The IUS men’s and women’s basketball teams both topped  the coaches’ poll for the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 2012-13 season.

Each coach in the division conference nominates the team they expect to win the conference tournament at the end of the season.

The men’s team has won the KIAC tournament for the past five consecutive years, and the women’s team has won the past four years.

Wiley Brown, IUS men’s basketball head coach,  said he is honored by the nomination but is still driven to win.

“We love that we’re picked as one of the best teams out there, but it doesn’t guarantee you anything,” Brown said. “We’ve got to be humble.”

Brown said the team roster has had many changes from last season. Some players graduated, others did not come back and two players left IU Southeast for larger universities to pursue their basketball careers.

“I tell my guys, it’s a whole new team this year,” Brown said. “Just because you were nominated doesn’t mean you’re going to win. You have to go out there and prove yourself.”

Brown said he likes the pressure of being the preseason favorite.

“I welcome it,” Brown said. “It builds character.”

Robin Farris, IUS women’s basketball head coach also said he appreciated the coaches’ nomination.

“It is an honor,” Farris said. “We probably got it because we’ve won the conference the past four years. We’ve won 97 games in the last four years. I think it’s going to be hard to maintain that.”

Farris said he was concerned about the competition in the conference.

“Personally, I think all the other teams have gotten a lot better the past year, but I’m not sure if we have.”

Farris said the team lost two key, senior players last season to graduation, and the team is still adjusting.

However, Farris said he is still optimistic about this season.

“I still think we can be a good basketball team,” Farris said. “I still think we can win it, but I think we still have some areas we need to improve on.”

Farris said the team will focus on defense and rebounding throughout the season.

By SAM WEBER

Staff

samweber@ius.edu