MAC Basketball Release (1.14.20)
MAC Statistics
AKRON
The Akron Zips moved to 38 in the NCAA NET Rankings, the highest ranked team in the MAC, with a 13-3 overall record and 3-0 league mark. The Zips are undefeated at home, winning 10-straight games this season and extending the overall home winning streak to 12 games. Akron is ranked 1st in the MAC in Scoring Margin (+12.88), Free Throw Percentage (.764), Field Goal Percentage Defense (.389), 3-Point FG Percentage (.374), 3-Point FG Percentage Defense (.273) and 3-Point FG Made (9.5).
BALL STATE
Ball State had a three-game winning streak snapped Friday at Akron. The Cardinals will look to start a new one Tuesday with a trip to Eastern Michigan. BSU’s 20-point win earlier last week over two-time defending league champion Buffalo was its eighth victory by at least 14 points this season. BSU's only victory by fewer than 14 was its four-point win over Toledo in the MAC opener.
BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green's win over Ohio on Jan. 11 marked the program's first win in Athens on a Saturday since Jan. 24, 2009. Under head coach Michael Huger, the Falcons have won at least two of their first three MAC games in a season a total of four times. Dating back to last season, Bowling Green is 14-7 across its last 21 conference ballgames.
BUFFALO
For the third time in the last five seasons, the Bulls have actually begun MAC play with a 1-2 record. The first time they did it in 2016, UB went on to win the MAC Tournament. In the win over Miami (OH), five players scored in double figures including sophomore Jeenathan Williams, who has now scored in double figures in seven straight games. His classmate Ronaldo Segu gave the Bulls a lift off the bench with 16 points and six rebounds. The Bulls open a stretch where they will play three of their next four games at home beginning Tuesday night against Ohio.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
CMU is tied for second in the country in scoring with Eastern Washington, averaging 84.8 points per game. Gonzaga (87.8) is first. The Chippewas are surrendering 76.5 points per game. The Chippewas are shooting 45.1 percent from the field, which is third in the MAC. Kevin McKay is the Chippewas' leading scorer and rebounder at 15.4 and 6.1, respectively. He ranks seventh in the MAC in scoring.
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan begins a two-game homestand Tuesday, Jan. 14, as the Eagles welcome Mid-American Conference co-West Division leader Ball State University to the Convocation Center. EMU leads both the nation and the Mid-American Conference in steals per game (11.6). Individually, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure ranks second in the MAC with a 65.7 field goal percentage (65-99) and ranks third (49th nationally) with 3.2 offensive rebounds per game. Redshirt junior Ty Groce is leading the team with 34 steals, which ranks third in the MAC and 37th in the nation.
KENT STATE
Kent State sits 13-3 overall and 3-0 in conference play. The Flashes are one of two teams who remain undefeated in conference play. This week Kent State will hit the road and take on Miami on Tuesday, followed by Western Michigan on Saturday,
MIAMI
The RedHawks showed their rebounding prowess last Tuesday, at Bowling Green bringing in a season-high 19 offensive rebounds. Brown led the way with five, while senior forward Bam Bowman brought in four. Seven different Miami players had at least one offensive rebound in the game.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Eugene German begins the week exactly 100 points behind T.J. Lux (1995-2000) for the NIU career scoring record. German has tallied 1,896 career points and currently leads the MAC in scoring at 20.4 points per game. NIU’s last four games have been decided by a total of six points, which included three consecutive one-point decisions against Green Bay, Buffalo and Central Michigan. The Huskies have trailed for just 10:53 in their three conference games, the majority of which came against Eastern Michigan (7:51), a game that NIU never trailed in the second half.
OHIO
Ohio's Jordan Dartis is 13 made three-pointers away from becoming the Ohio all-time leader in three's at Ohio. The Bobcats will take on EMU for the second time in 11 days on Saturday. Jason Preston leads the Bobcats with 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game. Jordan Dartis adds 14.9 points per game and is shooting 40.4 percent from the field, while Ben Vander Plas averages 14.4 points per game and 7.1 rebounds, while shooting 51.1 percent from the field.
TOLEDO
The Toledo men’s basketball team (9-7, 1-2 MAC) looks to build on Saturday's 67-59 win in its MAC home opener when it hosts Central Michigan (9-7, 2-1 MAC) on Tuesday, Jan. 14. The Rockets produced a strong defensive and rebounding effort against the Broncos. Toledo dominated the glass by a 46-29 margin and limited WMU to a 36.5 FG%.
WESTERN MICHIGAN
WMU is 6-1 at home this season, its best home start since the 2015-16 campaign … WMU needs just one MAC victory to become the fifth MAC program to clinch 500 conference victories … WMU is bolstering a balanced offensive attack this season with four players scoring over 100 points this season
