It All Comes Down To This...
MBB Release: https://bit.ly/2FZvrJ8
Updated Statistics: https://bit.ly/2STKuGG
Friday, March 8th
Bowling Green at Buffalo - 6:00 PM ET (
ESPNU)
Akron at Kent State - 6:30 PM ET (CBSSN)
Miami at Ohio - 7:00 PM ET (
ESPN+)
Central Michigan at Western Michigan - 7:00 PM ET (
ESPN+)
Northern Illinois at Ball State - 7:00 PM ET (
ESPN+)
Eastern Michigan at Toledo - 7:00 PM ET (
ESPN+)
What You Need To Know...
• For the second straight season the University at Buffalo men's basketball claimed the Mid-American Conference Regular Season title as the Bulls defeated Ohio 82-79 on Tuesday night at the Convocation Center. The victory was the eighth straight for Buffalo, who tied a school record for wins in a season set last year at 27.
• The Rockets secured their second straight Mid-American Conference West Division title with Tuesday's 76-57 victory over Western Michigan. Toledo's 24 victories are one more than last year's win total and tied for second in school history.
• Senior James Thompson IV delivered a record-breaking performance against Ball State, March 5, pulling down 23 rebounds on the way to surpassing EMU Hall of Famer Kennedy McIntosh for the career rebound record.
• Both Buffalo (16) and Toledo (60) are currently ranked within the Top 100 of the NET Rankings. The MAC has six teams in the top 125 and nine teams in the top 150 in the NET Rankings.
• The MAC is currently ranked 9th in the NCAA’s NET Rankings (as of March 5th). The highest the MAC has ever finished as a conference in the final RPI rankings is 10th (2017-18 and 2015-16).
• Buffalo, Toledo and Bowling Green have all clinched a top-four seed for the 2019 MAC Tournament.
Team-By-Team Notes
AKRON
In need of a win after a tough home defeat to Ohio over the weekend, the Akron Zips responded in resounding fashion, routing visiting Bowling Green Falcons 91-67 in their final home game of the regular season at James A. Rhodes Arena. Behind a career night by sophomore guard Loren Cristian Jackson (Chicago, Ill.), Akron drained 14 3-pointers, shot a blistering 57.8 percent from the field and led by double digits for much of the game.
Jackson tallied a career-high 31 points to lead a three-headed scoring attack that saw a trio of Zips score 20-plus points.
BALL STATE
The Ball State men's basketball team rallied to cut a 12-point halftime deficit to three on three occasions down the stretch, but the Cardinals came up short Tuesday in a 68-61 loss at Eastern Michigan. Teague paced Ball State (15-15, 6-11 MAC) with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Tayler Persons added 13 points and K.J. Walton 10. Ball State dropped its final road game of the regular season and will return home to close things out Friday at 7 p.m. against Northern Illinois in the fourth annual #MuncieOut game.
BOWLING GREEN
BGSU is 2-1 on national television in 2018-19, having played three games on CBS Sports Network. The Falcons are appearing on ESPNU for the first time since last season’s regular-season finale versus Buffalo atthe Stroh Center. Bowling Green has won 12-plus MAC games for just the seventh time in program history. BGSU is one win away from its fourth 13-win conference season. The Falcons sit at 20-10 in 2018-19, having won 20-plus
games for the 14th time in school history.
BUFFALO
For the second straight season the University at Buffalo men's basketball claimed the Mid-American Conference Regular Season title as the Bulls defeated Ohio 82-79 on Tuesday night at the Convocation Center. The victory was the eighth straight for Buffalo, who tied a school record for wins in a season set last year at 27. Harris led five Buffalo players in double figures with 20 points as he added six rebounds and four assists. Senior Nick Perkins added 17 points and eight rebounds, while Massinburg added 17 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Buffalo will conclude the regular season on Friday night when it goes for a school record 28th win as the Bulls host Bowling Green. The game will tip at 6pm and air on ESPNU.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Central Michigan will finish out its 2018-19 regular season schedule on Friday, March 8 when it travels to Kalamazoo to renew its rivalry with Western Michigan in a 7 p.m. MAC West division game at Read Fieldhouse/University Arena. The Chippewas narrowly fell to Northern Illinois, 89-86, on Tuesday while Western Michigan lost a road game at Toledo, 76-57, in its last outing. Versus NIU, Larry Austin Jr. moved into a tie for first place on the Central Michigan single-season record steals list, recording his 63rd. He shares the mark with Dave Grauzer (1978-79).
