Defiance College Selected as Favorite to Capture HCAC Men's Basketball Title
October 29, 2008
GREENWOOD , IN - Defiance College has been voted as the frontrunner in the 2008-09 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball championship race. The Yellow Jackets, who earned the conference title last winter, received four first place votes in the Coaches Preseason Poll. They garnered 73 points overall in the poll holding off Anderson who finished with 65 points and two first place votes.
Franklin College has been forecasted as the third place team by receiving 63 points and one first place vote in the poll. Transylvania University's 60 points and one first place vote placed the Pioneers fourth and was followed by Hanover College (35 pts) in fifth position. Rose-Hulman (31), Mount St. Joseph (30 points, 1 first place vote), Bluffton University (28), and Manchester College (20) round out the poll.
Defiance will be looking to capture its second consecutive HCAC Championship this season. The Jackets finished three games ahead of Franklin , Transylvania, and Anderson last winter, posting a 19-8 overall record and a 13-3 mark in the HCAC.
The Jackets return four of their top five scorers from last season, including the conference's MVP Anthony Pettaway (Toledo , Ohio /Bowsher) . Pettaway averaged 15.7 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per contest as a junior last season. DC returns two other starters from last season that are expected to contribute for new head coach Kyle Brumett. Brumett spent the past two seasons leading Lakeland College to a 33-22 record and a 2008 Northern Athletics Conference Tournament championship. Anthony Jackson (Ayersville, Ohio/H.S.) and Michael Floyd (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's) each earned Honorable Mention all-conference honors a year ago and will look to fill the scoring void left by departing senior guard C.J. Johnson. Jackson averaged 7.4 points per game and connected on 37 three-point attempts a year ago, while Floyd added 6.7 points a game and a team-high 4.4 assists per game.
Johnson will be a key loss for Defiance this season after leading the team in scoring. As a senior, Johnson averaged 16.7 points a game and led the team with 58 three-point buckets.
Anderson will be looking to knock Defiance from the top of the conference standings this winter. The Ravens advanced to the HCAC tournament semifinals last winter after defeating Hanover in the opening round. Anderson completed the 2007-08 season with a 10-6 conference record and a 15-12 overall mark.
Leading the way for the Ravens will be junior guard Ryan Fultz (Carthage , Ind. /Knightstown) and senior guard Mike Russell (Indianapolis , Ind. /Pike) who return after earning All-HCAC honors a year ago. Fultz averaged 13.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season, while Russell led the team with 15.3 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.6 three-point baskets per game. AU will also open the Tom Crean era at Indiana University with an exhibition game to be played at Assembly Hall on November 7.
Franklin will look to make another run at the title this winter after claiming the HCAC Tournament title last March. The Grizzlies lost their leading scorer and rebounder from last year's team. Marty Young averaged 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for Franklin last winter. Senior guard Dustin Marshall (Lexington , Ind. /Scottsburg) will look to fill the void of Young after averaging 13.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game last season, earning a spot on the All-HCAC squad. The Grizzlies finished tied for second last season with a 10-6 HCAC record and 18-10 mark overall. Franklin ended their season in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, falling at Centre.
The first full weekend of play will take place on Nov. 21-22 with the first conference games scheduled for Dec. 3.