Mid-American Conference

Four MAC MBB Games Tip-Off Week Five of the Conference Season

01.29.2019

   
This Week’s Schedule
Tuesday, January 29th
Ohio at Northern Illinois - 6:00 PM ET (ESPN3) 
Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan - 7:00 PM ET (ESPN+)
Ball State at Buffalo - 7:00 PM ET (ESPN3)
Toledo at Miami - 7:00 PM ET (ESPN+)
 
Thursday, January 31st
Kent State at Western Michigan - 6:00 PM ET (ESPN+) 
 
MAC Team-By-Team Notebook
AKRON
The Zips are currently undefeated (4-0) in league play at home and limits conference opponents to scoring just 57.25 points at James A. Rhodes Arena. For the year, Akron only allows 62.8 points per game which currently ranks No. 1 in the MAC and No. 19 in the NCAA. Akron is 12-8 overall and 4-3 in the MAC. The Zips will travel to Athens on Saturday to take on Ohio at 3:30 PM. 
 
BALL STATE
Ball State fell to 2-5 in MAC play with Saturday’s 78-74 loss at Ohio. Outside of an 18-point defeat to the Bobcats earlier this month, the Cardinals’ four other league losses have come by a combined 13 points (an average of just 3.3 per game). All have been decided in the final minute. Ball State visits nationally ranked Buffalo on Tuesday for its fourth road game in the past five. The Cardinals are 2-2 on away from home in league play but are still looking for their first win at home.
 
BOWLING GREEN
The Falcons will get almost a week of rest to prepare for nationally ranked Buffalo to come to town on Friday Feb. 1st. BG is coming off of their first conference defeat of the season at Miami, which also broke a 10 game winning streak for the Falcons. Bowling Green still sit in first place in the Mid-American Conference, along with No. 18 Buffalo. 
 
BUFFALO
At 18-2 the No. 18 Bulls are ranked for a 12th straight week on Monday, which id a new MAC record for most consecutive weeks ranked in the AP Top 25 poll.  The Bulls host Ball State on Tuesday night looking to build on their 20-game home winning streak, which is tied with Tennessee for the second longest streak in the nation.  Senior Nick Perkins moved into sixth place on UB's all-time scoring list against Northern Illinois.  Fellow senior CJ Massinburg is just one point shy of 1,700 for his career and 10 shy of moving into fourth place in school history in career scoring.  Currently only 21 players nationally have 1,700 or more career points.
 
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Central Michigan (14-6, 3-4 MAC) will open a two-game home stand against MAC West instrastate rivals on Tuesday, Jan. 29 when it hosts Eastern Michigan (9-11, 3-4 MAC) for a 7 p.m. game at McGuirk Arena. Senior guard Larry Austin Jr. leads CMU and ranks No. 5 in the MAC in scoring, averaging 17.6 points per game. He has scored in double figures in 19 of 20 games. Austin Jr. is also on pace to break the CMU single-season steals record, needing 17 to break the mark with at least 12 games to play; CMU needs two more home wins to reach the double digit milestone for the fifth consecutive year
 
EASTERN MICHIGAN
The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team continues its road swing Tuesday, Jan. 29, taking on in-state rival and Mid-American Conference West foe Central Michigan University. The Eagles coasted with a wire-to-wire 93-67 victory over Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Jan. 26. Redshirt senior Elijah Minnie's 29 points was a single tally away from breaking his career-high for points against Western Michigan, Jan. 26. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native set a new high for both field goals (11), and three-point field goals (7) made. Eastern's 26-point victory over Western Michigan tied the record for largest margin of victory over WMU with the Eagles' 89-63 win on Feb. 7, 1996. The 93 points against the Broncos was the most scored against Western since putting up 94 in a double overtime loss (94-101), Feb. 6 2002. 
 
KENT STATE
Kent State is 15-5 overall and 4-3 in league play. The Flashes were prepared to depart the KSU campus for a trip to Kalamazoo following a morning practice Monday. However, with the teams now scheduled to play Thursday, the Flashes face an NBA-like quick turnaround. Kent State plays Thursday evening and is then slated to play at Ball State Saturday at noon. 
 
MIAMI
Miami upped its win streak to three games with victories over Ball State and Bowling Green last week. The improved defense has been the secret to the winning streak as the RedHawks have held opponents to 59.7 points per game the past three contest. Miami looks to keep it going as it hosts Toledo for their second meeting in two weeks on Tuesday. It then hits the road to take on Eastern Michigan on Saturday at noon.
 
NORTHERN ILLINOIS 
NIU won its third game in school history over a ranked opponent when it knocked off No. 14 Buffalo last Tuesday (Jan. 22). The victory was NIU’s first over a ranked foe since defeating No. 19 Oral Roberts on February 3, 1973 at Chicago Stadium. - Eugene German moved into the top 10 in school history in scoring with his 23 points at Akron (Jan. 26). German moved past Larry Gentry (1956-60) and now has 1,312 points in three seasons as a Huskie. 
 
OHIO 
The Ohio men's basketball team (11-8, 3-4 MAC) returns to action on Tuesday, Jan. 29 when they Bobcats head to DeKalb, Ill. to take on Mid-American Conference West foe Northern Illinois (11-9, 4-3 MAC). Ohio and NIU met earlier this season when the Huskies defeated the Bobcats, 72-66 in overtime inside the Convocation Center. Ohio is averaging 71.3 points per game. They are shooting 43.7 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from three-point range and 63.6 from the free throw line. The Bobcats are also averaging 38.8 rebounds a contest to go along with 14.5 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.0 blocks per game. 
Individually, Jason Carter is averaging 16.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. This Saturday, the Bobcats will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Convocation Center and will wear throwback 1960 jerseys. 
 
TOLEDO
Toledo (16-4, 4-3 MAC) visits Oxford, Ohio on Tuesday, Jan. 29 to face Miami (11-9, 3-4 MAC) for the second time in two weeks. UT is currently tied for first place in the MAC's West Division with Northern Illinois (11-9, 4-3) and has won four of its last five games. Luke Knapke is the only Rocket to score in double digits in every league contest and ranks second on the team with a 14.4 scoring mark in MAC play. Knapke earned this week's MAC West Division Player of Week honors and is averaging 19.7 ppg and 9.3 rpg with a 65.8 FG% (25-of-38) in his last three games.
 
WESTERN MICHIGAN
Due to inclement weather and its impact on travel, the Western Michigan men's basketball game versus Kent State originally scheduled for Tuesday night inside University Arena has been postponed to Thursday, Jan. 31. WMU has four of its next six MAC games at home and under head coach Steve Hawkins is 103-33 at home in conference play … when the Broncos get 20 points from the bench, WMU is 3-2 … WMU has six players with double digit three’s this season with sophomore Michael Flowers leading the way with 42 threes’.