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The preseason hype for UB Men’s Basketball continues today as the MAC releases its preseason accolades.
JUST IN: Buffalo, Eastern Michigan selected to win respective divisions in 2018-19 MAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll! #MACtion pic.twitter.com/rR28oKXptA
— #MACtion (@MACSports) October 30, 2018
Because of the large return of veteran talent, Buffalo has been unsurprisingly selected to win the MAC East Division. This is the first time since 2002 that a team has received more than 200 points in the poll.
Buffalo has also been selected as the favorite to win the MAC Tournament. Eastern Michigan and Toledo are the only two teams with more than one vote with three apiece.
Also of note in the preseason poll is Central Michigan, where a CMU beat writer has once again picked the Chippewas to win the MAC West and the MAC Tournament. Pretty bold of them there
What might be a slight surprise in the voting is that three Buffalo players took up spots on the All-MAC East preseason team. CJ Massinburg, Nick Perkins, and Jeremy Harris are joined by Bowling Green’s Demajeo Wiggins and Kent State’s Jaylin Walker.
Congrats @cj_ball_is_LIfe @Nick_P34 @jermm_1 on being named to the preseason All-MAC East Division team. UB becomes first MAC team to have three players honored in the preseason #UBhornsUP #UBLegendary pic.twitter.com/xFmi7vDGgW
— UB Men's Basketball (@UBmenshoops) October 30, 2018
Massinburg returns for his final season and is already acclaimed as one of the best to ever don the UB Blue and White. Last season he scored 17 a game on top of bringing down 7.3 boards a contest, making him one of the best rebounding guards in the nation and a contender as this year’s MAC Player of the Year.
Perkins, a senior as well, is on the heels of a 16.2 point, 6.0 rebounds a game campaign from a year ago. The 6-8 machine-in-the-front-court will take on an even bigger role for the Bulls this season after winning the last two MAC Sixth Man of the Year awards.
Both Perkins and Massinburg were almost a given for this year’s All-MAC preseason team, but virtually just about every college basketball publication out had Harris relegated to the All-MAC preseason second team. Harris is coming off of a strong season where he scored 15.5 points a game and shot almost 42 percent from beyond the arc. He’ll most likely see an even bigger scoring output this season now that he’s accustomed to the Oats offense.
UB’s regular season begins next Tuesday when they take on Saint Francis of Pennsylvania, a solid NEC team. That game will tip-off at 4:00 p.m. and will air on ESPN+