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ISU
Men's Hoops Projected 5th in Preseason MVC Poll
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[October 30, 2007]
NORMAL -- With nine returning
lettermen, including four starters, and nearly 80 percent of its
scoring and 63 percent of its rebounding returning from last season,
the Illinois State men's basketball team enters the 2007-08 campaign
as one of the league's most experienced teams. As a result, the
Redbirds were picked to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley
Conference Preseason Poll, conducted by the league coaches, media
and sports information directors.
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ISU's fifth-place tally is its highest preseason prognostication
since the 2002-03 season, when the Redbirds were picked fourth
overall. ISU was slated to finish ninth or 10th the last three
seasons but was never projected worse than seventh prior to the
2004-05 season. The Redbirds received 210 total points on 39
ballots. Senior center Levi Dyer (12.1 ppg) and sophomore guard
Osiris Eldridge (9.5 ppg) were each named honorable mention
all-Valley selections. The league appointed five preseason all-MVC
players and recognized five honorable mention players. Dyer was
voted captain of the Valley's Most Improved Team last season, and
Eldridge earned the league's Freshman of the Year honor.
Southern Illinois was chosen as the Valley preseason favorite for
the first time in four years. The Salukis received all 39
first-place votes for 390 points and were the first team to
unanimously earn the preseason pick since SIU accomplished the feat
prior to the 1992-93 campaign.
Bradley earned 311 total points and was picked second. Missouri
State (283) was slated to finish third, and defending State Farm MVC
Tournament champion Creighton was tabbed fourth with 266 points.
Wichita State earned 210 points and was picked sixth; Northern
Iowa's 197 total points positioned the Panthers seventh overall;
while Indiana State (110), Drake (80) and Evansville (63) rounded
out the 10-team poll.
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SIU senior forward Randal Falker was the MVC Preseason Player of
the Year, while UNI center Eric Coleman, Wichita State senior
guard-forward PJ Couisnard, Missouri State forward Deven Mitchell
and Bradley guard Daniel Ruffin were each named to the preseason
team.
Along with Dyer and Eldridge, the Redbirds also welcome back
starters Dom Johnson, Boo Richardson and Anthony Slack. Richardson
and Slack were each named to the 2007 MVC All-Newcomer Team, while
Johnson averaged 8.3 points per game and connected on 54 3-point
field goals in 26 starting assignments.
The Redbirds will begin their preparation for the 2007-08 season
with an exhibition game against Quincy on Nov. 7. Tipoff is
scheduled for 1:05 p.m.
[Text from file received from Todd Kober,
assistant athletics director, media relations,
Illinois
State University] |
