Banks named Horizon Preseason Player of the Year

WILLIAMS ALSO HONORED

(10/30/04)

Fifth-year seniors Cedrick Banks and Armond Williams received notoriety from the Horizon League preseason poll that was released last week.

Banks (pictured) was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year in a poll of league coaches, sports information directors and media. Williams was also selected to be on the First-Team All-Horizon.

Banks was First-Team All-Horizon for the last two years, while Williams was Second-Team All-Horizon the last two years. Williams was also on the league’s All-Defensive Team and was named the Horizon League Tournament MVP.

Joining Banks and Williams on the First Team was Wisconsin-Milwaukee guard Ed McCants and Milwaukee forward Joah Tucker and Cleveland State forward Omari Westley.

On the Second Team were Wisconsin-Green Bay guards Brandon Morris and Javier Mendiburu, Detroit center Ryvon Covile, Butler guard Avery Sheets and Wright State guard DaShaun Wood.

Team-wise, the Flames were picked a close second behind Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Panthers had 308 points and 19 first-place votes, while UIC collected 306 points and 11 first-place tallies.

Wisconsin-Green Bay was third, garnering five first-place votes. Detroit, Butler, and Wright State follow the Phoenix in that order. Each team received one first-place vote. Cleveland State, Loyola and Youngstown State rounded out the predicted finish.

PRINT WHOOSH! AVAILABLE MONDAY: The season-preview print edition of Whoosh! magazine will be available in the copies of the Chicago Flame starting Monday afternoon at locations around campus and nearby neighborhoods.

The issue features an in-depth season preview story – featuring Banks, a special look at the top five newcomers for this season, Whoosh! predictions, and the top five games of the first-half of the season.

In addition, UIC athletic director Jim Schmidt explains the NCAA appeals process for Williams and Martell Bailey.

(Editor’s note: Articles from this issue of Whoosh! will published on-line within the next week or so.)

GEORGIA TECH TIX: Tickets for UIC’s home opener have been selling steadily. Schmidt said that 3,800 tickets have been sold for the Nov. 22 contest.

He added that current students can still get in for free using their student IDs. However, to guarantee admission, Schmidt advised students that they can go to the Pavilion box office in advance of the game. The game is a potential sellout, given the marquee opponent.

FUTURE SCHEDULE NEWS: The Flames already have some non-conference games slated for next year with the highlight being a return trip to Georgia Tech – the second of a three-game contract.

“We’ll have to take our lumps and go down there twice,” Schmidt said. “But anytime you can get an ACC team come to your arena, you’ve got to do it.”

UIC will also resume their series with Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena in 2005-06. Schmidt also said that Wildcats coach Bill Carmody is interested in continuing the series for four more years.

It also appears that Illinois State will return to the Pavilion. Schmidt said the Flames are interested in getting Southern Illinois back on the schedule, possibly for a two-year, home-and-home deal, likely starting in Carbondale in 2005-06.

Schmidt added that there could be future contests with Duke and DePaul, depending on how the Flames fare against them this season.

“If we compete well with them, we might be able to get them here,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said that a United Center game with Duke down the line is not out of the question, given Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski’s ties with the city.

The Flames will also return a game at the opponent from the Feb. 19 Bracket Buster game.

ODDS & ENDS: All UIC games will be broadcast live for the first time on the internet at www.uicflames.com. Dave Wills and Dick Nagy will be the radio announce team for each contest. … The Flames’ exhibition opener will be Nov. 10 at the Pavilion against Robert Morris. Game time is 7 p.m.