ROSEMONT, Ill. - At the Horizon League Media Day Wednesday, Wright State was picked to finish fifth in the official preseason poll released by the Horizon League.
Last year, the Raiders were picked to finish second after receiving a plurality of first-place votes. Despite the lower expectations given to his squad, WSU head coach Billy Donlon remained upbeat about his team's chances this season.
“The key for our team will be can we play fast without it affecting our defense,” Donlon said. “There is no doubt that the best defensive teams win. In conference games only, we were the second-best defensive team in the league behind Green Bay. They went on to dominate the league.”
Green Bay was picked as the league's preseason favorite for the second consecutive season. Green Bay head coach Brian Wardle took the honors in stride. Green Bay received 32 out of a possible 41 first-place votes with Cleveland State taking the remaining votes.
"We appreciate and are grateful for the respect we got from within the league,” Wardle said. “We embrace the expectations of being preseason No. 1 but we want to be sitting here in March as postseason No. 1.”
Donlon said that he thinks seven of the Horizon League's nine squads could win the conference tournament. The last two seasons, the team picked to finish last in the preseason has gone onto the Horizon League's finals. Last year, Milwaukee went from last to winning the Horizon League Championships after winning two tournament games on the road.
Milwaukee will be unable to defend its title after facing a postseason ban.
“You have to let these guys understand that there is a lot of pride,” Milwaukee head coach Rob Jeter said. “It is still fun, it is still basketball, every game is important. We just know when the end for us is going to happen.”
The Raiders start their 2014-15 campaign Nov. 14 versus Belmont. The nonconference concludes at Ohio State on Dec. 27 before WSU hosts Detroit Jan. 2.
“I try to use the nonconference as a way to learn about our team, for them to learn about each other and to win the games," Donlon said.
