Buffalo

College Football: #23 Miami @ Georgia Tech Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:20:02 -0500

Four games are on the schedule before Saturday, with the big one being an ACC Coastal showdown between #23 Miami (7-3, 4-2) and Georgia Tech (7-3, 4-3). The Hurricanes, currently in the driver's seat in the division, need a win to keep that status since North Carolina lurks just one game behind in the standings. And with the Heels due to take on NC State and Duke to end the season, a loss here could essentially hand the division to a Carolina team that has already defeated Miami and Georgia Tech. The young Hurricanes will have their hands full dealing with one of the ACC's best defenses, led by possible firt-round draft pick DE Michael Johnson.

Not to mention an option attack that once you focus too much on the ground game of QB Josh Nesbitt and RB Jonathan Dwyer, a big play through the air comes by way of WR Demaryius Thomas. How much have the young Hurricane quarterbacks (Robert Marve and Jacory Harris) progressed throughout the season? We'll learn here, but given the crazy nature of the ACC it would be fitting if the Yellow Jackets won this game at home.

Friday's Games

6:00 PM ET Buffalo at Bowling Green

The MAC East is on the line in this one, with Turner Gill's Bulls one win away from clinching the division. A wild overtime win at Akron last week put Buffalo (6-4, 4-2) in this position, but they're going to be tested on the road in this one. QB Tyler Sheehan has played better football of late, helping lead the Falcons (5-5, 3-3) to wins over Kent State and Ohio. There's an equally capable quarterback on the other side of the field in Drew Willy, a major reason for Buffalo's recent turnaround.It'll come down to what the two defenses can do in this one, and with the Bulls leading the MAC in turnover margin they'll win a close one. Expect the phone of Coach Gill's agent to be ringing this offseason.

7:07 PM ET Miami (OH) at Toledo

The Redhawks (2-8, 1-5 MAC East) were expected to contend in the MAC East but they, like Toledo (2-8, 1-5 MAC West), are now playing out the string. This is also the final home game of the Tom Amstutz era, with "Toledo Tom" stepping down to take a fundraising position within the athletics department at season's end. His player surely want to send him out with a win, and they should do just that in a wild affair.

9:30 PM ET Fresno State at San Jose State on ESPN2

The Bulldogs (6-4, 3-3) haven't met expectations this season, currently sitting in sixth place in the WAC and in desperate need of a victory to guarantee themselves somewhere to go come bowl season. But they visit one of the WAC's best defenses in San Jose State (6-5, 4-3), which has found a way to win six games despite having one of the nation's worst offenses. Fresno State has better talent across the board, but I don't think they're admitting how much that early-season loss to Wisconsin took out of them. The Spartans win a close one, and keep an eye on their NFL-ready corners in Coye Francies and Christopher Owens.

-Will Muschamp designated "head coach in waiting" at Texas.

For all the talk about who could fill openings at Tennessee and Clemson, one man's name can now be taken off of that list. Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp has been designated head coach in waiting at the school, meaning that whenever Mack Brown decides to retire the job is his. This development, which has happened in college basketball in recent years, has even caught the attention of Virginia Tech athletics director Jim Weaver. With their defensive coordinator, Bud Foster, having interviewed at Clemson there is obviously some incentive to keeping him in Blacksburg besides the fact that he's an excellent football coach. This is an interesting development to keep an eye on this offseason in regards to possible head coaching openings.

College Football: Virginia Tech @ Miami Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:39:05 -0500

A rivalry that in recent years switched from the Big East to the ACC takes center stage on Thursday night, as Virginia Tech (6-3, 3-2 ACC Coastal) visits Miami (6-3, 3-2) at 7:30 PM on ESPN. The winner gets a leg up in the unpredictable Coastal Division race, while the loser would be in serious trouble. Although Miami has a 16-9 advantage in the series, the Hokies have the upper hand of late winning nine of the last thirteen meetings. A star was born last Thursday night for Virginia Tech, with redshirt freshman Darren Lewis rushing for 253 yards in their win over Maryland. Sean Glennon was effiecient in his first game back from an ankle injury suffered against Florida State and he'll have to do the same tonight. It's still unsure whether or not Tyrod Taylor will see any action (ankle).

