TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo was picked to finish third in the West Division in the 2018-19 Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Poll released on Tuesday. The poll results were determined by the league's 12 head coaches and a 23-member MAC Media Panel.
 
     The defending MAC West Division champion Rockets received 156 points and five first-place votes. Eastern Michigan is predicted to win the West Division crown with 183 points and 17 first-place tallies. Ball State received 175 points and 11 first-place votes and was followed by Toledo, Western Michigan (81 pts., 1 first-place vote), Northern Illinois (73) and Central Michigan (67, 1 first-place vote).
 
     Buffalo was the unanimous selection to capture the East Division with all 35 first-place votes and 210 points. The Bulls were followed by Miami (127), Kent State (122), Ohio (121), Akron (97) and Bowling Green (58).
    
     The Bulls were also pegged to win the MAC Tournament by 25 voters followed by Toledo (3), Eastern Michigan (3), Central Michigan (1), Miami (1), Northern Illinois (1) and Western Michigan (1).

     Additionally, senior guard Jaelan Sanford was named to the Preseason All-MAC West Division squad for a second straight season. He was joined by Ball State's Tayler Persons, Eastern Michigan's Elijah Minnie and James Thompson IV and Northern Illinois' Eugene German. The Preseason All-MAC East Division team included Buffalo's Jeremy Harris, C.J. Massinburg and Nick Perkins as well as Bowling Green's Demajeo Wiggins and Kent State's Jaylin Walker.
    
UT registered a 23-11 record with a 13-5 mark in league play last year and its 55 MAC victories over the last five seasons rank second in the league. Ninth-year Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk has guided the Rockets to three 20-win campaigns in the last five years, marking the first time for this accomplishment since Bob Nichols recorded five straight seasons of 20-plus victories from 1976-81.

     The Rockets return six of their top seven players from a year ago in the 2018-19 campaign, led by Sanford and senior forward Nate Navigato. Sanford, a second-team All-MAC selection last year, ranked eighth in the MAC with 16.3 ppg and ninth a 40.3 three-point shooting mark. Navigato set a school record last year with 94 three-pointers and led the MAC last season with 2.8 treys per game and ranked second with a 42.7 three-point percentage. Also returning for Toledo will be the junior duo of center Luke Knapke (10.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and forward Willie Jackson (7.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg), as well as 2017-18 All-MAC Freshman Team member Marreon Jackson (8.0 ppg, 2.7 apg).

     Toledo will host NCAA Division II foe Hillsdale College on Saturday, Nov. 3 in an exhibition contest at 2:30 p.m. It will follow the Rocket women's basketball squad's exhibition matchup vs. Findlay at Noon.
 
     UT opens its regular season on Friday, Nov. 9 at Oakland before hosting Wilberforce (Ohio) University the following evening in Savage Arena at 7:00 p.m. in its home opener. Mid-American Conference play for the Rockets begins on Friday, January 4 with a nationally televised matchup on the CBS Sports Network against Ball State.

For ticket information, stop by the UT Athletic Ticket Office in the Sullivan Athletic Complex at Savage Arena, go online to utrockets.com or call 419-530-GOLD (4653).
 
2018-19 West Division Predicted Order of Finish 
1.  Eastern Michigan – 183 points (17 first-place votes)
2.  Ball State – 175 points (11 first-place votes)
3.  Toledo – 156 points (5)
4.  Western Michigan – 81 points (1)
5.  Northern Illinois – 73 points
6.  Central Michigan – 67 points (1)
 
2018-19 West Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Tayler Persons, Ball State, Sr., Guard
Elijah Minnie, Eastern Michigan, Sr., Forward
James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan, Sr., Center
Jaelan Sanford, Toledo, Sr., Guard
Eugene German, Northern Illinois, Jr., Guard
 
2018-19 East Division Predicted Order of Finish
1.  Buffalo – 210 points (35)
2.  Miami – 127 points
3.  Kent State – 122 points
4.  Ohio – 121 points
5.  Akron – 97 points
6.  Bowling Green – 58 points
 
2018-19 East Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Demajeo Wiggins, Bowling Green, Sr., Forward
Jeremy Harris, Buffalo, Sr., Guard
C.J. Massinburg, Buffalo, Sr., Guard
Nick Perkins, Buffalo, Sr., Forward
Jaylin Walker, Kent State, Sr., Guard
 
MAC Men's Basketball Tournament Winner: Buffalo (25), Toledo (3), Eastern Michigan (3), Central Michigan (1), Miami (1), Northern Illinois (1), Western Michigan (1).