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LOCATION: Mount Pleasant, MI
CONFERENCE: Mid-American (West)
LAST SEASON: 10-16 (.385)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 7-11 (3rd)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 0/5
NICKNAME: Chippewas
COLORS: Maroon & Gold
HOMECOURT: Rose Arena (5,200)
COACH: Jay Smith (Saginaw Valley '84)
record at school 15-37 (2 years)
career record 38-43 (3 years)
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ASSISTANTS: Dave Grube (Kent '66)
Mark Montgomery (Michigan State '92)
Jeff Smith (Alma '94)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 3-6-7-5-10
RPI (last 5 years) 287-261-272-256-219
1998-99 FINISH: Did not qualify for postseason.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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Central Michigan took a giant step last season, its second under coach Jay Smith. With a huge boost from new players, the Chippewas went 10-16, doubling their win total from Smith's first season. That marked the first time Central Michigan reached double-figure wins since the 1991-92 team went 12-16. Central Michigan also won seven Mid-American Conference games. The school hadn't won more than four in any of the previous six seasons. The Chippewas finished third in the MAC West Division after being picked sixth (last), but still missed the league tournament for the seventh consecutive year. With most of last year's squad intact, Smith is cautiously optimistic. "It's still hard to evaluate how we'll be," he said. "We were in a lot of close games last year and didn't win many of them. This year we'll have to find a way to win those games. We're getting there, but we still have a ways to go.
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT C+ BENCH/DEPTH C+
FRONTCOURT B INTANGIBLES C+
Central Michigan coach Jay Smith demands total effort from the Chippewas, and they've developed a reputation as one of the MAC's hardest-working teams. He has more quality and better depth than last year. "I fully expect to play 10 guys," Smith said. "The key for this team may be the ability of our players to understand their roles." The Chippewas must also learn to win on the road. Central Michigan was good at home (7-5), beating MAC tournament qualifiers Ohio and Ball State while taking regular-season champion Miami (Ohio) to overtime before losing. But the Chippewas were only 3-11 away from Rose Arena, including a 3-7 league mark. Six of last season's losses were by eight points or less, so the Chippewas also must find a way to finish the job. |
"We'll raise the bar again. We'll see if we can get over .500." All five starters and the top nine scorers return, including MAC Freshman of the Year Mike Manciel. The losses were minimal with only Robert Brown (2.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg), Omar Zeigler (2.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg), Brent Larson (0.4 ppg, 0.1 rpg) and Ben Feeney (0.5 ppg , 0.8 rpg) missing from last season's roster. The marquee performer is Manciel, a 6-5, 205-pound sophomore wing/forward who edged Marshall's J.R. VanHoose for top freshman honors in the MAC. Manciel (17.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg) was among the nation's top 10 freshman scorers. He hit double figures in 24 of 26 games, with six double-doubles. He was fifth in MAC scoring, sixth in rebounding, third in field-goal percentage (.548) and seventh in free-throw shooting (.770). In the final four games of the season, Manciel averaged 22.5 points, with a 30-point burst against Toledo to lock up the freshman of the year award. He was Central Michigan's first member of the MAC All-Freshman team since Thomas Kilgore in 1994-95. Manciel was chosen to the Basketball News All-Freshman third team. "Mike is an exceptionally talented and versatile player who far exceeded our expectations for his freshman season," Smith said. "Not only can he score and rebound, he's a solid defensive player. Best of all, Mike's an outstanding young man." Other returning starters are 6-2 junior guard Tim Kisner (11.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 103 assists, 42 steals), 6-2 sophomore guard David Webber (9.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg), 6-5 senior forward Dan Schell (9.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and 6-1 junior guard Jon Borovich (2.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg). Kisner was third in the MAC in three-point shooting, hitting 49 of 118 (.415 percent). His 49 threes tied for 10th-best in school history. He also led the Chippewas in free-throw percentage (83 of 104, .798), steals and assists (3.9 per game). He received the team's Most Improved Player award. Brothers David and Jason Webber were key newcomers last season. Their older brother, Chris, plays in the NBA. The youngest of the Webbers, David, started all 26 games as a freshman. He came on strong at the end with double-figure scoring in eight of the last nine games. Jason Webber (6.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg) is a 6-6 senior forward. He transferred to Central Michigan from Michigan State (1.3 ppg, 0.5 rpg in 1996-97) and sat out a year. Schell is a standout in two sports who entered Central Michigan as a walk-on, but now has a scholarship. He was fourth on last year's team in scoring and second in rebounding, blocked shots (24) and three-point field goals (31). As a pitcher for the baseball team last spring, he was 5-5 with a 4.44 earned run average. He recorded 71 strikeouts in 71 innings. The other seniors are 6-8, 220-pound center Rudy Gaytan (2.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg), 6-3 guard Jamar Hill (8.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg) and 6-4 forward Todd Simmons (0.7 ppg, 0.4 rpg). Gaytan was the MAC's fourth-leading shot blocker with 28 (1.08 bpg). "I'm looking forward to having senior leadership," said Smith, who has done a complete overhaul of the program. "It's nice to have players in the program for two years who know the system." Central Michigan's other returning players are 6-1 junior guard Luke Johnson (2.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg) and 5-7 junior guard Ted Baggett (0.3 ppg, 0.0 rpg). Newcomers to the active roster, but not new to the program, are 6-4 redshirt freshman guard Derrick Bird of Ypsilanti (Mich.) High School and 6-7, 225-pound junior transfer Todd Schrotenboer from Smith's former school, Grand Valley State in Allendale, Mich. Bird sat out last season after knee surgery. At Ypsilanti, Bird averaged 19.0 and 5.0 rebounds and was chosen honorable mention all-state. The Chippewas also signed two freshmen with the same last name. They aren't related. J.R. Wallace of Reeths High in Muskegon, Mich., is a 6-0 guard who was chosen first team Class A all-state, averaging 23.0 points and 8.0 assists. He was sixth in voting for Michigan's Mr. Basketball. "J.R. is a true point guard with great speed, quickness and leadership ability," Smith said. "He comes from great basketball stock." His cousin, Mark Hughes, played on a national championship team at Michigan. Willie Wallace of Flint (Mich.) Southwestern Academy is a 6-6, 205-pound forward. He averaged 14.0 points and 8.5 rebounds as a senior. Wallace was eighth in the Michigan Mr. Basketball voting. T.J. Meerman of Coopersville (Mich.) HS is a 6-3 guard who averaged 19.0 points and 3.0 assists while making first-team Class B all-state. Meerman topped CMU's recruits by finishing fifth in the Michigan Mr. Basketball poll. Smith said the freshman trio are all great fits for the program and should contribute immediately.
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