Miami has gone back and forth between Robert Marve and Jacory Harris at quarterback, and predictably they haven't been the most consistent offensive unit in the conference. But there are plenty of weapons at the fingertips of offensive coordinator Patrick Nix, who will have to contend with a defense that last week held Maryland to -12 yards rushing (Da'Rel Scott, who leads the ACC in rushing, mustered eleven yards). The key for the Hurricanes is not shooting themselves in the foot with costly penalties and turnovers. if they can stay out of their own way then Miami has a shot. But since Virginia Tech joined the ACC, they're 14-1 in November. Defense, special teams and the work of Frank Beamer would be three good reasons why, and look for those to push the Hokies to 15-1 in November.

Buffalo @ Akron 7 PM EST on ESPNU

The Bulls (5-4, 3-2 MAC East) and Zips (5-4, 3-2) are tied atop the MAC East standings, and it's quite fitting given how close they are in many of the major statistical categories. Both are near the top of the conference in turnover margin and in the middle of the pack in regards to offensive and defensive categories. However, while Buffalo is third in the conference in third-down conversions (48.9%) Akron is only tenth (39.1%). Combining these numbers with the fact that Buffalo gives up the third-fewest first downs in the conference, what the Zips do offensively on the first two downs could tell the story of this one. Third and short situations and J.D. Brookhart's team has a very good chance to take control of the division race. Also, keep and eye on backs James Starks (UB) and Dennis Kennedy (Akron), two of the top four running backs in the MAC. Akron wins by a field goal.

Wyoming @ UNLV 9 PM EST on CBS College Sports

What a difference a week makes, huh? Last week the Thursday night game in the Mountain West had serious national implications in regards to the BCS. This one...could have a national impact as well, but only in regards to job security. Joe Glenn's Cowboys (4-6, 1-5) are coming off of a 13-7 win at Tennessee, but Tennessee isn't Tennessee this year if you know what I mean. UNLV (4-6, 1-5) had the misfortune of losing some close games before getting pasted by TCU, but Mike Sanford's Rebels are coming off of a 27-20 win over New Mexico. Mike Clausen gets the start once again for UNLV, who will be looking to end a four-game losing streak in the series. Look for the Rebels to get it done and keep their slim bowl hopes alive (the Pac-10 probably won't fill their slots, so the winner could have a shot at a bid).

Friday: #22 Cincinnati @ Louisville 8 PM on ESPN2

How much value does a keg of nails have? If you're a fan of either of these teams, the "Keg of Nails" has some serious value that can't be measured in dollars and cents. Louisville is the current holder of the rivalry trophy, but the Cardinals are reeling following a 41-7 pasting at the hands of Pittsburgh. Brian Kelly's Bearcats, on the other hand, will arrive in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium just six days after beating West Virginia in overtime. Louisville has won nine of the last ten meetings in the series, but that streak ends thanks to a stout defense led by DT Terrill Byrd and DE Connor Barwin (Big East leader in sacks), combined with a passing attack that boasts one of the best receiving corps (Dominick Goodman, Mardy Gilyard and Marcus Barnett) in the conference.

MAC Basketball Preview: 08-09

CHN — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:17:57 -0500

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Conference Rank: 13th

10 year average: 13th

MAC Conference Page

All-MAC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Al Fisher	Kent State	Sr
G	Michael Bramos	Miami	Sr
G/F	David Kool	Western Mich.	Jr
F	Anthony Newell	Ball State	Sr
F	Jerome Tillman	Ohio	Sr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Michael Bramos Al Fisher		Points: Anthony Newell (Ball) 16.9 Tyrone Kent (Toledo) 16.9 Rebounds: Anthony Newell 8.0 Assists: Michael Allen (Ohio) 4.0

MAC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

41	Kent State	MAC	1	NCAA
73	Miami (OH)	MAC	2	NIT
97	Western Michigan	MAC	3
122	Central Michigan	MAC	4
129	Ohio	MAC	5
173	Akron	MAC	6
178	Toledo	MAC	7
196	Bowling Green	MAC	8
238	Eastern Michigan	MAC	9
256	Ball State	MAC	10
291	Buffalo	MAC	11
298	Northern Illinois	MAC	12

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the MAC?

