Team previews courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The MAC men’s basketball season begins today, Nov. 4 with the MAC-SBC Challenge. Below is a team-by-team preview for the 2024-25 MAC men's basketball season. The season will culminate with the 2025 MAC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on March 13-15, 2025.
MAC-SBC Challenge Men’s Basketball Matchups
Akron at Arkansas State
Ball State at Georgia State
Bowling Green at Southern Mississippi
Buffalo at Old Dominion
Central Michigan at South Alabama
Eastern Michigan at Texas State
Kent State at Louisiana
Miami at Appalachian State
Northern Illinois at Georgia Southern
Ohio at James Madison
Toledo at Troy
Western Michigan at Coastal Carolina
Team-By-Team Previews (In Preseason Coaches Poll Predicted Order)
1. Ohio
The Ohio men's basketball team opens the 2024-25 season on Monday, Nov. 4 when the Bobcats head to Harrisonburg, Va. to take on James Madison in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET inside Atlantic Union Bank Center. The game can be seen on ESPN+.
Ohio begins their sixth season under head coach Jeff Boals. Ohio finished last season 20-13 after falling in the MAC Semis for the second-straight season.
The Bobcats were picked first in this year's MAC Preseason Poll. Earning 11 out of 12 first-place votes the secure the league title, while also collecting eight votes to win this year's tournament. Senior forward AJ Clayton earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC First Team and the MAC Blue Ribbon Forecast Preseason All-Conference Team. Graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell and redshirt sophomore guard AJ Brown both earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC Second Team.
Ohio returns eight from last year's roster, including five who started at some point last year.
Ohio welcomes two transfers, junior guard Jackson Paveletzke from Iowa State and graduate student forward Vic Searls from Ashland. Ohio also welcomes five freshman to the roster.
Last year's Ohio squad averaged 77.3 points a game, while holding opponents to 70.0 points. Overall, Ohio shot .453 from the field, .356 from three and .730 from the line. Ohio also averaged 34.9 rebounds, 14.1 assists and 7.1 steals, while forcing 13.7 turnovers a game.
Opponents shot .425 from the field, .333 from three and .698 from the line. Opponents also averaged 36.3 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 5.0 steals, while forcing 9.7 turnovers a game.
Ohio returns 63 percent of their scoring from last season, including Mitchell, Clayton and Brown. Last season Mitchell averaged 13.3 points a game, while Clayton added 12.0 points, with Brown averaging 9.0 despite missing most of the season.
2. Akron
The Akron Zips battle the Arkansas State Red Wolves in the first leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge to begin the 2024-25 season and the 124th season of Akron basketball on Monday, November 4 for the first all-time meeting. Akron and Arkansas State can be viewed on ESPN+ with Chris Harris and Brian Boyer on the call. Fans can listen to the Akron Sports Radio Network on WHLO 640 AM with Dave Skoczen (PxP). Live stats are also available on GoZips.com.
The Akron Zips will look to defend their MAC Tournament Championship title as the Blue and Gold begin the season at Arkansas State on November 4 in the first leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge.
The Zips concluded the 2023-24 season in the NCAA Tournament where they fell to Creighton, 77-60, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. Akron went 1-1 in the MAC-SBC Challenge last season as it defeated Southern Mississippi at home while falling to James Madison on the road.
In the 2024-25 MAC Preseason poll, the Zips were selected to finish second with 106 points and one first-place vote. Ohio was selected to finish first with 121 points and the remaining 11 first-place votes. Kent State was picked to finish third with 99 points and Toledo was selected fourth with 95 points.
Senior guard Isaiah Gray was named to the All-MAC Preseason Second Team. Gray, a transfer from Cornell, averaged 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 60 percent from the floor last season. He was second in the Ivy League with his .602 field goal percentage and ninth in the Ivy League in assists, sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio and fourth in steals while having 12 double-figure scoring games.
