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MU coach Charlie Coles says senior point guard Kenny Hayes, who received a medical redshirt last season, seems to be in good shape for 2010-11.

AP Photo MU coach Charlie Coles says senior point guard Kenny Hayes, who received a medical redshirt last season, seems to be in good shape for 2010-11.

Coles excited about RedHawks prospects; Akron overwhelming favorite to win East.

By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 8:22 AM Thursday, October 29, 2009

OXFORD — Miami University basketball coach Charlie Coles said he isn’t surprised that the Akron Zips are predicted to dominate the Mid-American Conference this season.

And no one else should be surprised that Coles is excited about a Miami team that was mostly overlooked in the MAC Preseason Poll that was announced Wednesday, Oct. 28.

A news media panel of 24 members gave Akron a whopping 19 votes to win the MAC East Division championship and the same number predicted that the Zips would win the MAC tournament.

Last season the top five teams in the final standings of the East Division were separated by only one game. Coles was asked if he thought one team could dominate the same division this year.

“If you look (at teams) on paper, it’s hard not to think that of the Akron Zips,” he said. “They return so many players ... I can understand it if someone says Akron, Akron, Akron all the way.”

The RedHawks, on the other hand, were picked to finish fourth in the East Division. They received no first-place votes and their 78 total points in the voting was only the ninth-highest total in the 12-team conference.

Coles remained undeterred in his enthusiasm.

“We’ve got a little bit of everything,” said the Miami coach, whose RedHawks have a mixture of experience and youth.

Coles talked about Allen Roberts, Orlando Williams, Drew Kelly and Drew McGhee, “four freshmen we’re really counting on.

“I don’t know to what extent we’re counting on them,” he said, “but they will be a good addition to the team. All four will contribute. We like what we’ve got.”

Miami also has senior point guard Kenny Hayes, who was named to the All-MAC East preseason team, along with Akron’s Brett McKnight and Anthony “Humpty” Hitchens, Kent State’s Chris Singletary and Buffalo’s Rodney Pierce.

The Central Michigan Chippewas are favored to win the championship of a West Division which did not have a single team with a winning record in 2008-09.

“I think the west will be much improved,” Coles cautioned. “I think they’re saying to the east, ‘hey guys, we’re better now, bring it on.’ ”

The All-MAC West preseason team consists of Eastern Michigan’s Brandon Bowdry and Carlos Medlock, Western Michigan’s David Kool, Ball State’s Jarrod Jones and Northern Illinois’ Darion “Jake” Anderson.