Flames picked fourth in Horizon poll

JEFFERS GETS INDIVIDUAL HONOR

(10/13/06)

Whoosh! photo Junior swingman Othyus Jeffers believes the Flames’ future is as bright as his pearly whites. Jeffers was named to the Preseason Second-Team All-Horizon, while the Flames were picked for a fourth-place finish.

The experts have spoken and they have predicted a fourth-place finish for the UIC Flames in the Horizon League this season.

In a poll of league head coaches, sports information directors and selected media, the Flames received 231 points in the poll, including two second-place votes and eight third-place tallies.

Loyola was officially christened the preseason favorite, receiving 31 of 44 first-place votes, good for 373 points. Wisconsin-Green Bay grabbed eight first-place tallies and was picked for second. Detroit got three first-place votes and was selected for third.

UIC did not receive any first-place votes but outdistanced Wright State and Butler for fourth place. WSU was fifth and Butler, which received the remaining two first-place votes, was sixth.

Two-time defending Horizon League tournament champion Wisconsin-Milwaukee was picked seventh, followed by Youngstown State and Cleveland State.

The Flames return four starters, including Horizon League Newcomer of the Year Othyus Jeffers, from a team that finished in a five-way tie for third place in the league last season with an 8-8 mark. UIC finished 16-15 overall, marking the Flames’ fifth consecutive winning season. Other returning starters include senior forwards Jovan Stefanov and Danijel Zoric and sophomore guard Josh Mayo.

The league also voted on the preseason all-conference teams. UIC’s Jeffers, the reigning Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, made the Second-Team All-Horizon League. Jeffers is the Flames’ top returnee in scoring (11.6 ppg), rebounding (7.6 rpg) and assists (3.0 apg). He ranked in the top 10 in the league last season in both rebounding and assists while he led the conference with 11 double-digit rebounding efforts.

Jeffers was the only individual Flame honored in the preseason poll.

Loyola’s Blake Schilb was voted the Preseason Player of the Year. Schilb decided to return for his senior season after attending NBA draft camps.

Here’s a quick look at the predicted finish and honors from the league poll, along with Whoosh!’s official vote:

HL POLL	WHOOSH!
1.	1.
2.	2.
3.	3.
4.	4.
5.	5.
6.	6.
7.	7.
8.	8.
9.	9.