MBB Release: https://bit.ly/2FZvrJ8
Updated Statistics: https://bit.ly/2STKuGG
This Weekend’s Schedule
Friday, February 8th
Kent State at Akron - 9:00 PM ET (ESPNU //
WatchESPN)
Saturday, February 9th
Northern Illinois at Eastern Michigan - 2:00 PM ET (
ESPN+)
Western Michigan at Ball State - 2:00 PM ET (
ESPN+)
Ohio at Miami- 2:00 PM ET (
ESPN+)
Central Michigan at Buffalo - 3:30 PM ET (
ESPN+)
Toledo at Bowling Green - 6:00 PM ET (
ESPN3)
What You Need To Know...
• With their win over Western Michigan Tuesday night, Bowling Green moves to 16-6 overall and 8-1 in MAC play for the first time since 1961-62. Senior guard Antwon Lillard finished with a career-high 27 points and season-high 11 rebounds.
• Both Toledo and Buffalo will look to capture their 20th victory of the season on Saturday. For Buffalo it would be the fourth time in the last five years, and for Toledo its fourth 20-win season in the last six years.
• Ball State snapped a four-game losing streak with a 72-71 win over Northern Illinois on Tuesday night.
• The MAC is currently ranked as the ninth conference in the nation based on average NET Rankings. (Feb. 8, 2019). Buffalo (23) & Toledo (58) are currently ranked in the Top-100.
Team-By-Team Notes
AKRON
The Akron Zips fell 63-52 in a tightly played game on the road at Savage Arena against Toledo on Tuesday. The Mid-American Conference's two top-ranked defenses collided and points were at a premium as Toledo (19-4, 7-3 MAC) used the final 3:25 for an 11-2 run to secure the league win. Akron was led in scoring by junior Tyler Cheese (Albany, Ga.), who finished with 19 points which included 15 second-half points. The Zips limited the Rockets to 63 points, 16.5 points below their scoring average. UA will host the Wagon Wheel Showdown on Friday, Feb. 8 at 9 p.m. airing on ESPNU.
BALL STATE
Ball State snapped a four-game losing streak with a 72-71 win and did it on the backs of its three most veteran players. Tayler Persons led the way with 29 points, made six 3's and hit critical free throws in the final minute. Trey Moses scored a season-high 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Tahjai Teague logged a double-double of his own with 14 and 13. Ball State will play four of its next five games at home beginning this Saturday. The Cardinals will host Western Michigan at 2 p.m. on ESPN+ as the first game of a doubleheader at Worthen Arena.
BOWLING GREEN
With their win over Western Michigan Tuesday night, Bowling Green moves 16-6 overall in 2018-19, and 8-1 in Mid-American Conference play. Senior guard Antwon Lillard had a huge night for the Falcons, finishing with a career-high 27 points and season-high 11 rebounds. Lillard tied his career high for made triples in a game, as he went 5-for-8 from downtown. The Falcons' pushed their first-place lead in the MAC to a full a game over the 23rd-ranked Buffalo Bulls. With nine more regular-season games to go, the Falcons have already set a Michael Huger Era high with eight conference wins. BGSU's 16 wins overall ties a Huger Era high. Bowling Green hosts the Battle Of I-75 versus Toledo on Saturday, Feb. 9. Tip is slated for 6 p.m. inside the Stroh Center. The game will stream live on ESPN3.
BUFFALO
The Bulls split their two games this past weekend, including picking up their 21st straight win at Alumni Arena last Tuesday against Ball State, which is the second longest streak in the nation. Senior Dontay Caruthers had back to back 20 points games wit 21 against the Cardinals and a career high 28 against Bowling Green. The Bulls did an excellent job on the glass Friday night as they held Bowling Green, the nation's leading rebounding team to just 30 rebounds, while UB finished +12 on the glass against the Falcons. Buffalo is currently sitting at 19 wins this year and is looking to hit the 20-win mark for just the eighth time in school history and the fourth time in the last five years.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
CMU has recorded double-digit home wins for the fifth-consecutive season; Guards Larry Austin Jr. and Shawn Roundtree Jr. are the MAC's top scoring backcourt (33.1 ppg); Junior forward David DiLeo needs 26 points to become CMU's 32nd player to reach 1,000 career points. Central Michigan will have Tuesday night off and will return to action Saturday night as they travel to Buffalo to face the Bulls.