Other MAC Content

Head Coach Q&A's

Charlie Coles: Miami

Conference Media Poll

Other

Rise & Fall: MAC

State of 08: Ohio

College Football: Miami (Ohio) @ Buffalo Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:17:59 -0500

I'm not going to even get into my opinion as to teams playing on Election Day (I sure hope the Miami (Ohio) and Buffalo players get to the polls), but there is football to be played on both Tuesday and Wednesday with all three games being MAC matchups. Could Ball State be a possible upset victim on Wednesday night? Who will take control of a muddled MAC East race after these two days? Here's a preview of the three games on the slate for Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Tuesday: Miami-Ohio (2-6, 1-3) @ Buffalo (4-4, 2-2) 7:30 PM EST on ESPN2

The Bulls are currently tied with Akron atop the MAC East standings, with the Redhawks just a game back in the standings. The division race has been every bit as wild as what's been going on in the ACC but without the same amount of national television coverage. But in QB Drew Willy the Bulls have one of the better signal-callers in the MAC. Miami will most certainly have their hands full with Buffalo, especially when you take into consideration the following two statistical rankings: Miami is tied for last in turnover margin and twelfth in total offense. Yes the Redhawks are second in the conference in total defense, but the fact that their offense struggles to put points on the board will cost them in this one. Buffalo wins and gives a little clarity to the East race.

Wednesday's Games

Northern Illinois @ #17 Ball State 8 PM EST on ESPN2

The race in the MAC West is wide-open in regards to the top four in the division, but thankfully for the conference those four teams are with either zero or one league loss. An NIU win in Muncie would throw the race for a loop and eliminate any small, correction miniscule, chance that the Cardinals would have to crash the BCS party. QB Nate Davis is arguably the best quarterback in the conference, but he'll have his hands full with the league's top-ranked defense. And if Brady Hoke isn't the unanimous choice for MAC Coach of the Year then don't be surprised if one of those votes went to Northern Illinois' Jerry Kill, who has the Huskies one win away from bowl eligibilty in his first year in DeKalb. But they don't get that sixth win here, for the Cardinals have too much offensive firepower to drop this one at home.

Toledo (2-6, 1-3) @ Akron (4-4, 2-2) 8 PM EST on ESPNU

It's been a tough year for the Rockets, who announced today that head coach Tom Amstutz would step down at season's end and take on a fundraising role within the athletic department. The problems for Toledo have been on offense, with the conference's eleventh-ranked attack struggling to establish a consistent passing game and failing to hold onto the football (11th in turnover margin). The Zips, on the other hand, find themselves tied with Buffalo atop the MAC East due to a ranking of third in the MAC in turnover margin and fifth in total offense. But the Rockets do have a shot at putting some points on the board due to Akron being one of the poorer defenses in the MAC (12th in total defense). So even though the Rockets would like to win one for their soon-to-be departed head coach, look for the Zips to pull out a close one.

- Phil Fulmer steps down at Tennessee.

Unless you've been away from a computer, radio or television all day then you know that Tennessee head coach Phil Fulmer will be stepping down come season's end. The main culprits in this: the eleventh-ranked offense in the SEC and recent struggles to beat rivals Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Add to this a decline in the quality of recent recruiting classes and you have all the makings for a departure. Fulmer is currently 150-51 at Tennessee and won a national title back in 1998. The Volunteers (3-6, 1-5) need to win out to reach bowl eligibility this season and host equally struggling Wyoming on Saturday.

