Falcons Picked Fifth in the East in MAC Preseason Poll; Holmes Named to Preseason All-MAC Team

Mid-American Conference MAC Preseason Poll Release

Cleveland, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team was picked to finish fifth in the Mid-American Conference East Division in 2014-15 according to the MAC's annual Preseason Media Poll, while senior forward Richaun Holmes earned a spot on the 2014-15 MAC East Division All-MAC Team, it was announced today by the league office in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Falcons, who will be led by first year head coach Chris Jans in 2014-15, received 52 total points in the preseason poll, which included one first-place vote.

Bowling Green's 52 points were only six points behind fourth-place Buffalo and the Bulls' 58 points, and 17 points ahead of Miami who was selected sixth in the MAC East with 35 points.

The Falcons also received one vote as the favorite to win the MAC Championship Tournament come March 2015.

Holmes, who was also named to the College Sports Madness 2014-15 Preseason Mid-American All-Conference Second Team earlier this preseason, returns for his third year with the Falcons in 2014-15. Named both a MAC All-Conference Third-Team and a CollegeHoopsDaily.com MAC All-Conference selection last season, the senior headlines a Falcons' squad that returns four starters from a year ago and 11 returners overall. Named the College Sports Madness MAC Player of the Week on Dec. 16 and the MAC East Division Player of the Week twice a year ago, the 6-8 forward became BGSU's all-time career blocked shots leader in just two years in the orange and brown, surpassing Otis Polk's previous career mark of 159 career blocks last year.

For the second straight season, Holmes' set a new BGSU single season blocks record with a team-high 88 blocked shots in 2013-14, which was second overall in the MAC and ranked in the top-30 nationally all season long. He led the MAC and ranked in the top-25 in the NCAA all season long with an average of 2.8 blocks per game. Holmes led the team and was 13th in the MAC in scoring at 13.3 points per game, was tied for a team-high and tied for fifth overall in the MAC on the year with 7.7 rebounds per contest, and led the team with 425 points on the season. The Illinois native posted a team-high 50.7 field goal percentage, which was also tied for 10th overall in the MAC, and shot 70.6 percent from the free throw line, also tops on the team last season.

Holmes has also been named Preseason All-MAC by both Athlon Sports and The Sporting News, and also earned Second Team All-Preseason recognition from Lindy's Sports.

Akron was picked first in the East with a total of 117 points and 17 first-place votes, while Ohio with 92 points and two first-place votes and Kent State with 66 points followed the Zips.

In the MAC West, Toledo was picked first with 118 points and 18 first-place votes followed by Western Michigan (94 points), Eastern Michigan (68 points), Northern Illinois (63 points), Central Michigan (49 points) and Ball State (28 points).

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2014-15 MAC East Division Predicted Order of Finish
1.     Akron – 117 points (17 1st Place)
2.     Ohio – 92 (2)
3.     Kent State – 66
4.     Buffalo – 58
5.     Bowling Green – 52 (1)
6.     Miami – 35

2014-15 MAC West Division Predicted Order of Finish
1.     Toledo – 118 points (18 1st Place)
2.     Western Michigan – 94 (1)
3.     Eastern Michigan – 68
4.     Northern Illinois – 63
5.     Central Michigan – 49 (1)
6.     Ball State – 28

Tournament Champion: Toledo (15), Akron (1), Bowling Green (1), Central Michigan (1), Ohio (1), Western Michigan (1)

MAC East Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Demetrius "Tree" Treadwell, Sr., F, Akron
Maurice Ndour, Sr., F, Ohio
Kris Brewer, Kent State, Sr., G, Kent State
Richaun Holmes, Sr., F, Bowling Green
Will Regan, Sr., F, Buffalo

MAC West Division Preseason All-MAC Team
David Brown, Grad., G, Western Michigan
Karrington Ward, Sr., F, Eastern Michigan
Chris Fowler, Jr., G, Central Michigan
Julius "Juice" Brown, Sr., G, Toledo
Justin Drummond, Sr., G/F, Toledo

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