MAC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

Western Michigan are coming off a 13-19 overall season, finishing 6-12 in the MAC that resulted in a tie for 5th place in the West division. And after 17 seasons, the Broncos will reset things with a new head coach in Clayton Bates, bringing an end to the Steve Hawkins era in Kalamazoo.

Bates was an assistant for Hawkins last season so he brings some familiarity to the team, which will help.

Western Michigan are in a similar position as Central Michigan in the fact that they lost some key players in the offseason. The Broncos will be without both Brandon Johnson (15.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg), who was a third team All-MAC forward last year, and the leading scorer from a season ago in Michael Flowers (16.9 ppg, 68 three-pointers) as both transferred.

Johnson left for Minnesota and Flowers headed to South Alabama, respectively.

On the bright side for Clayton Bates, he’ll have three returning starters and many reserves back for the season. Not to mention a freshman, Daylan Hamilton, who scored at will in high school. Here are some players to watch for the Broncos this season, including Hamilton:

• B. Artis White – The second year Bronco is the highest returning scorer from a year ago, and will look to improve upon a 7.3 ppg average. Artis White tallied 51 threes last season and can  be a weapon from deep despite his 5’9″ frame.
• Titus Wright – Wright took advantage of opportunities last season to get more playing time and snag starting minutes. Wright averaged just 6.2 ppg and 4.0 rpg, but you can expect those numbers to climb with the absence of the aforementioned Brandon Johnson.
• Daylan Hamilton – Hamilton is a guy that can come in and give Clayton Bates a scoring threat from the off. Averaging 26 points per game at Klein Forest High School in Texas, Hamilton said he chose the Broncos, per Western Michigan’s athletics website, “because of the love I felt right away from the whole coaching staff…from the beginning so I knew right away this was the best option for me to get to where I am trying to go in the future.”

Clayton Bates has more returning players like Jason Whitens and Rafael Cruz Jr. who can fill the scoring void this season. That being said, the Broncos are a team with some unknowns. A new head coach, replacement of their two best players, and more scoring.

Those players to watch are a start, but finishing 10th in points per game and 9th in points per game allowed won’t get the Broncos a MAC title.