-Texas Tech named FWAA/Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week.

Thanks to their exciting 39-33 home win over then-#1 Texas the Red Raiders were named National Team of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Other nominees were Florida (49-10 win over Georgia) and Northwestern (24-17 win over Minnesota clinched with an interception return for a touchdown with 12 seconds remaining).

College Football: Houston @ Marshall Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:05:42 -0400

Two games on the schedule for tonight, with both being conference affairs that the road team could definitely use to stay in their respective divisional races. Houston, despite a slow start to the season, may be the only thing standing between Tulsa and a cakewalk to the Conference USA title game. And in the wide-open MAC East, Buffalo could cement themselves as one of the favorites while dealing Ohio a devastating blow with a win in Athens. At the least, it'll give people a commercial break diversion from opening night in the NBA.

Buffalo @ Ohio 7:30 PM EST on ESPNU

Two teams that are in the middle of the pack when it comes to total offense face off in Athens. Buffalo (3-4, 1-2 MAC) ranks slightly ahead of the Bobcats (2-6, 1-3) in total offense (7th to Ohio's 8th), but when looking at the quarterbacks it's hard to figure out how Ohio has the league's fifth-ranked pass offense. Buffalo's Drew Willy ranks third in the conference in passing and has fourteen touchdown passes to just four interceptions on the year. Boo Jackson runs the show for Frank Solich's Bobcats and is the league's seventh-ranked passer. But with nine touchdowns and eight picks on the year, Jackson has had issues valuing the football at times.

In fact that could be said for Ohio as a whole, given their ranking of twelfth in the MAC in turnover margin. Along with that is the fact that the Bobcats are dead last in the league in penalties, giving up some sixty-seven yards per game. This shouldn't be as ugly as Ohio's last national television appearance (a hard-to-watch close loss at Temple), but the Bulls should win this game. But given the state of the MAC East (each team has at least two conference losses), it wouldn't be a surprise if Coach Solich beat fellow Husker Turner Gill.

Houston @ Marshall 8PM EST on ESPN2

Quick: which team leads Conference USA in pass offense? You're probably thinking Tulsa, and while they do lead the league in scoring and total offense the answer is actually Kevin Sumlin's Houston Cougars (4-3, 3-0 Conference USA). Led by QB Case Keenum, the Cougars average an impressive 403 yards/game through the air, and that's been a key reason for their current four-game win streak. Another key for Houston of late has been turnovers. In losses to Oklahoma State, Air Force and Colorado State the Cougars were rather generous with the football. That's changed and as a result the offense has been all the more effective.

As for the Thundering Herd (3-4, 2-1), they still entertain thoughts of winning the West Division despite a disappointing loss at UAB last week. And it helps that they get both Houston and Tulsa at home. But if a mediocre defense (7th in total defense, 11th in sacks) can't step up and an offense led by WR Darius Passmore and RB Darius Marshall doesn't stay on the field longer than they have this year (time of possession: 27:10; ranks 11th in C-USA) this one could get ugly. Marshall hangs in there for a bit but the Cougars make it four straight losses for Mark Snyder's Herd.

- Tyrone Willingham out at Washington.

Not really big news here, for Willingham was 11-32 in four years in Seattle. Injuries and a lack of depth did in Willingham, who will finish out the season while AD Scott Woodward begins his search for a new head coach. It's been said that former USC assistant and Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin is interested in the position. There were also rumors earlier in the season that the Huskies could talk to Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel, who is an alum and coached there under Don James.

- Northwestern RB Tyrell Sutton out for the regular season.

Due to a wrist injury suffered in the Wildcats' loss at Indiana on Saturday, star running back Tyrell Sutton will miss the remainder of the regular season. Sutton will have surgery today, and his injury became bigger when it was announced that QB C.J. Bacher is questionable for their game at Minnesota due to a leg injury.

- Wisconsin TE Travis Beckum also done for the year.

