Horizon League names 2008-09 MBB Preseason Teams

Oct. 9, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

INDIANAPOLIS - University of Illinois at Chicago senior Josh Mayo has been named the Horizon League's 2008-09 Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year, according to the league's annual poll.

Mayo received 405 points and 13 of 49 Player of the Year votes from Horizon League head coaches, men's basketball sports information directors and media members. In 2007-08, he averaged 17.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 47 percent from beyond the arc.

Cleveland State University seniors J'Nathan Bullock and Cedric Jackson, Wright State University junior Vaughn Duggins and Butler University sophomore Matt Howard join Mayo on the Horizon League's Preseason first team.

Bullock (6th, 14.8), Jackson (8th, 13.9) and Duggins (9th, 13.8) finished among the Horizon League's scoring leaders a year ago. Jackson ranked first in steals (2.59 pg) and second in assists (4.94 pg), while Howard finished third in field goal percentage (.583) and Bullock placed seventh in rebounds (6.6 pg).

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay senior Mike Schachtner, Loyola University Chicago senior J.R. Blount, Valparaiso University senior Urule Igbavboa, Wright State senior Todd Brown and UIC senior Scott VanderMeer earn Horizon League Preseason second team accolades.

Schachtner (3rd, 15.8) and Blount (5th, 15.1) finished among the league's scoring leaders a season ago. VanderMeer (7.5 pg) and Igbavboa (7.3 pg) ranked 1-2 in rebounds, while VanderMeer led the circuit in blocked shots (2.58 pg) and Igbavboa placed fourth in field goal percentage (.550).

Cleveland State sits atop the Horizon League's Preseason Poll after receiving 478 points and 40 of 49 first-place votes. The Vikings advanced to the 2008 Postseason NIT after going 21-13 overall.

Wright State (412), UIC (361), Green Bay (335) and Butler (326) place two through five, while Milwaukee (326), Valparaiso (207), Loyola (189), Detroit (98) and Youngstown State (73) round out the poll.

The 2008-09 Horizon League men's basketball season begins with three exhibition games on Saturday, Nov. 1. The regular season tips off with four contests on Friday, Nov. 14.

The upcoming Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship is slated for March 3, 6, 7 and 10. Butler posted a 70-55 win over Cleveland State in last year's tournament finale.

Click on the PDF at the top of the page to view the preseason All-Horizon League teams.