2007–08 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2007–2008 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball
team is a NCAA Division I college basketball
team competing in the Mid-American Conference
(MAC). The Broncos, 20–12 overall and 12–4 in the conference, captured the MAC West Division championship by 4 games and earned the #2 seed in the conference tournament
. WMU reached the semi-finals of the MAC tournament before falling to #3 seed Akron.
During the regular season, Western Michigan defeated #25 ranked Davidson College
, a team that reached the Elite Eight
of the NCAA Tournament
. WMU finished the non-conference portion of their schedule 7–7, defeating Davidson, Detroit Mercy
, Loyola Chicago
, North Carolina Central
, Pepperdine
, Southern Illinois
and Wisconsin–Green Bay
.
WMU also retained the Michigan MAC Trophy
for the third consecutive season.
Sophomore David Kool
and senior Joe Reitz
earned First Team All-MAC honors. Reitz was also named to the MAC All-Tournament team.
Joe Reitz was named to the Preseason All-MAC Team.
* Will redshirt
the 2007–2008 season
. Lowe was rated the #1 Michigan
high school center in 2007.
Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball
The Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school's team competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2004...
team is a NCAA Division I college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
team competing in the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
(MAC). The Broncos, 20–12 overall and 12–4 in the conference, captured the MAC West Division championship by 4 games and earned the #2 seed in the conference tournament
2008 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2008 Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament was won by the #1 seed Kent State Golden Flashes, who defeated their arch-rival and #3 seed Akron Zips 74–55 in front of 12,942 fans. Kent State center Haminn Quaintance led all scorers with 16 points and was named the tournament MVP.The...
. WMU reached the semi-finals of the MAC tournament before falling to #3 seed Akron.
During the regular season, Western Michigan defeated #25 ranked Davidson College
Davidson Wildcats men's basketball
The Davidson Wildcats basketball team is the basketball team that represents Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, in the NCAA Division I. The school's team currently competes in the Southern Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2008. The...
, a team that reached the Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
of the NCAA Tournament
2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
. WMU finished the non-conference portion of their schedule 7–7, defeating Davidson, Detroit Mercy
Detroit Titans men's basketball
The Detroit Titans team is the basketball team that represents the University of Detroit Mercy in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The school's team currently competes in the Horizon League. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1999...
, Loyola Chicago
Loyola Ramblers
The Loyola Ramblers are the varsity sports teams of Loyola University Chicago. Most teams compete in the Horizon League of the NCAA Division I...
, North Carolina Central
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in the University of North Carolina system, located in Durham, North Carolina, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, professional and doctoral levels....
, Pepperdine
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
, Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois Salukis men's basketball
The Southern Illinois Salukis basketball team represents Southern Illinois University Carbondale in Carbondale, Illinois. The Salukis compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Salukis are currently coached by Chris Lowery who led the team to the NCAA tournament in 2004 thru 2007. Lowery was...
and Wisconsin–Green Bay
UW-Green Bay Phoenix
The Green Bay Phoenix, previously known as the UW–Green Bay Phoenix and UWGB Phoenix, are the athletic teams of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. A total of 16 Phoenix athletic teams compete in the Horizon League of NCAA Division I...
.
WMU also retained the Michigan MAC Trophy
Michigan MAC Trophy
The Michigan MAC Trophy is given to the Michigan Mid-American Conference university – Central Michigan University , Eastern Michigan University and Western Michigan University – which defeats the other two schools in the same sport in the same regular season.There are two separate...
for the third consecutive season.
Sophomore David Kool
David Kool
David Anderson Kool is a former collegiate basketball player for the Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team. He is six feet three inches tall and weighs 200 lbs. Kool is WMU's all-time leading scorer and was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in his senior season...
and senior Joe Reitz
Joe Reitz
Joseph David Reitz is an American football offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
earned First Team All-MAC honors. Reitz was also named to the MAC All-Tournament team.
Preseason
The Broncos were picked to win the West Division by members of the MAC News Media Association, receiving 23 of 32 possible first place votes ( received 6 votes and 3). Western Michigan also received 6 votes to win the MAC Tournament, which was second to (7 votes).Joe Reitz was named to the Preseason All-MAC Team.
Awards
- Derek Drews
- West Division Player of the Week (week 1)
- David KoolDavid KoolDavid Anderson Kool is a former collegiate basketball player for the Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team. He is six feet three inches tall and weighs 200 lbs. Kool is WMU's all-time leading scorer and was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in his senior season...