The Blue and Gold will feature a plethora of new faces after seeing notable players such as Enrique Freeman, Ali Ali, Greg Tribble, Sammy Hunter, Mikal Dawson and Kaleb Thornton graduate or move on from the program. Coming into the 2024-25 season, the Zips welcome nine new faces, with four freshmen and five transfers joining the ranks. Isaiah Gray - Cornell, Seth Wilson - West Virginia, Bowen Hardman - Ohio State, Josiah Harris - West Virginia, James Okonkwo - North Carolina, Rich Brisco - Hillcrest Prep, Sharron Young - Morgantown HS, Eric Mahaffey - Archbishop Moeller HS and Conner Groce - Revere HS all join the Blue and Gold for the 2024-25 season.
3. Kent State
The Kent State University men's basketball team is set to tip-off their 2024-2025 regular season on the road against the University of Louisiana Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns. The game is set for Monday, Nov. 4 at 8:00 p.m. eastern time in the Cajundome. It is Kent State's first game of the Mid-American Conference – Sun Belt Conference Challenge.
This is only the second meeting between the two programs as the Flashes lead the all-time series 1-0. It is the first time Kent State will make an appearance in the Cajundome. Kent State defeated the Ragin' Cajuns 76-67 in the M.A.C. Center on Nov. 28, 2011.
The Golden Flashes wrapped up their 2023-24 season with an overall record of 17-17, which concluded with a run to the Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship game as the eight seed. KSU enters the 2024-25 season with sizable depth carrying 18 players on the roster. The transfers bring a total of 11 years of playing experience to the squad.
Kent State returns three main starters and eight lettermen including seniors VonCameron Davis and Cli'Ron Hornbeak as key experienced returners on this year's team. Davis was named Preseason All-MAC First Team, and senior guard Jalen Sullinger was named Preseason All-MAC Second Team.
4. Toledo
Two of the top programs in the Mid-American Conference and Sun Belt Conference will face off on Monday, Nov. 4 when the Toledo men's basketball team (20-12, 14-4 MAC in 2023-24) tips off its 110th season in Alabama against Troy (20-12, 13-5 Sun Belt in 2022-23). The contest is part of the second-annual MAC-Sun Belt Challenge and will tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET (6:00 CT) with streaming on ESPN+.
Toledo was picked to finish fourth in the MAC in this year's preseason poll by the league's head coaches, finishing behind Ohio, Akron and Kent State, and marking the fourth consecutive year UT has not been selected as the preseason favorite. In addition, sophomore Javan Simmons and senior transfer Isaiah Adams were honored by being named to the Preseason All-MAC First- and Second-Team squads, respectively.
Sophomore Javan Simmons was a unanimous selection for 2023-24 MAC Freshman of the Year and is a member of the 2024-25 Preseason All-MAC First Team. He averaged 12.4 ppg with a team-best 54.0 FG% (4th in MAC). He registered his only two double-doubles of the season at App State (Feb. 10) and vs. Ohio (Feb. 16) and scored a career-high 20 points vs. Buffalo (Jan. 16).
Freshman Sonny Wilson earned a spot on the MAC All-Freshman Team last year after leading the Rockets with a 2.2 assist/turnover ratio. He also averaged 8.0 ppg and scored a season-high 20 points vs. Buffalo (March 2).
Senior transfer Isaiah Adams started 25 of 26 games last year for Buffalo and was the Bulls' second-leading scorer with 12.8 ppg. He dished out a team-high 3.7 apg and ranked third on the team with 4.0 rpg.
In two games vs. the Rockets last year, Adams averaged 21.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg with a 60.7 FG% (17-of-28) and a 41.7 three-point FG% (5-of-12).
Senior Andre Lorentsson led the MAC with a career-best 47.2 three-point FG% (34-of-72) last year. He averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.4 rpg and ranked second on team with career-high 34 three-point field goals made.
Junior transfer Seth Hubbard led Western Michigan last year with 14.1 ppg, 1.1 spg, and 79.8 FT%. He also grabbed a career-high 3.4 rpg and ranked fifth in the MAC with a team-high 69 three-point field goals.
Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk is just one of FIVE ACTIVE head coaches who have won FOUR straight outright conference titles. He joins Mark Few (Gonzaga), Bill Self (Kansas), John Calipari (Memphis, UMass) and John Becker (Vermont).
Kowalczyk's five MAC titles match former UT coach Bob Nichols for most in program history. His 278 career victories rank second in program history (and sixth in MAC history) behind Nichols' conference-best 376 wins.
5. Bowling Green
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team will begin the 2024-25 season on the road, traveling to face Southern Miss on Monday (Nov. 4). The game will mark the first leg of this season's MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. The Falcons and Golden Eagles are scheduled for an 8 p.m. EST tip at Reed Green Coliseum. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+ with a radio feed from Kevin Piel on WFRO Eagle 99.
The Falcons will be embarking on the program's 110th season all-time and is coming off one of the best turnarounds in the nation, going from 20 losses in 2022-23 to 20 wins in 2023-24, one of 10 teams in the country to do so. Bowling Green and Southern Miss will be meeting for the first time in program history, making Southern Miss the 321st unique opponent in BGSU's program history. This will mark the second year of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. Last year, Bowling Green went 1-1 with a home win over Arkansas State and a road loss to Louisiana.
After welcoming 10 newcomers to the 14-player roster last year, the Falcons will have a similar mission this year with the roster consisting of 10 newcomers to a 15-player roster. Last year, BGSU added nine transfers and one true freshman while this year's additions consist of eight transfers and two freshmen. Of the eight transfers joining the Falcons this season, three arrive from the Power 5 level, one from within the Mid-American Conference, one from the Division-II ranks and three from the JUCO level.
The Falcons will welcome back five players from the 2023-24 squad, including seniors DaJion Humphrey, Trey Thomas and Sam Towns as well as junior Greg Spurgin and redshirt freshman Jamai Felt. The five combined for 82 games played with 43 starts. Thomas led the returning unit, averaging 11.5 points per game while shooting 31.7% from three and 83.1% from the free throw line. Towns added 6.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.3% from the field. Spurgin played in five games last year while Felt was redshirted.
The 2023-24 Falcons reached exclusive heights during the first season under Coach Simon. After going 11-20 in 2022-23, Simon orchestrated a quick turnaround for the Falcons, finishing with a 20-14 record a season ago. In doing so, BGSU became one of 10 teams in the nation to go from 20 losses to 20 wins. The list includes Central Connecticut State, Little Rock, Loyola Chicago, McNeese, Ole Miss, SMU, South Carolina, Stony Brook and UT Arlington. The 20 wins for the Falcons also marks the first 20-win season for the program since the 2018-19 campaign.
In his first season at the helm of the Falcons, Todd Simon tied the program record for most regular season wins by a first-year head coach and recorded just the ninth 20-win season in the program's MAC era. The Simon-led Falcons tallied a MAC Tournament win for the first time since 2018-19, making Simon the fourth coach in program history to win a MAC Tournament game in his first season with the Falcons. Simon was also just the third coach in program history to lead the Falcons to a postseason appearance in his first season at the helm, advancing to the CIT. Bill Fitch made the NCAA Tournament in 1967-68 and Chris Jans made the CIT in 2014-15.
6. Miami
Miami men's basketball enters the 2024-25 regular season opener against Appalachian State on Monday, Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m. Travis Steele enters his third season at the helm of the program after completing his second season with a 15-17 (9-9 MAC) record.
The RedHawks top five returning scorers were all true freshmen last year. This list includes Eian Elmer (7.0), Evan Ipsaro (6.5), Mekhi Cooper (6.3), Reece Potter (6.0) and Jackson Kotecki (3.2). To learn more about the returning sophomores, click here!