EASTERN MICHIGAN
The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team wraps up the 2018-19 regular season on the road at Mid-American Conference West Division foe University of Toledo Friday, March 8, with a 7 p.m. start inside Savage Arena. EMU (15-15, 9-8 MAC) defeated Ball State University on Senior Night, 68-61, March 5, cementing a first round home game against a still to-be-determined opponent. Senior James Thompson IV delivered a record-breaking performance against Ball State, March 5, pulling down 23 rebounds on the way to surpassing EMU Hall of Famer Kennedy McIntosh (1967-71) for the career rebound record.
KENT STATE
Jaylin Walker's double-double performance of 29 points and 12 rebounds pushes Flashes past RedHawks for season sweep for a 75-66 victory. The nine-point win, coupled with NIU's victory at Central Michigan moved Kent State into the fourth seed with one game to go. By moving one game ahead of CMU, the Flashes now control their seeding fate. With a win Friday, Kent State clinches a spot in Thursday night's MAC Tournament Quarterfinals. Kent State will return home for its season finale on Friday against rival Zips on senior night. Tipoff is slated for 6:30 p.m.
MIAMI
The Miami University men's basketball concludes the regular season on the road with the second Battle of the Bricks game at Ohio. The RedHawks have won the past two meetings with Ohio. That includes a 79-59 victory in Oxford earlier this season on Feb. 9. Junior forward Bam Bowman scored a career-high 23 points and made it a double-double with 12 rebounds,With 21 points against Kent State, sophomore guard Nike Sibande now has 984 points for his career and needs only 16 points from becoming the 35th member of the Miami 1,000-point club. He would be first in school history to accomplish it in his sophomore season.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team will finish the 2018-19 regular season on Friday night, March 8, as they travel to Muncie, Ind., to face Ball State. NIU travels to the Hoosier State looking to ride the momentum of Tuesday night's 89-86 victory at Central Michigan. Senior Levi Bradley scored a game-high 26 points against the Chippewas. Heading into Friday night's final game of the regular season, the Huskies control their own destiny for playing a home game in the MAC Tournament.
OHIO
The Ohio men's basketball team returns to the Convocation Center one final time in 2018 when the Bobcats host Mid-American Conference East foe Miami. Friday night's game will serve as Ohio's Senior Night, where prior to the game, the Bobcats will honor the careers of Gavin Block, James Gollon and Doug Taylor. This is the 205th all-time meeting between Ohio and Miami. The Bobcats have won 10 out of the last 13 meeting between the two teams.
TOLEDO
Toledo will hold its annual Senior Night on Friday, March 8 when it hosts Eastern Michigan. The Rockets secured their second straight Mid-American Conference West Division title with Tuesday's 76-57 victory over Western Michigan. Toledo's 24 victories are one more than last year's win total and tied for second in school history. The UT record for wins in a season is 27 in the 2013-14 campaign.
WESTERN MICHIGAN
ooking to defeat its in-state rival for the ninth straight time at home, Western Michigan men's basketball hosts Central Michigan in its regular season finale on Friday, March 8. Western Michigan is locked into the No.12 seed for the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament with an overall record of 8-22, 2-15 in conference play. Senior Seth Dugan continues to etch his name into the WMU record book. Dugan's 284 rebounds rank as the ninth most in a single-season in school history. The Otsego, Mich., native for his career ranks ninth with 75 career blocks.
