Ohio, Toledo* Are Picked To Win MAC Basketball Divisions

It's here, kids. The basketball season is very close to us, as evidenced by the release of the preseason MAC polls, chock full of predictions and preseason all-conference teams.

2012-13 East Division

1. Ohio - 141 Votes (19 first place votes)
2. Akron - 122 Votes (5)
3. Kent State - 89 Votes
4. Buffalo - 68 Votes
5. Bowling Green - 53 Votes
6. Miami - 31 Votes

2012-13 East Division Preseason All-MAC Team

Zeke Marshall, Akron
A'uston Calhoun, Bowling Green
Javon McCrea, Buffalo
Walter Offutt, Ohio
D.J. Cooper, Ohio

2012-13 West Division

1. Toledo - 143 Votes (20 first place votes)
2. Eastern Michigan - 118 Votes (4)
3. Western Michigan - 88 Votes
4. Ball State - 74 Votes
5. Northern Illinois - 46 Votes
6. Central Michigan - 35 Votes

2012-13 West Division Preseason All-MAC Team

Jesse Berry, Ball State
Abdel Nader, Northern Illinois
Rian Pearson, Toledo
Julius Brown, Toledo
Nate Hutcheson, Western Michigan

FirstEnergy MAC Men's Basketball Tournament Winner: Ohio (18), Akron (6)

None of this is really a surprise. We know the divisions are imbalanced, favoring the East, and that Toledo is probably the strongest team in the West although they're not eligible to actually play in the MAC tournament. Heck, with a depleted West there's a shot they might even have the best overall record.

For the All-MAC West team ... well, Rian Pearson and Juice Brown make sense. The other three are the de facto top players on those other three teams based on what we know, but I have a feeling some unsung player (or transfer) from those schools will rise up and be a major player in the division beyond Berry/Nader/Hutcheson.

One person picked Akron to win the tournament but not the division.