The RedHawks' boast two freshmen, one redshirt freshman, eight sophomores, one redshirt sophomore, three juniors, and one graduate student. Four of these players are finding a new home in Oxford after transferring to Miami University this season. Miami has seven new players on the 2024-25 roster. Below is a small breakdown of some of the new additions.
Kam Craft spent the past two seasons at Xavier, missing last season with an injury. Craft was a four-star recruit, ranked No. 65 overall in the final 247Sports composite rankings and was also selected for the 2022 Jordan Brand All-Star Game.
Dan Luers initially attended Defiance College (NCAA Division III), where he played in seven games during the 2020-21 COVID-19 shortened season, averaging 16.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists Last season at EIU, he appeared in all 32 games, averaging 6.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists.
As a freshman for Bellarmine, Peter Suder was named to the ASUN All-Freshman Team in 2023. Last season, he played 31 games and put up 10.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals as a sophomore.
Antwone Woolfolk averaged 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds during his 27 games played his sophomore year at Rutgers University. He was a three-star recruit in basketball, while also receiving offers in football from Boston College, Cincinnati, Akron and Marshall.
7. Ball State
The Ball State men's basketball team opens the 2024-25 season with a game at Georgia State at 7 p.m. on Monday night. The game is 1 of 12 in the MAC-SBC Challenge pitting Mid-American Conference teams against Sun Belt Conference opponents.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Dave Cohen and Rodney Turner on the call, while Mick Tidrow and David Eha handle the radio broadcast on WMUN 1340AM - 92.5FM. This will be the second meeting in the series between the Cardinals and Panthers.
Ball State went 15-16 (7-11 MAC) last season but added five transfers and three true freshmen to the mix while returning starters Mason Jones and Mickey Pearson Jr.
The Cardinals will host Franklin College at 5 p.m. on Friday in Worthen Arena for the home opener.
Ball State features a revamped roster bolstered by five incoming transfers and three true freshmen while returning a majority of the frontcourt from last season's team including Mickey Pearson Jr., Ben Hendriks and Mason Jones.
The Cardinals were picked to finish sixth in the Mid-American Conference by the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and seventh by the league's head coaches in the preseason poll released in late October.
The Cardinals' roster is deep in experience with four sixth-year seniors in Ethan Brittain-Watts, Ben Hendriks, Jeremiah Hernandez and Mickey Pearson Jr. Ball State has the most student-athletes in their sixth year of college of any men's basketball team in NCAA Division I (Southern Miss has three sixth-year and two seventh-year seniors).
Ball State's student-athletes have played in 603 games and made 254 starts at the Division I level, while Hernandez and Payton Sparks have been All-Conference performers.
Sparks was recently picked First Team All-MAC in the preseason poll after being a two-time Second Team selection in his first two seasons in Muncie. Hernandez averaged 17.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season at USI to be named First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference.
Ball State led the MAC and ranked 27th nationally in free throw percentage (76.7) last season, which was the best mark in program history, while getting to the line at a 21.5 free throw attempts per game clip which was second in the MAC.
Those numbers should be bolstered by the addition of Hernandez, who was prolific at both getting to the line and making free throws last season. The graduate student made the 13th-most free throws (200) in the country while attempting the 14th-most (247) for an 81.0 average.
Cardinals' fans are happy to welcome back senior center Payton Sparks, who was the 2022 MAC Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-MAC in 2022 and 2023 before transferring to Indiana.
Sparks enters the season with 880 career points and 576 career rebounds and ranks No. 25 in Ball State history with 532 rebounds as a Cardinal.
8. Central Michigan
Central Michigan (18-14, 12-6 MAC in 2023- 24) opens its 2024-25 men’s basketball season on Monday night at South Alabama (16-16, 8-10 SBC). Tipoff at the Mitchell Center is at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT for the first of two MAC-SBC Challenge games this year.
The contest will be streamed live on ESPN+. Monday’s season opener game can also be listened to live on the Chippewa Sports Radio Network on 98.5-FM (WUPS-FM) and/or nationally on the Varsity Network app. Voice of the Chippewas Adam Jaksa (play-by-play) and Nathan Arbaugh (color analyst) handle announcing duties.
