Saul Phillips, when asked, has spent the month-long preseason period making the case that his Bobcats will be in the hunt for a Mid-American Conference title in 2016-17.
Ohio’s third-year coach has tried to walk the line between enthusiasm and caution. The Bobcats return four starters and the vast majority of a rotation that won 23 games a year ago.
Phillips believes his team will be good, but nothing will come easy in the MAC.
“We’ll be in the mix. We got a real chance,” Phillips said. “The guys are responding appropriately.
“But don’t think for a second that this is a done deal.