2007 Season Preview
It's not exactly a new beginning for the Milwaukee School of Engineering men's basketball team, but the 2007-2008 season will be something of a fresh start. The Raiders are looking to apply the lessons learned during a 16-11 season as an Independent a year ago - the fourth-best record among independent schools in the nation - as they join the Northern Athetics Conference this season.
Head coach Brian Miller is back at the helm this year and hopes to continue what has been a very successful building project thus far. In his first three seasons at the helm, the Raiders have recorded the two best records and most victories over a two-year span in the program's history.
With 15 players returning from last year's squad, Miller won't need a lot of time to get his team acclimated. Leading that group is senior forward Scott Murphy, who averaged 17 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. His performance during the season earned him second-team All-DII Independent Honors.
Murphy has been an ironman for the Raiders, having started every game he's played in. In addition to being twice named captain of the squad, he was also a two-time All-Lake Michigan Conference Honorable Mention selection, and qualified for the All-LMC Rookie team his freshman year.
Head coach Brian Miller is back at the helm this year and hopes to continue what has been a very successful building project thus far. In his first three seasons at the helm, the Raiders have recorded the two best records and most victories over a two-year span in the program's history.
With 15 players returning from last year's squad, Miller won't need a lot of time to get his team acclimated. Leading that group is senior forward Scott Murphy, who averaged 17 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. His performance during the season earned him second-team All-DII Independent Honors.
Murphy has been an ironman for the Raiders, having started every game he's played in. In addition to being twice named captain of the squad, he was also a two-time All-Lake Michigan Conference Honorable Mention selection, and qualified for the All-LMC Rookie team his freshman year.
"Scott is a very skilled player in all facets of the game," Miller said. "He has great court awareness and sense and he understands the game very well."
Murphy will have some help. Junior forward Jamel Sabree will team up with Murphy to give the Raiders' an experienced and offensively talented frontcourt. Sabree averaged a shade less than 10 points per game last year while pulling down five rebounds a night. Also back in the lineup is junior guard Andy Voigt. The six-footer added 11 points a night and is an 80% shooter from the free-throw line.
"Andy gives us an athletic wing player who can create his own shot and opportunities for others," Miller said. "He's a solid defender and led our team in steals."
Complementing the veterans on the roster is a crop of freshman that is among the best to be recruited to MSOE.
Headlining the class is 6-4 forward Austin Meier, who led Oshkosh West to consecutive Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I championships. Meier was selected to the All-Fox Valley Association first team in 2007 and was a second-team selection in 2006. He was an All-State Honorable Mention selection last year and was also named to the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association all-star team. Despite a number of scholarship offers from high-profile NCAA Division II schools, Meier - whose father was a member of the 1987 Indiana University team that won the National Championship under head coach Bobby Knight - chose MSOE.
"Meier is a very complete and versatile player," Miller says. "He can play at three positions and is known for his defensive ability. He's a stat-box stuffer in a number of categories and knows how to win."
Another incoming freshman with a strong pedigree is Bennett Deacon. He led Burlington Catholic Central to a 26-1 record, the Midwest Classic Conference and WIAA Division 4 state championships in 2006 while playing for his father, Paul. Deacon's sister Kelsey is a point guard with Northern Michigan University and his brother Tyrone mans the same post for UW-Parkside.
While the Raiders will have plenty of offensive weapons, they will also lean heavily on the play at the defensive end of the court. MSOE finished the year ranked 109th out of 381 NCAA Division III teams in scoring defense by allowing just 68 points per game. Opponents shot just 42.4% from the field and made just 35.2% of three-point attempts.
Neil Trainor will anchor the Raiders' defensive efforts. The senior guard is a three-year starter and was a co-captain the last two seasons. He is MSOE's leader on the floor and has led the team in assists and deflections. Another defensive leader is senior forward Zach Molner, who at 6-5 creates matchup problems for opposing coaches.
"Zach can guard just about any position and does it with great anticipation," Miller said. "Trainor has great length and quickness and leaping ability. They're both tough players to score on."
The 2007 campaign will also mark the return to conference play for MSOE. As an independent, the Raiders competed in three tournaments last season which featured some of the best competition in the nation. They also participated in the Independent's Tournament at the end of the season; winning the Midwest Regional Championship.
In the NAC, MSOE will be reunited with many of its former Lake Michigan Conference rivals including Wisconsin Lutheran, Edgewood, and Marian. It's against many of those teams that MSOE compiled one of its most successful seasons and set a record for conference victories in the 2005-2006 season; the Raiders' final campaign as LMC members.
"The NAC will be a deep and talented conference this year," Miller said. "The league has a very talented senior class and should be a brutally tough season."
