W. Illinois Basketball: 5 Reasons to be Excited for the Season

The W. Illinois basketball team is gearing up for another exciting season. Here are 5 reasons why fans should be excited:

1. The team has a lot of talent and experience.
2. They’re coached by a proven winner.
3. The schedule is favorable.
4. The conference is wide open.
5. They have a chance to make a run at the postseason.

The Roster

1. Talent: This team is loaded with potential.

2. Balance: There are a Number of players who can contribute in a variety of ways.

3. Experience: There are a number of veterans on the roster who have been through the rigors of a college Basketball season

4. Depth: The team has a number of players who can come in and contribute right away.

5. Coaching: The Coaching Staff is experienced and has a proven track record of success at the collegiate level.

The Schedule

1. The Leathernecks will take on in-state rivals Northern Illinois Bradley, and Eastern Illinois as well as Iowa and Northwestern from the Big Ten

2. Western will also travel to play Louisville, Purdue, and Indiana in some tough road games.

3. The home slate features some key games against Missouri State Drake, and Southern Illinois.

4. The conference tournament will be held at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.

5. Western Illinois was picked to finish 4th in the Summit League preseason poll.

The Coaching Staff

Entering his fourth season as Head Coach of the Leathernecks, Billy Wright has put together an impressive resume. In his first three years at the helm, Wright has led Western Illinois to a regular season record of 24-44 (.353), including a school-record 16-win season in 2016-17. Wright’s teams have also shown significant improvement on the defensive end of the court, as the Leathernecks have gone from allowing 76.5 points per game in 2014-15 (Wright’s first year) to just 67.9 points per game last season.

In addition to being a Great Coach Wright is also an excellent recruiter. In each of his first three seasons at Western Illinois Wright has brought in at least one top-100 recruit (per 247Sports Composite rankings), including two top-50 recruits in 2016. With Wright at the helm, the Leathernecks are poised for continued success on the court.

The Fans

As the college basketball season gets underway, there are plenty of reasons to be excited if you’re a fan of the Western Illinois Leathernecks Here are five of them:

1. The Fans
One of the best things about being a Leatherneck fan is the sense of community and support that you feel from other fans. There may not be tens of thousands of us, but we’re all in it together and we all want our team to succeed.

2. The History
WIU has a long and proud tradition in basketball, dating back to when the school first fielded a team in 1903. Since then, the Leathernecks have made 23 appearances in the NCAA tournament including three trips to the Sweet Sixteen

3. The Rivalries
WIU may not be a blueblood basketball school, but we do have some great rivalries with other mid-major programs. These games are always must-see TV for fans of the Leathernecks.

4. The Conference
The Summit League is one of the best mid-major conferences in college basketball and WIU has been a member since 2014. The conference has produced some great teams and players over the years, and WIU has been competitive since joining.

5. The Team
This year’s squad is loaded with talent and they have the potential to make some noise in conference play and beyond. Be sure to catch them in action this season!

The Tradition

The Western Illinois men’s Basketball team is one of the most tradition-rich programs in the country. The Leathernecks have been playing Division I Basketball for nearly 80 years and have appeared in the NCAA Tournament seven times in school history.

This season, Western Illinois will look to build on its rich tradition and make a return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998. Here are five reasons to be excited for the Leathernecks this season:

1) The Return of home games to Hutchens Gymnasium
After two years of playing its home games off campus at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, Western Illinois will return to its on-campus home, Hutchens Gymnasium, this season. The return to Hutchens is sure to give the Leathernecks a boost as they look to make a run at an NCAA tournament berth.

2) A talented and experienced core group of players
Western Illinois has a solid core group of experienced players that will provide leadership and production on both ends of the floor. Players such as Garrett Covington, Dalan Ancrum, and Tamell Pearson have all shown they can compete at a high level and will be counted on to lead the way for the Leathernecks this season.

3) A challenging non-conference schedule
In order to prepare itself for another run at an NCAA tournament berth, Western Illinois has put together a challenging non-Conference Schedule The Leathernecks will face off against several tough opponents, including Butler, Notre Dame DePaul, and Iowa State These tough tests will prepare Western Illinois for another rigorously competitive Summit League slate.

4) New head coach Chris Beard takes over
After spending last season as an Assistant Coach under former Head Coach Joel Eisenberg, Chris Beard assumes head coaching duties this season. Beard is a proven winner at every stop in his coaching career and will look to continue that success at Western Illinois. His experience and success at both the collegiate and professional levels makes him a perfect fit to lead the Leathernecks into the future.