Fourth-year head coach Tony Barbee has guided Central Michigan to two MAC Tournament appearances in each of his three seasons with the Chippewas (2022 and 2024). He was named the 2023-24 MAC Coach of the Year, NABC District 14 Coach of the Year and was a Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year nominee.
Consensus preseason MAC Player of the Year (Blue Ribbon Magazine and Lindy’s Magazine) and consensus preseason First Team All-MAC player (MAC coaches, Blue Ribbon, Lindy’s), Anthony Pritchard returns to the Chippewas as the league’s top returning player. Pritchard led the Chippewas in a variety of statistical categories including scoring (12.8 ppg), field goals (144), field goal attempts (319), assists (136), and steals (48). He ranked second on the squad in minutes played (957), minutes played (33.0), defensive rebounds (124) and overall rebounding (5.1 rpg.).
On January 29, 2024, Pritchard earned MAC Player of the Week honors. His averages last year included 12.8 points, 4.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 33.0 minutes per game. In Lindy’s Magazine, he was rated the nation’s No. 88 best player on a list of the top-150 and was named the MAC’s top playmaker and top defender.
9. Eastern Michigan
The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will open the 2024-25 season at Texas State, Nov. 4, with an 8 p.m. ET tip at Strahan Arena in the opening leg of the Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Conference Challenge.
EMU added 11 newcomers to its 2024-25 roster including seniors Jalen Terry (DePaul), Da'Sean Nelson (DePaul), John Shanu II (UTRGV), and Cooper Smith (Michigan), juniors Christian Henry (Panola College), Julian Lewis (Miami), and Trey Pettigrew (Salt Lake CC), and freshmen Mario Brunetto (Classical Gymnasium), Mbaye N'Diaye (SEED Academy), Godslove Nwabude (Zion Prep), and Dillon Tingler (Huntington Prep).
Eastern returns 29 of its 80 (36.3%) double-digit scoring games from the 2023-24 season as Arne Osojnik (10), Jalin Billingsley (10), and Yusuf Jihad (9) highlight the Eastern returnees.
Sophomore Arne Osojnik was first in the MAC in scoring by a true freshman in 2023-24, averaging 8.8 points per game. Osojnik was named to the Freshman All-MAC Team, shooting 36.5% from three-point range while converting a team-high 65 three-pointers.
Eastern Michigan's Stan Heath is in his fourth year at the helm of the Eagles, holding a 31-62 record at EMU and a 240-269 record over 16 years as a head coach. Heath is entering his 17th year as a head coach.
10. Western Michigan
Western Michigan begins its 2024-25 season on Monday night as it travels south to face Coastal Carolina. It is the first of two games for the Broncos in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge, with WMU's other game set for Feb. 8. Western Michigan went 0-2 in the inaugural year of the challenge, and the Sun Belt went 15-9 overall against the MAC.
Returning guard JaVaughn Hannah was named the MAC Sixth Man of the Year last season, becoming the third Bronco in program history to earn that honor. Hannah is WMU's leading returning scorer after averaging 9.2 PPG last year.
Leading rebounder Owen Lobsinger is also back after finishing ninth in the league at 6.3 rebounds per game in 2023-24.
Western Michigan was tabbed to finish 10th in the MAC preseason poll, while the Chanticleers were picked 13th in the SBC.
Monday's contest marks the first all-time meeting between WMU and CCU. The Broncos are 6-4 in their last 10 season openers. WMU has dropped its first road game of the year each of the last four seasons.
Last season, JaVaughn Hannah became the third Bronco to ever earn the MAC's Sixth Man of the Year award, joining Reggie Barry (2004) and David Brown (2013). The junior is Western Michigan's returning leading scorer, having averaged 9.2 points per game a season ago. Despite starting just 11 of 30 games in 2023-24, he ranked third on the team in minutes at 28.1 per contest.
