 AM)kreed5120 Wrote: (03-19-2017 10:10 AM)Ohio Poly Wrote: Akron loses the Big Dog but should still be a scrappy bunch with a new style of play as the others step up.
They are also losing Kwan. Akron's front court is going to be extremely inexperienced and undersized. I expect them to still be competitive in the MAC, but see them finishing somewhere in the middle of the conference, not the top.
This. The run of 21 wins seems like a safe bet to come to an end. The backcourt will have talent (though due to height will still be a liability on defense). The front court ????
Dambrot will get this team to 17-18 wins, but this will be the first true "rebuild" he has had to experience ... and if nobody steps up in the front court, 2018-19 could be abysmal.
(This post was last modified: 03-20-2017 12:03 AM by Wadszip.)
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03-20-2017 12:00 AM |
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Frozenbaugh
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
(03-18-2017 07:54 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote: Not a believer in Ball State. Id say Buffalo, EMU, Western Michigan, Toledo, and Ohio are your 5 best teams, not sure of the order
Yes, you've stated this numerous times and your polls also bear that out.
EMU has to be your favorite, correct?
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03-20-2017 06:47 AM |
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EagleSam
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RE: MAC Basketball favorites -- 2017-2018
(03-20-2017 06:47 AM)Frozenbaugh Wrote: (03-18-2017 07:54 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote: Not a believer in Ball State. Id say Buffalo, EMU, Western Michigan, Toledo, and Ohio are your 5 best teams, not sure of the order
Yes, you've stated this numerous times and your polls also bear that out.
EMU has to be your favorite, correct?
He's more optimistic about EMU than any actual EMU fans on our board.
If our new AD makes a move and replaces Murphy (doubtful), and we hold on to all of our players (also doubtful), then I'd be very optimistic.
But with Murphy almost certainly coming back, I'm in "I'll believe it when I see it" mode, even with some very talented transfers/freshmen coming in. I don't think he's the coach to push us into contention, but I'd be happy to be proven wrong. However, middle of the pack sounds about right for us again.
(This post was last modified: 03-20-2017 10:15 AM by EagleSam.)
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03-20-2017 10:14 AM |
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