A tough year for Beckum, who just couldn't stay healthy after a hamstring injury cost him time early, has come to an end thanks to a broken fibula suffered in the Badgers' win over Illinois. Surgery was a success for Beckum, who was a favorite to win the Mackey Award as the nation's best tight end before the season began.

- The bye week couldn't come at a better time for Virginia Tech.

It's bad enough that the Hokie offense has been scuffling all year long. But to add ankle injuries to both Tyrod Taylor ans Sean Glennon is to add injury to insult. Cory Holt, who was listed on the depth chart as a wide receiver, finished the 30-20 loss at Florida State. Both Taylor and Glennon are questionable right now for their game next Thursday against Maryland.

Holt went 3-6 for 28 yards and a touchdown in the game, but the Seminole defense (especially the line) had their way with Tech all afternoon. But instead of simply focusing on fixing the offense, head coach Frank Beamer and offensive coordinator Brian Stinespring have to worry about the health of their quarterbacks.

Northeast non-TV Bracket Busters preview

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:23:55 -0500

Here’s a quick preview of the ESPNU O’Reilly Bracket Busters games this weekend that will not be shown on television involving northeast teams. In most cases, the organizers of this event have done a better job of limiting the travel for non-television games, with the exception of UC Davis visiting Loyola (MD) among games involving northeast leagues. Bracket Busters, originally put together to provide schools in non-BCS leagues one last opportunity to add to their resume, now involves some 100 schools from sixteen conferences. Niagara @ Appalachian State (Saturday, 1 PM) The nation’s leading scorer, Charron Fisher, takes his act on the road as the Purple Eagles visit the Mountaineers of the Southern Conference. Fisher has eclipsed the forty point mark in two of his last three games, including 45 and nine rebounds against Loyola (MD). Niagara (with help from Tyrone Lewis, Stanley Hodge and an improving Benson Egemonye) will look to run and put up a lot of points, but the Mountaineers are also capable of scoring some points. Six players score at least seven points per game, led by senior forward Donte Minter. I’ll take the Mountaineers due to the home court advantage. Northeastern @ Holy Cross (Saturday, 4 PM) The Huskies make the short trip to Worcester to take on a Crusader team still trying to recover from a slow start in Patriot League play. Tim Clifford is Holy Cross’ best offensive option, but it’s been the health of PG Pat Doherty that has been the concern. His Achilles injury at San Francisco was the catalyst for a five-game skid early in 2008, and the team has been up and down ever since. Northeastern, looking to end their two-game skid, will counter with a balanced scoring attack led by wing Matt Janning. Normally, I’d go with the home-court advantage, especially with an environment as hostile as the one awaiting NU’s arrival. But I’m going to take the Huskies due to the fact that they’re a more balanced team on offense. Bucknell @ Old Dominion (Saturday, 7 PM) The Bison, like their Patriot League rivals, have uncharacteristically struggled in league play this year. But given the number of losses due to graduation over the last two seasons, you can understand why this team isn’t in its usual perch atop the conference standings. Guards John Griffin, Justin Castleberry and Stephen Tyree are the main men on the offensive end of the floor, and they’re going to have their hands full in Norfolk. Forward Gerald Lee leads the Monarchs in scoring, but they have seven players averaging at least six points per game. In their last four games, all wins, three different Monarchs have led the team in scoring (Lee twice, Brian Henderson and Abdi Lidonde once apiece). I like the Monarchs to win this one. Vermont @ UNC-Wilmington (Saturday, 7 PM) If you’re looking to find a candidate for the most improved player in the country (yes, country), look no further than Vermont’s Marqus Blakely. After averaging 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last season, the sophomore forward is up to 19.8 and 10.8 this year. And only two players have a 30/20 game to their credit this season: Michael Beasley and…Marqus Blakely. Mike Trimboli and Kyle Cieplicki are also more than capable of scoring from the perimeter. As for the Seahawks, four players average at least twelve points per game, led by senior guard T.J. Carter’s 15.8. Possessing a home record of 11-2, UNCW comes into this one riding a four-game win streak. Expect this one to be a close