Horizon League Preview
For the second straight season last year, the Horizon League championship game pitted the top two teams in the league. For the second straight year, the game had the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as one of the teams. For the second straight year, the title game was played at the U.S. Cellular Arena in downtown Milwaukee.
Will it be a third straight year?
With the talent coming back for UWM, there is no expectations less than the Horizon League championship in both the regular season and the league tournament for the Panthers.
Entering this season, the Panthers are the runaway favorites for the league this year. They may be even primed for an at-large bid. However, that is going to be difficult considering their non-league schedule. The Panthers have road games against Saint Louis, Valparaiso, Wisconsin, Kansas, Manhattan and Purdue this season. They also will play NCAA participant Air Force on Nov. 28 at home.
But it will not be clear sailing for UWM.
The defending league tournament champions the University of Illinois-Chicago returns two of their core players from the last year. Cedrick Banks and Armond Williams, the tournament most valuable player, were granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA. Point guard Martell Bailey was denied another season. But with Banks and Williams still in the picture, the Flames are certain contenders.
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will also be contenders after their great turnaround season of a year ago. Third year coach and Hoopville.com Horizon League coach of the year Tod Kowalczyk has the program going in the right direction. Javier Mendiburu will be one of the anchors for the talented, but inexperienced team.
Butler will also be another team to contend with. No matter which way they do it, the Bulldogs always seem to click at the right time of the year. Despite having their seven-straight 20-win season streak snapped last year, an Avery Sheets and Bruce Horan backcourt will provide a lot of offense for a team that may struggle on defense.
Preseason Awards
First team
Ed McCants, UW-Milwaukee
Cedrick Banks, Illinois-Chicago
Armond Williams, Illinois-Chicago
Omari Westley, Cleveland State
Joah Tucker, UW-Milwaukee
Second team
Brandon Morris, UW-Green Bay
Ryvon Coville, Detroit
Avery Sheets, Butler
Bruce Horan, Butler
Quin Humphrey, Youngstown State
All-Newcomer team
Derrick Ford, UW-Milwaukee
Brandon Polk, Butler
Zach Williams, Wright State
Mike Adams, Youngstown State
Steve Gansey, Cleveland State
Player of the year:
Ed McCants, UW-Milwaukee
Coach of the year:
Bruce Pearl, UW-Milwaukee
Newcomer of the year:
Zach Williams, Wright State
1. UW-Milwaukee Panthers (20-11 overall, 13-3 Horizon League)
The Panthers return four starters from a team that just missed their second straight trip to the NCAA tournament. An enormously talented team with a lot of depth and one of the top rising coaches in the country, Bruce Pearl, roaming the sidelines, the 2004-’05 season will be one to remember.
Projected starting line-up:
G – Chris Hill, Jr.
G – Ed McCants, Sr.
F – Joah Tucker, Jr.
F – Adrian Tigert, Jr.
C – Derrick Ford, Jr.
Key loss:
F, Dylan Page (Horizon League player of the year)
Top newcomers:
Derrick Ford
Jason McCoy
2. Illinois-Chicago Flames (24-8, 12-4)
Thank goodness that the NCAA granted Cedrick Banks and Armond Williams another year of eligibility. Because if not, the Flames would have been in serious trouble to figure out who was going to be the “go to” guy. It is because Banks and Williams are returning for a fifth season that UIC will remain a contender. But it will be tough as UIC plays half of the Final Four field from last season (Georgia Tech and Duke).
Projected starting line-up:
G – Marcetteaus McGee, Soph.
G – Cedrick Banks, Sr.
F – Elliott Poole, Jr.
F – Armond Williams, Sr.
C – Josip Petrusic, Sr.
Key loss:
Martell Bailey (second in nation in assists per game)
Top newcomer:
Luther Boyd
3. UW-Green Bay Phoenix (17-11, 11-5)
After one of the biggest turnarounds in the country, the Phoenix are ready to go to the next level. They fell apart as they lost in the quarterfinals of the league tournament a year ago. But with much of the same team returning in 2004-’05, the Phoenix are destined to not let that happen again. They can very easily sneak up on teams and will do so this year.
Projected starting line-up
G – Matt Rhode, Sr.
G – Brandon Morris, Sr.
F – Javier Mendiburu, Sr.
F – Tyler Koening, Soph.
C – Josh Lawrence, Soph.