Led by Owen Lobsinger, who was ninth in the league at 6.3 rebounds per game, the Broncos ranked second in the MAC in overall rebounding (37.9), third in rebounding margin (+2.6) and paced the conference in offensive rebounding (12.6). The 12.6 offensive rebounds ranked 34th in NCAA DI. In conference play, WMU led the league in rebounding margin (+4.6) and offensive rebounding (12.8), and was second overall at 38.8.
11. Northern Illinois
The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team opens the 2024-25 regular season on Monday night, Nov. 4, as the Huskies travel to Statesboro, Ga., to face Georgia Southern in the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge. Tipoff against the Eagles is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+, as well as 94-9 WDKB.
Monday's contest will mark the third consecutive year that NIU has played in the State of Georgia. In 2022-23, the Huskies played at Georgia Tech while last season the Huskies defeated Little Rock and Georgia State in Atlanta at the Capitol Challenge.
Ethan Butler (Toronto, Ontario/Southwest Academy) is the leading returning scorer for the Huskies, Bulter averaged 7.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game over the final seven games of last season, starting six of those contests.
NIU welcomes eight scholarship newcomers in 2024-25. The incoming class combined to score 58 points per game at the college level last season (all levels), including 180 made three-point field goals. Group includes 172 games of Division I experience with 92 starts and five NCAA Tournament games played.
Joe Munden Jr. (Harlem, N.Y./ Monsignor Scanlan) joins from Fairleigh Dickinson, where he played 102 games, including 58 starts. Last year he averaged 10.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. James Dent Jr. (Springfield, Ill./Southeast) averaged 10.7 points per game last season at Western Illinois while Quentin Jones (Chicago, Ill./Marian Catholic) made 31 starts last season at Cal Poly, averaging 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 40.2 percent from three-point range.
This season marks the second year of the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge. Last year, NIU defeated App State in DeKalb in November before falling at South Alabama in February. NIU will host a Sun Belt opponent on Feb. 8, this season, with matchups to be determined in January.
12. Buffalo
The University at Buffalo men's basketball team (0-0, 0-0 MAC) will travel to Norfolk, Va. to face the Old Dominion Monarchs (0-0, 0-0 Sun Belt) for the 2024-25 season opener on Monday. The game will be the first of two games as part of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with tip-off at 7 p.m. Josh Whetzel will be on the call on Buffalo 1520/Rochester 1280 and on the Varsity Network App.
Since their return to Division I in 1991, Buffalo is 16-17 (.485) in season openers. When they open on the road, they're 5-10 (.333). All-time, the Bulls are 59-48 (.551) in season openers in their previous 107 seasons.
The Bulls went 1-1 last season in the inaugural MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. They fell to the South Alabama Jaguars at home, 70-56, but then defeated the Georgia Southern Eagles in a road overtime game, 82-81.
Overall, Buffalo went 1-3 against teams in the Sun Belt last season. They fell to Louisiana in the Gulf Coast Showcase (Nov. 21) and at #22 James Madison (Nov. 29).
Buffalo will face a former Bull in junior guard Devin Ceasar. He played for the Bulls in the 2022-23 campaign where he appeared in 19 games and averaged 5.0 ppg and 1.0 rpg.
This marks the first game in program history to be on Nov. 4
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This will be the second year in a row the Bulls will play in the State of Virginia. They played at #22 James Madison (Nov. 29) and at Richmond (Dec. 21) last season.
Buffalo is 13-23 (.361) all-time against teams from the Sun Belt.
From available records, Buffalo is 5-9 (.357) all-time in Virginia. Their last win in the state was on Dec. 6, 2005, at Liberty when the Bulls won, 66-53.
The Bulls will roam across the country this season as far west as DeKalb, Ill., as far north as Burlington, Vt., and as far south as Athens, Ga. In total, the team will rack up 12,446 miles in the regular season. Their longest trip will be when the team faces the Georgia Bulldogs as they'll travel 1,572 miles roundtrip.
