CMU Selected MAC Favorites in Preseason Poll

Oct. 28, 2015

by Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. â€" The Central Michigan men's basketball team was picked to win the Mid-American Conference West Division and the league tournament in a preseason poll of media who cover the league.

Two Chippewas, seniors Chris Fowler and John Simons, were named to the five-member West Division Preseason All-MAC team.

CMU earned 138 points and all 23 first-place votes in balloting to win the West. Toledo was selected second with 110. Akron, with 132 points and 17 first-place votes, was picked to win the East.

The Chippewas, who return all five starters from a team that won the MAC regular-season title a year ago, were selected by 15 voters to win the league tournament. Akron, with seven votes, was second.

"It's nice to get that recognition," said CMU coach Keno Davis, the reigning MAC coach of the year. "It's a testament to our student-athletes and how hard they've worked, but we understand it's not where you're picked, but where you finish."

The Chippewas were picked near the bottom in last year's preseason poll then delivered CMU's first regular-season championship since 2003 to earn the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament.

"Had we not won the league last year and been the No. 1 seed in the tournament, I think we'd find more pressure this year going in to the season," Davis said. "Where we've come from and where the program is headed, the players realize it's important to not take anything for granted and focus on the process rather than a final result.

"That's how we have been able to become one of the better teams in the league, at least on paper, and we have to continue to make sure we have the same focus that got us to where we are right now."

Fowler, CMU's leading scorer in each of the past two seasons, was the runner-up in the MAC player of the year voting a year ago when he earned a spot on the all-conference first team.

He has earned a slew of awards in his career at CMU, is a four-year captain, and is the first player in program history to compile the combination of 1,000 points, 500 assists, 250 rebounds and 150 steals for a career. He enters his senior year as CMU's all-time assists leader (533).

Simons was the Chippewas' second-leading scorer and top rebounder in 2014-15, earning Third Team All-MAC honors. He ranked fourth in the nation with a .455 shooting percentage from 3-point range.

West Division Preseason Predictions (1st place votes)
Central Michigan — 138 points (23)
Toledo — 110
Western Michigan — 94
Eastern Michigan — 71
Northern Illinois — 37
Ball State — 33

East Division Preseason Predictions (1st place votes)
Akron â€" 132 points (17)
Kent State â€" 116 (5)
Ohio — 69
Buffalo â€" 64 (1)
Miami — 60
Bowling Green — 42

Tournament Champions: Central Michigan (15), Akron (7), Buffalo (1)

West Division Preseason All-MAC
Chris Fowler, Central Michigan
John Simons, Central Michigan
Raven Lee, Eastern Michigan
Nathan Boothe, Toledo
Connar Tava, Western Michigan

East Division Preseason All-MAC
Pat Forsythe, Akron
Lamonte Bearden, Buffalo
Jimmy Hall, Kent State
Eric Washington, Miami
Antonio Campbell, Ohio