East Juggernauts to Duel For MAC Men's Title
MAC Basketball Tournament Central
MAC Basketball Tournament Bracket
3.14.19 Release (PDF)
Saturday, March 16th — MAC Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship Game
Game 11: No. 1 Buffalo (30-3, 16-2 MAC) vs. No. 3 Bowling Green (22-11, 12-6 MAC), 7:30 PM ET (ESPN2)
Robert Lee (PxP), Julieanne Viani (Color)
Live Stats |
Watch LIVE on ESPN2
#1 BUFFALO
The University at Buffalo men's basketball team held off a game Central Michigan squad, 85-81, in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday night. The Bulls will play for their second straight MAC title and fourth in five years tomorrow night.
The Chippewas took their first lead at 21-18 midway through the first half and built their lead to as many as eight before a Montell McCrea tip-in finally gave the Bulls a 69-68 lead with 8:11 left in the game. From there, the teams traded baskets until a CJ Massinburg free throw gave the Bulls the lead for good, 77-76, with 2:23 left.
In the closing minutes, Massinburg showed why he was voted the MAC Player of the Year. The senior guard scored the Bulls final nine points over the last two minutes of the game, including clutch free throw after clutch free throw, to keep the UB lead at three. With Buffalo leading by two and six seconds left, Massinburg sealed the win with a pair of free throws.
Rebounding was key to the Bulls taking over in the second half. Buffalo outrebounded Central Michigan, 47-30. The Bulls grabbed 18 offensive rebounds that led to 18 second-chance points. Fourteen of the Bulls' second-chance points came in the second half.
Massinburg had a game-high 21 points and added nine rebounds. Nick Perkins also grabbed nine rebounds to go along with 14 points. Davonta Jordan, who didn't see much action in the quarterfinals due to foul trouble, made up for lost time, finishing with 16 points and adding seven rebounds. Jeremy Harris and Dontay Caruthers also scored in double-figures with 12 and 11, respectively.
With the win, the Bulls improved to 30-3 on the season, tying the Mid-American Conference record for wins in a season.
#3 BOWLING GREEN
The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team defeated Northern Illinois University, 71-67, on Friday (March 15) night in the MAC Tournament Semifinals. The ballgame was played inside Quicken Loans Arena. With the win, BGSU advances to the MAC Championship Game for just the fourth time in school history.
Prior to this season, the Falcons last appeared in the MAC Championship Game in 2002. Bowling Green has never won the MAC Tournament. The Falcons will play nationally-ranked and top-seeded Buffalo at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2 for a trip to the NCAA Tournament. BGSU last qualified for the MAC Tournament in 1968.
MAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TICKET INFORMATION
The BGSU ticket office will be open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday morning to place orders for the MAC Championship Game (877-BGSU-TICKET). Tickets will be in Sections 124, 125, C124, and C125. Tickets are $34 for the public and $10 for students. Will call pick up will be in the lobby of the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel from 2-3 p.m. All tickets will then be brought to Quicken Loans Arena and will be available to be picked up at 6:30 p.m. on the Southeast side of the arena.
After storming out to a 46-23 halftime lead, Northern Illinois climbed all the way back to tie the game in the second half. With the score tied at 58-58 with 3:29 to go, the Falcons, in a stretch that would decide the game, went on a 7-0 run over the next 1:09 to take a 65-58.
The game-defining stretch featured two Dylan Frye free throws, a Justin Turner jumper, and a Turner steal that turned into a fast-break triple from Frye. NIU cut the lead down to three points on two separation occasions, but in both instances, Frye free throws regained a multiple-possession cushion.
Frye had another huge night for the Falcons, tying his season high with 25 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Daeqwon Plowden collected eight rebounds for the second-straight game, while also adding 12 points. Justin Turner finished with 14 points and two assists.
