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MADISON, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the defending conference champion, is the preseason favorite to win the 2012 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men's basketball title, according to the league's sports information directors.
UW-Stevens Point, ranked No. 24 nationally in a preseason poll conducted by D3hoops.com, secured four first-place votes in the conference ballot. The Pointers have claimed a league-high 26 regular-season championships and seven tournament crowns. UW-Stevens Point has been ranked in the D3hoops.com Top 25 for 76 consecutive weeks.
Last year's club led the NCAA Division III in scoring margin (21.5) and field goal percentage (.526). Junior Tyler Tillema is the squad's lone returning starter, and he started 17 contests and averaged 9.1 points per game. Senior Jordan Brezinski established a school record with a .679 field goal percentage last season.
UW-Whitewater picked up three first-place nods in the WIAC poll and is expected to place second in the nine-team derby. For the first time in recent memory, UW-Whitewater's roster features one returning starter - senior Chris Davis. He ranked second in the league with 21.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game and had 19 scoring performances of 20-plus points. The Warhawks have accumulated 20-plus victories in seven of 10 seasons under head coach Pat Miller. UW-Whitewater's 2011-12 schedule features just two home non-conference contests.
UW-River Falls, ranked No. 21 by D3hoops.com, secured the remaining two first-place votes and is pegged for third in league race. The Falcons are coming off a 2010-11 campaign that saw them earn the first NCAA bid in program history and reach the championship game of the WIAC tournament for the first time. The Falcons return four starters from a year ago, including senior Aaron Anderson, who topped the conference in three-point field goal shooting (.500, 59-118) and ranks eighth on the school's all-time chart with 124 three-pointers made. Senior Wade Guerin, who led the team in scoring and rebounding two years ago, returns after missing all of last season with an injury. UW-River Falls will play just once at home in its first eight games and that will be a matchup against defending national champion University of St. Thomas (Minn.).
Ten different players appeared in at least 10 games last season for UW-La Crosse, including seniors Al Chery and Cory Degner and sophomore Luke Tweed who each started at least 21 contests. Chery is the school's career blocks leader with 82 and set career-highs in points per game (10.2) and rebounds (5.3) in 2010-11. The Eagles play four of their first six games at Mitchell Hall where they were 10-3 a year ago. Gone from the 2010-11 team is Tony Mane, who claimed WIAC Player of the Year accolades and finished as the school's all-time leading scorer.
UW-Platteville returns three starters from a season ago, including sophomore Chas Cross, who was the lone freshman to receive recognition on the All-WIAC team. He was second on the Pioneers with 12.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. The Pioneers will play six of their first seven and three of their final four games on Bo Ryan Court. Freshman Collin Macomber's father (Mark) played on UW-Platteville's 1991 national championship squad.
UW-Oshkosh returns its top two scorers from a season ago in seniors John Flanigan (15.3 points per game) and Greg Schrimpf (10.7 points per game). Both players are within striking distance of 1,000 career points with Schrimpf needing 346 points, while Flanigan is 350 away. Flanigan ranked third in the conference with 7.3 rebounds per game and topped the league with 2.7 offensive boards per contest. Head coach Ted Van Dellen is the longest tenured men's basketball coach in the WIAC with his 354 victories ranking fifth on the league chart.
UW-Superior has recorded back-to-back seasons with a 15-12 record - the best two-year victory total since 31 wins from 2000-01 (15 in 2000, 16 in 2001). The Yellowjackets have also won a WIAC tournament first round game on the road two straight years. The lone returning starter is senior Dustin Ritchie who contributed 6.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest a season ago. Gone from last year's squad is Jake Smith, who shared Player of the Year honors with Mane, and completed his career as the school's all-time leading scorer.
Kyle Green assumes the head coaching duties at UW-Eau Claire after serving as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa University for the past five seasons. He also completed head coaching stints at Lewis University (Ill.) and Western State College (Colo.). The Blugolds will play their first home game against Hamline University (Minn.) - Green's alma mater. Junior Nick Craggs led the team with 136 rebounds, while placing second with 27 three-point field goals, 37 assists and 24 steals.
For the first time in 12 years, UW-Stout will have no seniors on the roster - a 2011-12 lineup that includes six juniors, nine sophomores and four freshmen. The Blue Devils lost 74 percent of the scoring from a year ago, but return three of their top-six scorers. Despite posting a sub-.500 record last season, the Blue Devils were outscored by an average of just over one point (79.5-78.4). Head coach Ed Andrist needs eight wins to reach 400 in his career.
2011-12 Preseason Predictions --Voted on by WIAC Sports Information Directors
2010-11 Record
1. UW-Stevens Point (4) 26-4 overall, 14-2 WIAC
2. UW-Whitewater (3) 17-9, 10-6
3. UW-River Falls (2) 20-8, 12-4
4. UW-La Crosse 14-12, 9-7
5. UW-Platteville 17-10, 9-7
6. UW-Oshkosh 11-14, 5-11
7. UW-Superior 15-12, 6-10
8. UW-Eau Claire 9-16, 3-13
9. UW-Stout 10-15, 4-12
( )--First-Place Votes
Team Nuggets
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach: Kyle Green; 4th season (1st at UWEC); 33-48 (overall) / 0-0 (at UWEC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
Returning All-WIAC: None
UW-La Crosse
Head Coach: Ken Koelbl; 9th season at UWL; 109-99
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/7
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
Returning All-WIAC: None
UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach: Ted Van Dellen; 22nd season at UWO; 354-204
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 4/8
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
Returning All-WIAC: John Flanigan, Sr., F (2011-Honorable)
UW-Platteville
Head Coach: Jeff Gard; 3rd season at UWP; 31-22
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
Returning All-WIAC: Chas Cross, So., F (2011-Honorable)
UW-River Falls
Head Coach: Jeff Berkhof; 6th season at UWRF; 59-71
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 13/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1
Returning All-WIAC: Aaron Anderson, Sr., G (2009-Honorable); Wade Guerin, Sr., C (2010-Honorable); Shane Manor, Sr., G (2011-First)
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach: Bob Semling; 7th season at UWSP; 145-33
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/10
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/4
Returning All-WIAC: None
UW-Stout
Head Coach: Ed Andrist; 23rd season (12th at UWS); 392-331 (overall) / 142-140 (at UWS)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/7
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
Returning All-WIAC: None
UW-Superior
Head Coach: Matt Siverling; 2nd season at UWS; 15-12
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/8
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/4
Returning All-WIAC: None
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach: Pat Miller; 11th season at UWW; 209-70
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 10/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/4
Returning All-WIAC: Chris Davis, Sr., F (2011-First)
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