Brett McKnight News

As much as the teaching side of Akron men's basketball coach Keith Dambrot wanted to ease prize recruit Zeke Marshall into the college game, his coaching instincts kept reminding him that this skilled 7-footer could take his team to greater heights.

The University of Akron basketball players received their Mid-American Conference championship rings before Sunday afternoon's game and then seemed to forget what it took to earn them.

For 33 minutes Sunday, Akron's effort against Austin Peay resembled the glorious highlights of last spring's run through the Mid-American Conference postseason tournament and into the NCAA.

The poll was announced during the league's preseason media teleconference and was determined by a 24-member MAC News Media Panel.

With a significant number of returnees and a prize freshman at his disposal, University of Akron basketball coach Keith Dambrot has lineup possibilities galore.

The score will be lopsided, the play will be sloppy at times and the lineup changes will be many.

Akron's Brett McKnight joins teammate Humpty Hitchens on the preseason All-MAC East basketball team announced Wednesday.

So, the Ball State men's basketball team was selected to finish fourth in the West Division by the Mid-American Conference News Media on Wednesday.

Miami University's men's basketball team was predicted to finish fourth in the Mid-American Conference East Division in a poll of the league's media, and RedHawk senior guard Kenny Hayes was selected to the East Division All-MAC Preseason Team, the conference office announced on Oct 28.

Today, we continue our conference countdown. We're working backward, from our No.

Bowdry was joined on the MAC's second five by Northern Illinois ' Jake Anderson, Akron 's Brett McKnight and Western Michigan 's David Kool .

LANCASTER -- It was an opportunity too perfect, with too much potential for fun, to be passed up.

LANCASTER -- It was an opportunity too perfect, with too much potential for fun, to be passed up.

Akron , Ohio , Jan. 10 -- University of Akron issued the following news release: Miami scored the first eight points of overtime, finishing the extra period with a 16-3 advantage, to post a 64-51 victory over the University of Akron men's basketball team on Saturday afternoon in the Mid-American Conference opener for both squads at Millett Hall.

ATHENS, Ohio , Jan. 20 -- University of Akron issued the following news release: After rallying back from a 15-point second-half deficit and forcing overtime, the University of Akron men's basketball team lost 70-65 at Ohio on Tuesday in a Mid-American Conference game at Convocation Center.

DEKALB, Ill., Feb. 15 -- University of Akron issued the following news release: The University of Akron men's basketball team saw its seven-game win streak come to a close on Sunday, with an 83-79 loss to Northern Illinois in Mid-American Conference cross-divisional action at Convocation Center.

CLEVELAND, March 14 -- University of Akron issued the following news release: The fifth-seeded University of Akron men's basketball team upset top-seeded Bowling Green 63-55 in Friday's semifinal round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena.

Akron , Ohio , July 21 -- University of Akron issued the following news release: The University of Akron men's basketball team's March 19 NCAA Tournament First Round matchup with Gonzaga will be replayed on Tuesday at 10 p.m. EDT on the CBS College Sports Network as part of the channel's Summer Madness programming.