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| | Wednesday, November 3 | |||||||
ESPN.com | ||||||||
| Detroit coach Perry Watson is in no hurry to leave the Midwestern Collegiate.
Neither is Butler's Barry Collier. They know they've got something going on
here.
The West Coast Conference got the pub it deserves with Gonzaga's Elite Eight run. The Mid-American Conference has been known for its hidden gems like Earl Boykins, Bonzi Wells and Wally Szczerbiak. But the MCC might have a few of the nation's top sleepers in Butler and Detroit. The league may not have the depth from one to eight but the top can contend with most mid-majors in the nation. Detroit has proven to be a tournament-worthy team with consecutive first-round upsets over St. John's and UCLA. Butler has been a perennial postseason team. Three years ago, the league got three bids. It could get a pair this season. All-conference teamJames Madison, senior, G, Cleveland State: 15.0 ppg, 2.4 apg Rashad Phillips, senior, G, Detroit: 15.7 ppg, 4.2 apg Chad Angeli, junior, G, UW Milwaukee: 14.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg Kevin Melson, junior, F, Wright State: 14.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg Mike Marshall, senior, F, Butler: 9.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg Player of the year: Rashad Phillips The scoring point guard averaged 15.7 points a game, shot 41 percent from the field and made 84.1 percent of his free throws. Perry Watson lets his point guards play and Phillips should flourish with the freedom. Few players in the league can hang with his quickness. But he's got to be a better leader to take Detroit back to the NCAAs. All-newcomer team Scott Robisch, junior, C, Butler Tahric Gosley, freshman, F, Cleveland State Mike King, freshman, F, Wisconsin-Green Bay Willie Green, freshman, G, Detroit Doc Taylor, junior, G, Cleveland State Newcomer of the year: Willie Green The Cooley High star was a steal for Watson to keep home in Detroit. Green should step in immediately to the starting lineup. He can score on the wing, slash to the basket and provide Phillips with enough of a complement to make Detroit tough to press. Best backcourt: Detroit See above. The Titans will be quick to the ball, push it on offense and can create off the dribble. Expect Detroit to lead the league in steals, too. Best frontcourt: Butler Mike Marshall and Rylan Hainje are the beef brothers but they'll get even more help when Robisch is eligible in mid-December. Robisch will likely pop up to the top of the lane and force a defender to cover him on a 3-point shot. That will allow the Bulldogs to dominate the low-post, especially on the offensive backboard.
Team on the rise: Cleveland State The Flames were one of the three teams in the tournament in '98, but Jimmy Collins has found it hard to stay with Butler and Detroit. UIC can mount a return to the top half of the league after a seven-win season but it will rely heavily on the perimeter. The Flames lack size and experience inside. Unsung player: Rylan Hainje, Butler Hainje is a 6-6 bruising forward. The sophomore averaged 8.2 points and 4.7 rebounds but adds muscle to an imposing frontline. He won't get the credit Marshall does or the pub Robisch will receive but he's just as vital. Toughest road game: Butler Hinkle Fieldhouse, the set for the climax of "Hoosiers", is an imposing barn which makes teams feel unwanted. Butler's homecourt has been a bear for years and now that the Bulldogs are a postseason team, it's even harder to escape with a win. Postseason teams NCAA: Detroit, Butler NIT: Cleveland State |
Conferences ACC Atlantic 10 Big East Big Sky Big South Big Ten Big 12 Big West Colonial Conference USA Independents Ivy League MAAC Mid-American Mid-Continent Mid-Eastern Athletic MCC Missouri Valley Mountain West Northeast Ohio Valley Pac-10 Patriot SEC Southern Southland Sun Belt SWAC TAAC WAC West Coast  | |||||||