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: 14-18 (9-7), T-3rd MAC East; lost to OHIO in MAC tournament semifinal; no postseason tournament
This year: Picked 4th in MAC East
Coach: Charlie Coles, the red-sweatered icon, entering his 15th season with Miami. His record: 151-93
First Game: Friday, November 12 vs. Towson
Can a red hawk dribble a basketball? All it can do is perch atop the basketball and act like it's going to murder anyone who tries to take it away from him.
Departures
Kenny Hayes (graduated)
Adam Fletcher (graduated)
Rodney Haddix II (transferred to Georgetown College, Division II)
Kramer Soderberg (transferred to Lindenwood, Division II)
Michael Aluise (???)
Transfers (sitting out this year)
Bill Edwards (Penn State)
Returning Award-Winners
Julian Mavunga (All-MAC Honorable Mention)
Big Nonconference Games
11/16 @ Duke
11/22 vs. San Diego State
11/26 @ Ohio State
12/1 vs. Xavier
12/4 @ Dayton
12/21 vs. Cincinnati
1/2 @ Kansas
A Paragraph of Thought on Miami Basketball
First off, OK, holy crap, what a nonconference tour. It begins very early with Duke. Then they booked every difficult in-state game possible, with the exception of Cleveland State. And then Kansas. AND THEN KANSAS. The RedHawks are the only team scheduled to play Duke and Kansas this year. Impress your fellow barflies with that nugget. This could very well lead to another .500-ish overall record accented by a winning MAC record. It's their trademark. Also typical? They don't ever quite rely on one dude ... so that helps. Not since Michael Bramos or Juby Johnson have they had someone average 17 points a night. Mavunga's their best this year, and he won't have nearly that. At least that'll pose a slight threat to these OOC ranked teams who love to shut down a small team's big fish.