one, but I like the Seahawks to come out on top. UC Davis @ Loyola-Maryland (Saturday, 1 PM) Well, this one could get ugly as the Greyhounds host the Aggies. UC Davis, currently dead last in the Big West, has lost their last nine and are the league’s worst defensive team (opponents shoot 48.1% from the field). And when you’ve got to stop a player like G Gerald Brown, that could be bad news for the Aggies. Brown will have some help on the offensive end, supplied by Michael Tuck and Marquis Sullivan. The Aggies are led by guards Vince Oliver and Shane Hanson, but they have a road record of 1-11 for the season. I like Loyola to win this one. Hofstra @ Iona (Saturday, 2 PM) The Gaels host one of the nation’s best scorers in Hofstra’s Antoine Agudio, and with Iona preferring to quicken the pace this could be a game in which Agudio puts up some points. But the trend all season has been that the Pride are only as successful as Agudio’s supporting cast, and a group led by Charles Jenkins has become more confident as the season has progressed. On the other side, Kevin Willard’s first year as head coach has been streaky in regards to results, with a three game win streak followed by a short losing spell. Iona ended a two-game skid with a win at Canisius on Monday night, and five players averaging about eight points per game (Kyle Camper averages 7.8 to be exact). The key to this one will be how well Hofstra takes care of the basketball, something they haven’t done well on the road this season (3-9 away from home). I’ll take Iona by a basket. Fairfield @ Drexel (Saturday, 4 PM) The Stags, winners of five in a row, take their on one of the CAA’s worst offensive teams in the Dragons of Drexel. Center Frank Elegar leads Drexel in both scoring and rebounding, but the points have been few and far between for a team looking to replace the likes of Bashir Mason and Dominic Mejia from last season’s team. Fairfield, on the other hand, has received a boost from the likes of seniors Marty O’Sullivan and Mamadou Diakhate, two players who weren’t expected to see much playing time throughout the remainder of the season. But the team runs based on the play of PG Jonathan Han, the MAAC’s assist leader. With six road wins already to their credit, I like the Stags to pick up a seventh. Youngstown State @ Buffalo (Saturday, 4 PM) With two of the bottom feeders in their respective leagues on display, you have to dig a little deeper to figure out who to watch in this one. How about guards Andy Robinson (Buffalo) and Byron Davis (Youngstown State)? Both lead their teams in scoring, but truth be told each team has a couple of places from which the points can come. I’m taking Buffalo for one simple reason: The Penguins are 1-11 on the road this season. Binghamton @ Manhattan (Saturday, 4 PM) One of three matchups between America East and MAAC schools, this one will be an interesting affair due to the age difference between the backcourts. Manhattan, led by Antoine Pearson and Devon Austin (Austin’s a wing), rely primarily on sophomores while Binghamton’s backcourt is manned by seniors Mike Gordon and Richard Forbes. The Bearcats’ leading scorer, however, is sophomore forward Lazar Trifunovic (14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg). I like the Jaspers to move their three-game win streak to four due to the fact that they’re at home (Binghamton is 3-10 on the road this season). Albany @ Canisius (Saturday, 7:30 PM) There’s no Jamar Wilson, but the Great Danes are still in third place in America East. The leader this season is Brian Lillis, a wing currently averaging sixteen points per game. In all, five Great Danes are averaging at least 7.7 points per game. Their opponent has one of the quickest guards in the MAAC in Frank Turner, but little has gone right this year for the 4-22 Golden Griffins. Losers of five straight games, I don’t think Canisius plays good enough defense (allowing 73.1 points per game) to end the skid in this one. Boston University @ St. Peter’s (Saturday, 2 PM) The Terriers have won six of their last seven, while the Peacocks have lost eleven of thirteen. SPC has one of the toughest competitors in the MAAC in senior Todd Sowell, but as a team they simply don’t defend well enough or take good enough care of the basketball (averaging sixteen turnovers per game). When you have four players scoring in double figures, turnovers are a sure way to keep your win total low. Corey Lowe, one of the best guards in America East, leads BU with eighteen points per game, but the improved play of freshman John Holland has been the catalyst for their recent run of good play. I like the Terriers to get a road win in this one.