Key losses:
Mike King
Top newcomer:
Benito Flores
4. Butler Bulldogs (16-14, 8-8)
The Bulldogs will rebound from an “average” season last year. The Bulldogs spent much of the early part of 2003-’04 figuring out who was capable of doing what. Now that their backcourt is returning, the Bulldogs will be able to compete for the league title. But a relatively soft schedule may not get the Bulldogs prepared enough. Their only true test will come in late December when they play in a tournament at Arizona, where they already will play NCAA tournament participant Richmond.
Projected starting line-up:
G – Avery Sheets, Jr.
G – Bruce Horan, Jr.
F – Jeff James, Jr.
F – Brandon Polk, Jr.
C – Jamie Smalligan, Soph.
Key losses:
Mike Monserez (team’s leading rebounder)
Duane Lightfoot (team’s leading scorer)
Top newcomers:
Julian Betko (will be eligible in second semester after transfer from Clemson)
Brandon Polk
5. Detroit Titans (19-11, 10-6)
One of the league’s top defensive units suffered a major blow the loss of three quality seniors, two of which were in the backcourt. The Titans will struggle to start out the year as they try to figure out their rotation. The Titans have a lot of talent, but do not have a lot of talented depth. In addition, they are not very experienced in the big game. But, a difficult non-league schedule will get them prepared for the big game.
Projected starting line-up:
G – James Thues, Sr.
G – Ben Green, Jr.
F – Torvoris Baker, Jr.
F – Clarke Headen, Sr.
C – Ryvon Coville, Jr.
Key losses:
Elijah Warren
Jimmy Twyman
Willie Wallace
6. Wright State Raiders (14-14, 10-6)
Second year head coach Paul Biancardi will face similar questions that he did at this time last year. As new coach, he did not know what to expect and what kind of players he had. This year, that is again the case as his top two players, Vernard Hollins and Seth Doliboa, are no longer with the team as they have graduated. But one thing he knows for sure is the type of player he is getting in Zach Williams. Williams transferred to Wright State after being a three year starter at Ohio State, where Biancardi was an assistant coach. Williams’ 6-foot-7 240 pound frame and Big Ten experience is going to by key for another youthful squad.
Projected starting line-up:
G – DaShaun Wood, Soph.
G – Jaron Taylor, Jr.
F – Vova Severovas, Soph.
F – Zakee Boyd, Soph.
C – Zach Williams, Sr.
Key losses:
Vernard Hollins
Seth Doliboa
Alex Kock
Top newcomers:
Zach Williams
Jaron Taylor
7. Youngstown State Penguins (8-20, 4-12)
There is slight question of John Robic’s job coming into this season. Entering his sixth season with YSU, Robic is 53-90 and have not had a winning season. Improvement looks like it will be tough, but very much possible. The Penguins lost Academic All-American Adam Baumann to graduation, so the center spot is open. However, the Penguins have enough talent in their backcourt to keep them in games. A soft schedule is going to help as well.
Projected starting lineup:
G – Jon Mends, Jr.
G – Quin Humphrey, Soph.
F – Khari McQueen, Sr.
F – Brian Radakovich, Sr.
C – Mike Adams, Jr.
Key losses:
Adam Baumann
Doug Underwood
Top newcomer:
Mike Adams
8. Cleveland State Vikings (4-25, 0-16)
Anything will be better than what the Vikings went through a year ago. After their promising start of a 4-2 record, including taking North Carolina down to the wire, everything fell apart from there. But second year head coach Mike Garland got his first chance to recruit the players he wants to build for his program. The former Michigan State assistant was an important part of the Spartans’ run for the national championship as he was the recruiting coordinator. So he knows how to recruit. Thankfully, Garland still has one of top players from last year and has a former All-Newcomer team selection as well.
Projected starting lineup:
G – Walt Chavis, Jr.
G – Victor Morris, Soph.
G – Modibo Niakate, Sr.
F – Omari Westley, Sr.
F – Luke Murphy, Soph.
Key losses:
Pape Badiane
Jermaine Robinson
Percell Coles
Top Newcomers:
Frashon McGee
Steve Gansey
9. Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (9-20, 4-12)
A new head coach is why the Ramblers will finish in the cellar of the league this year. Jim Whitesell had 12 very successful years at Lewis University, but it will take at least this year to figure out what he has. Hopefully, Whitesell will have the kind of year that Wright State’s Biancardi had and not the kind of year that Cleveland State’s Garland had. The early part of the season will tell what kind of year the Ramblers are going to have.
Projected starting lineup:
G – Majak Kou, Soph.
G – DaJuan Gouard, Sr.
F – Blake Schilb, Soph.
F – Anthony Smith, Sr.
C – Tyrelle Blair, Soph.
Key losses:
Terrance Whiters
Paul McMillian
Top Newcomer
Dave Telander
