MAC Basketball Season Preview: Western Michigan Broncos

An extensive if not comprehensive look at all 12 Mid-American Conference college basketball teams. The opening game is November 10, so we better get started.

Last year: 18-15 (8-8), T-2nd MAC West; lost to Akron in MAC tournament semifinal; no postseason tournament

This year: Picked fourth in MAC West

Coach: Steve Hawkins enters his eight season in Kalamazoo. 124-98

First Game: Friday, November 12 at Xavier (Fox Sports Ohio)

Can a brown horse dribble a basketball? I'm sure in some Disney movie, this is the case. But CGI enhancements are required for the horse to slash to the basket.

Departures

Austin Harper (transferred)
David Kool (graduated, now a team assistant)
Donald Lawson (graduated)
Martelle McLemore (graduated)

Returning Award-Winners

Nate Hutcheson (All-MAC freshman team)

Big Nonconference Games

11/12 @ Xavier
11/27 vs. Illinois
12/29 @ Utah State

A Paragraph of Thought on Western Michigan Basketball

Boy, that was a treat to be able to ride Kool's shoulders toward wins last year, wasn't it? WMU's all-time scorer is now hasta mañana. Well, sort of. He's not on the roster anymore, does that count? Seeing McLemore and Lawson graduate as well merely compounds the void, but they're not completely without hope. It's just going to be a little rough on the psyche for a while. Speculate all you want about how this team will bounce back in future years, but for now, any team that ground their teeth into the gums will be able to vengefully pound on Hawkins' squad for at least one year.