Mid-Major Top 25 is Released

[tornado]

http://www.collegeinsider.com/mmpoll/

Only two Valley teams in the Top 25...I can recall when we've had as many as 5-6 in the top 25.

BU comes in at #49!

#1 Gonzaga
#2 Davidson
#3 St. Mary's
#4 Creighton
#5 Siena


6. VCU
7. Kent State
8. San Diego
9. Cleveland State
10. Butler
11. Stephen F. Austin
12. Southern Illinois
13. Wright State
14. Miami (Ohio)
15. Old Dominion
16. Cornell
17. Middle Tennessee
18. Belmont
19. South Alabama
20. Oral Roberts
21. Rider
22. Mount St. Mary's
23. American
24. Western Michigan
25. Cal State Northridge


OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Illinois State 111, Portland State 91, Morgan State 88, George Mason 85, Drake 78, Northeastern 75, Oakland 74, Murray State 56, Western Kentucky 56, Akron 55, Arkansas Little Rock 48, Fairfield 45, Boston University 44, Winthrop 41, Wisconsin-Green Bay 37, Chattanooga 36, Pacific 36, Texas-Arlington 36, IUPUI 35, North Texas 26, Vermont 25, Cal State Fullerton 24, UC Santa Barbara 23, Bradley 22, Northern Iowa 20, Northern Arizona 20, UC Davis 18, UT Martin 18, Robert Morris 17, Santa Clara 15, Lamar 14, Niagara 14, Illinois-Chicago 12, Eastern Michigan 11, North Dakota State 9, Hartford 9, Ohio 9, Austin Peay 7, Northwestern State 7, UMBC 6, Sam Houston State 6, Valparaiso 5, Montana 4, VMI 4, Appalachian State 3, Jacksonville 3, Georgia State 2, Pennsylvania 2, College of Charleston 1.

Jim Les and Gregg Marshall are the two MVC coaches who are on the voting panel.

[amckillip]

We're behind UW-M? I'm so confused...

And UIC getting votes? Oh no...

[Stryker]

Give us a few weeks and we will be right up there with the rest of them in the top 10.

[shaunguth]

Butler at #10 is a huge surprise!

[houstontxbrave]

We're behind UW-M? I'm so confused...

And UIC getting votes? Oh no...

Please no one should sleep on UIC, they are going to be a handful. They are picked for 3rd in the Horizon, 2 spots ahead of Butler, Josh Mayo is picked as the Horizon League play of the year and their center Scott VanderMeer is picked for second team.

We will be in for a hard fought game on the 14th, no one should overlook UIC.

http://uicflames.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/100908aad.html

http://uicflames.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/100708aab.html

[bugregshu]

Please no one should sleep on UIC, they are going to be a handful. They are picked for 3rd in the Horizon, 2 spots ahead of Butler, Josh Mayo is picked as the Horizon League play of the year and their center Scott VanderMeer is picked for second team.

We will be in for a hard fought game on the 14th, no one should overlook UIC.

http://uicflames.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/100908aad.html

http://uicflames.cstv.com/sports/m-b...100708aab.html

I completely agree!!! I cannot understand why everyone is assuming this will be an easy win, and that UIC is a bad team. They will be fighting to win the Horizon this year!

[BUFAN]

Apparently the Mountain West is not considered to be a midmajor, how quaint.

[braves12]

49th best of the midmajors........ouch!!!!!!! Who are these people voting?

I agree that UIC will be a very difficult win. Mayo owned Ruff last year. After the "D" I saw last night, he could have a career game on Friday the 14th. Let's hope not.

[SaintLouBrave22]

My question is, how do we get picked right ahead of UNI?

Now that tells me someone doesn't know what they're doing...or in this case 20 someone's

[Da Coach]

I completely agree!!! I cannot understand why everyone is assuming this will be an easy win, and that UIC is a bad team. They will be fighting to win the Horizon this year!

You are absolutely right. UIC is about as tough an opponent as you would want for your official home opener. They have most of their team back from last year, with Josh Mayo voted the Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year.
7-foot center Scott Vandermeer was selected to the All-Horizon Preseason 2nd team, and lead the Horizon League last year in rebounding and blocks. UIC was picked 3rd behind Cleveland State and Wright State, but I think they have the talent to win the Horizon, if Jimmy Collins doesn't coach them out of contention. Guards Spencer Stewart, Tori Boyd, and Robert Kreps will be improved, and they picked up juco power forwards Robert Eppinger and Jeremy Buttell (Texas Tech transfer via juco) and they are beasts. They also have several impressive freshmen, Jelani Posten, Zavion Neeley, and DeMarKus Isom-Jones (who Bradley showed interest in). This should be a very good game.

http://uicflames.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/100908aad.html

[cpacmel]

49th best of the midmajors........ouch!!!!!!! Who are these people voting?

VOTING PANEL: Mike Adras (Northern Arizona), Randy Bennett (St. Mary's), Will Brown (Albany), Dave Calloway (Monmouth), Kermit Davis (Middle Tennessee), Steve Donahue (Cornell), James Fox (Davidson), Steve Hawkins (Western Michigan), Brad Holland (UC Santa Barbara), Kerry Keating (Santa Clara), Billy Kennedy (Murray State), Tod Kowalczyk (UW-Green Bay), Jim Larranaga (George Mason), Jim Les (Bradley), Mike Lonergan (Vermont), Bart Lundy (High Point), Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State), Gregg Marshall (Wichita State), Ritchie McKay (Liberty), Tom Moore (Quinnipiac), Jimmy Patsos (Loyola MD), Tom Pecora (Hofstra), Vann Pettaway (Alabama A&M), Charles Ramsey (Eastern Michigan), John Shulman (Chattanooga), Brad Stevens (Butler), Gary Stewart (UC Davis), Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts), Scott Wagers (East Tennessee State), James Wilhelmi (Howard), Ralph Willard (Holy Cross).

Remember when some of you guys gave Porter a hard time for voting in this? What's the thought now, that Jimmy Les is a on the Panel for the MID MAJOR top 25?

[braves12]

This is worse than I thought. It is actual coaches voting BU 49th best mid major. I thought it was those darn sportswriters again. Haven't these coaches read that BU is going bigger?

[SFP]

Let's not get to worked up about pre-season polls! We'll find out where we stand come December. League play this year will be quite interesting compared to other years. We may have a solid top 5 teams in the Valley but in reality that to can be a jumble. If you were voting in the mid-major top 25 would you not take into consideration what you were in the forecast within your own conference and peers.

May the games begin!

[tornado]

Remember when some of you guys gave Porter a hard time for voting in this? What's the thought now, that Jimmy Les is a on the Panel for the MID MAJOR top 25?

I think I know what you are trying to refer to, although I surely do NOT recall anyone giving Porter a hard time on this issue....

anyway, Jimmy was chosen because he's a sartorial stud

http://www.collegeinsider.com/sanantonio/index.html

[real fan]

UIC will be no slouch and we could not stop Josh Mayo last year in the game that we lost.