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern out-shot both Central Michigan (.595 to .446) and Miami (.347 to .333), marking the fourth time this season they've had a higher shooting percentage than their opponent and still lost... It also marked the first time since 2017 that back-to-back Eastern opponents made 20-or-more free throws against the Eagles (Oakland, 21; Syracuse, 20). The Eagles take on NIU on Saturday afternoon as a part of an alumni/trivia night contest.
KENT STATE
Kent State improved to 17-5 overall and 6-3 in conference play in a 70-67 win at home against Miami on Tuesday. The Flashes have won five of their last six games and improved the squad to 8-0 in games decided by five points or fewer. Jaylin Walker ranks 6th in the country in 3-point FG made per game and leads the conference with 3.88. He ranks 12th in the country in points per game (23.2) and is the conference leader. The Golden Flashes will make the 12-mile trip down the road to take on rival Akron for the first installment of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge on Friday, Feb. 8 in Akron, Ohio.
MIAMI
In a contest that featured 12 ties and 18 lead changes, the Miami University men's basketball team fell to Kent State 70-67 on Tuesday night. Sophomore guard Nike Sibande just missed recording a double-double, finishing with 19 points and eight rebounds to lead the 'Hawks. Miami returns to action on Saturday when it host Ohio for the first Battle of the Bricks game of the season. Tip time is 2 p.m. and it will air live on ESPN+.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Junior Eugene German scored a team-high 17 points, to go along with seven rebounds and four assists but the Huskies ultimately fell to Ball State 72-71. The Huskies shot 59.4 percent (19-of-32) in the second half but couldn't not overcome a 20-shot edge by Ball State at the free throw line. NIU will head on the road for its next two games, beginning on Saturday afternoon, February 9, when the Huskies visit Eastern Michigan.
OHIO
Despite a double-double from redshirt Sophomore Jason Carter, the offensive struggles for the Ohio men's basketball team would continue, as the Bobcats fell to Mid-American Conference East foe Akron, 65-53. Ohio finished the game with a 37.7 percent (20-of-53) field goal percentage and 32 total rebounds compared to Akron who finished the game with a 41.7 percent (25-of-60) field goal percentage and 41 total rebounds. The Bobcats have a week off and are back in action on Feb. 9 at Miami.
TOLEDO
A matchup of the Mid-American Conference's East and West Division leaders takes place in this year's "Battle of I-75" when Toledo (19-4, 7-3 MAC) visits Bowling Green (16-6, 8-1 MAC) on Saturday, Feb. 9. The Rockets hold a one-and-a-half game lead over Central Michigan (16-6, 5-4 MAC) in the West standings. Toledo's 7-3 league record ranks third overall in the MAC behind the Falcons and Buffalo (19-3, 7-2 MAC). Toledo has won eight of its last nine meetings vs. Bowling Green with its only defeat a 104-100 (2OT) road setback on Feb. 4, 2017.
WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan men's basketball battled until the end in a hard fought 85-72 loss on Tuesday night inside University Arena. The Broncos outshot the Falcons from the field, shooting 46.2 percent to BGSU's 41.3 percent and had three players score in double figures for the first time since Jan. 22. Sophomore Michael Flowers led the Brown & Gold with 24 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field. Flowers was 5-of-12 from beyond the three-point line, knocking down all five of his three's in the first half. Flowers notched his 10th 20-point game of the season and has scored over 20 points in three of the last four contests. WMU will travel to Muncie, Indiana Saturday as they take on Ball State at 2:00 PM.
