Men's Basketball Preseason All-MAC Teams Announced
Oct. 7, 2004
CLEVELAND -- Ten of the league's top men's basketball players have been selected to the preseason all-MAC teams for the East and West Divisions as announced by the league office. Voting for the teams was conducted among members of the MAC News Media Association.
The West Division representatives are John Reimold of Bowling Green, John Bowler of Eastern Michigan, Keith Triplett and Sammy Villegas of Toledo and Ben Reed of Western Michigan.
The East Division squad is comprised of Turner Battle and Yassin Idbihi from Buffalo, DeAndre Haynes of Kent State and Danny Horace and Chet Mason of Miami.
The preseason all-MAC teams will be available for interviews at the conference's Basketball Media Day, which is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 21 at The Renaissance Hotel in downtown Cleveland. The media portion of the schedule is set to begin at 9:00 a.m.
Triplett and Reed were first-team all-MAC selections in 2004 while Battle was a second team honoree. Mason and Villegas were honorable mention all-MAC selections last season.
Reed helped lead the Broncos to its first MAC Tournament title ever and into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998. Reed averaged 16.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg and totaled 67 assists as WMU went 26-5 and set a school record for the most wins in a season. Triplett and Villegas spearheaded Toledo's drive to a 20-win season and an NIT appearance. Triplett led the MAC in steals (2.6), was second in scoring (19.6) and third in free throw percentage (80.4) and three-point percentage (41.5) and 11th in assists (3.1). Villegas averaged 13.7 ppg and had 84 assists. Bowler tied for the MAC lead in double-double with 10 with 13.2 ppg and a MAC second best 8.2 rpg. Bowler also ranked seventh in the league in field goal accuracy (49.8 percent) and tied for eighth in blocked shots (1.0 per game). Reimold averaged 15.1 ppg, eighth in the MAC, and was fifth in the league with his 39.9 percent rate from three-point range.
Battle and Idbihi keyed Buffalo's rise to a 17-win season overall and 11 MAC wins, the best totals since joining the league in 1999. Battle, also a two-time Academic All-MAC selection, led UB with 14.5 ppg and 80 assists and finished ninth in the conference in field goal percentage at 48.6. Idbihi was an All-MAC Freshman honoree for his team-high 5.8 rpg and his 10.3 ppg. The RedHawks claimed 18 wins last year, including 12 MAC victories with Mason and Horace key components. Mason finished fourth in the MAC in rebounds at 7.9 per game and added 10.3 ppg and 84 assists. Horace contributed 9.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg. Haynes, an all-freshmen selection two years ago, has emerged as one of the top guards in the league. In 2004 Haynes led the MAC in assists with 5.77 per game (179 assists, 31 games) while averaging 10.4 ppg and 4.2 rpg and HAD a team-high 72 steals, also second most in the MAC.
The all-MAC women's preseason team will be announced tomorrow.
2004-05 Preseason All-MAC Teams
West Division
Name, School Ht. Wt. Cl. P Hometown
John Reimold, BG 6-6 240 Sr. F Greenville, Pa.
John Bowler, EMU 6-8 255 Jr. F Chicago, Ill.
Keith Triplett, UT 6-3 183 Sr. G Toledo, Ohio
Sammy Villegas, UT 6-6 204 Jr. G Carolina, Puerto Rico/Lima, Ohio
Ben Reed, WMU 6-3 225 Sr. G Battle Creek, Mich.
East Division
Turner Battle, UB 6-3 190 Sr. G Kernersville, N.C.
Yassan Idbihi, UB 6-10 230 So. F Tangier, Morocco
DaAndre Haynes, KSU 6-2 170 Jr. G Detroit, Mich.
Danny Horace, MIA 6-6 242 Sr. F Cincinnati, Ohio
Chet Mason, MIA 6-4 179 Sr. G Cleveland, Ohio