- All-MAC First Team
- 3-time West Division Player of the Week (weeks 12, 16, 17)
- Joe ReitzJoe ReitzJoseph David Reitz is an American football offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
- All-MAC First Team
- 4-time West Division Player of the Week (weeks 2, 7, 13, 14)
- Academic All-District IV First Team
- Mid-American Conference Academic Player of the Week (February 7)
Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown (Previous school) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Derek Drews | F | 6'5" | 224 | Jr. | Elkhart, IN (Elkhart Central Elkhart Central High School -Vision:Elkhart Central High School is a place where all feel safe, welcome and aspire to learn, find their niche and pursue their dreams.-Mission:... ) |
| 1 | Derek Fracalossi | G/F | 6'5" | 203 | Sr. | Davison, MI (Davison) |
| 34 | Shawntes Gary | G | 6'2" | 207 | Jr. | Elkhart, IN (Concord) |
| 13 | Justin Hairston * | F | 6'5" | 215 | Fr. | Fort Wayne, IN (Fort Wayne South South Side High School (Fort Wayne, Indiana) South Side High School is a Fort Wayne Community Schools high school situated in south-central Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana.-History:On September 11, 1922, South Side High School opened its doors to students for the first time... ) |
| 5 | Andrew Hershberger | F | 6'7" | 223 | Sr. | Goshen, IN (Goshen Goshen High School (Indiana) Goshen High School is a public high school in Goshen, Indiana, in the United States. As of 2009, total enrollment is at 1,700 students. Goshen High School has a large hispanic population, at 52%, and a student to teacher ratio of 17/1. The school's athletic teams compete in Class 5A... ) |
| 0 | Dan Hess | F/C | 6'7" | 225 | Sr. | Owosso, MI (Corunna Corunna High School Corunna High School is a public secondary school located in Corunna, Michigan. The school colors are black and gold, and its sports team is the Cavaliers.- Students and faculty :Total Students: 764Male: 49% Female: 51%Teachers: 42... ) |
| 23 | David Kool David Kool David Anderson Kool is a former collegiate basketball player for the Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team. He is six feet three inches tall and weighs 200 lbs. Kool is WMU's all-time leading scorer and was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in his senior season... |
G | 6'3" | 200 | So. | Grand Rapids, MI (South Christian South Christian High School South Christian High School is a private Christian high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It offers classes from the 9th through 12th grade. SCHS is affiliated with Byron Center Christian School, Dutton Christian School, Legacy Christian School, and Moline Christian School, all of which provide... ) |
| 2 | Silver Laku | G | 6'2" | 180 | Sr. | Toronto, ON (Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute is a high school in Toronto, Ontario, and part of the Toronto District School Board. Best known for being the host school of the TOPS program, a selective math and science enrichment program... ) |
| 33 | Donald Lawson | C | 6'9" | 234 | So. | Chicago, IL (Leo Catholic Leo Catholic High School Leo Catholic High School is an all-male Catholic high school in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and home to a predominantly African–American student body... ) |
| 21 | Martelle McLemore | G | 6'5" | 198 | So. | Detroit, MI (Consortium Prep) |
| 22 | Michael Redell | G | 6'0" | 183 | Jr. | Rockford, MI (Cleveland State Cleveland State Vikings The Cleveland State Vikings, or Vikes, are the athletic teams of Cleveland State University. Before as Fenn College they were known as the Fenn College Foxes or Fenn Foxes. Cleveland State competes in NCAA Division I. They have been a member of the NCAA Division I since 1972. They were previously... ) |
| 42 | Joe Reitz Joe Reitz Joseph David Reitz is an American football offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2008... |
C | 6'7" | 256 | Sr. | Fishers, IN (Hamilton Southeastern Hamilton Southeastern High School Hamilton Southeastern High School is a four-star, Blue Ribbon public high school in Fishers, Indiana, a town north of Indianapolis. It is a part of the Hamilton Southeastern School District... ) |
| 12 | Andre Ricks | G | 5'9" | 159 | Jr. | Detroit, MI (Pershing) |
| 15 | Alex Wolf | G | 5'11" | 198 | | Fr.-R Redshirt (college sports) Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility... |
Parchment, MI (Parchment) |
| 3 | Jon Workman * | F | 6'9" | 220 | So. | LaGrange, IN (Lakeland) |
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
the 2007–2008 season
Schedule
Coaching staff
- Steve HawkinsSteve HawkinsSteve Hawkins is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach at Western Michigan University. He had previously served as the head coach at Quincy University.- Background :...
– Head coach - Clayton Bates – Assistant coach
- Cornell Mann – Assistant coach
- Andy Hipsher – Assistant coach
- Phil Sayers – Director of Basketball Operations
2008–2009 recruits
Western Michigan signed forwards Muhammed Conteh, Justin Hairston and Flenard Whitfield, center Lemarcus Lowe and guards Mike Douglas and Demetrius Ward during this season. Each player will be a freshman for the 2008–09 season2008–09 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team
The 2008–2009 Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college basketball team representing Western Michigan University...
. Lowe was rated the #1 Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
high school center in 2007.
See also
- Western Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
- Western Michigan BroncosWestern Michigan BroncosThe Western Michigan Broncos are a NCAA Division I FBS team representing Western Michigan University. They compete in the Mid-American Conference in men's baseball, basketball, football, soccer and tennis; and women's basketball, cross-country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, track and field,...
- Western Michigan Broncos men's basketballWestern Michigan Broncos men's basketballThe Western Michigan Broncos men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school's team competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2004...
- 2007–08 Mid-American Conference season2007–08 Mid-American Conference seasonThe 2007–08 Mid-American Conference season was its 62nd season in existence. The Mid-American Conference competed at Division I in the National Collegiate Athletic Association...