Daily Dribble: Wednesday Report Card

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:17:37 -0500

The Report Card

A - Chris Lofton

Up until mid-January, Lofton was in the midst of a season-long shooting slump. But beginning with the Kentucky loss on January 22nd, the senior has suddenly found his stroke. In fact, before the UK game, he shot under 50% for 11 games in a row. Since then, he's hit 50% for five straight games, including an awesome 52 3P% during the run. Even when Lofton was struggling, Tennessee kept on winning games, so this only makes a dangerous team that much better.

B - Buffalo

The Bulls finally won a MAC game last night, beating NIU on the road. At 7-14 overall, 1-8 in conference, the Bulls have endured a tough season full of close losses. Coming into last night, they had lost two overtime games in a row (against decent opponents), and had another OT defeat back in December. Last night junior Andy Robinson took over though, scoring 35 points while hitting 8 threes, ensuring that there was no chance they'd lose again.

C - Florida

After a good first half, the Gators got blown out of the gym in Knoxville last night. That now makes it 4 of 5 losses away from home by at least 13 points. Not good numbers for a team that was still ranked in the Top 25 this week. They'll surely drop out regardless of what they do against Georgia over the weekend though. The Gators will pad their record with enough home wins the rest of the way, so they'll still make the Dance.. but remaining games at Vandy and UK will go a long way towards proving their true mettle.

D - Jon Diebler

Just like B is Buffalo.. D is for Diebler. The OSU freshman actually had a rare good game last night against Michigan, scoring 4 important points when the game was close in the 2nd half, and finishing with 14. Still, he's below college basketball's version of the Mendoza line with a .294 shooting percentage. His race for .300 could go down to the season's last day.

F - Dick Vitale

Call me heartless.. but there's a part of me disappointed that Vitale has recovered from throat surgery so quickly. Not that I wan't him to never get better.. just maybe he'd be uncomfortable enough to go on with life, but skip out announcing games for a couple more months.. At least there's always the mute button.

The Daily Report Card tells you all you need to know about the day in college hoops. From good to bad and bad to worse, I'll be laying down the law.

Previous Best / Worst

February 5th - Bob Knight / Josh Heytvelt

February 4th - New York Giants / Washington State

February 1st - Nevada / Penn

January 31st - Kansas State / St. John's

January 29th - Winthrop / Dyson & Wiggins

January 28th - Rutgers / Doris Burke

January 25th - Ron Hunter / Princeton Offense

January 23rd - Kentucky / Archbishop Burke

January 22nd - DJ Augustin / Scott Sutton

January 21st - New York Giants / Marquette

January 20th - Maryland / ESPN.com editors

January 18th - Cleveland State / Marquette

January 17th - Drake / HP Laptops

January 14th - Roy Hibbert / Michigan State

January 10th - Tony Bennett / Saint Louis

January 9th - DJ White / CSTV

January 8th - Robert Morris / Schedule Makers

January 7th - Wayne Ellington / Illinois

January 6th - Herb Sendek / Kentucky

MAC Recap: 11-18

Ryan Molnar — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 10:55:38 -0500

The MAC had four teams in action yesterday and last night with all but one team winning. Kent State picked up a good win at home over Detroit. Marquette handed it to Eastern Michigan. Toledo took care of Middle Tennessee State in overtime, and Buffalo came away with an impressive win over Miami (FL). Kent State had a balanced attack lead them to a 61-48 victory over the University of Detroit Mercy at the MAC Center yesterday afternoon. Kent State held Detroit to just 38 percent shooting and withstood a hot start from behind the 3-point line from the Titans. Detroit hit its first three triples, but then proceeded to only shoot three-of-16 the rest of the game. Freshmen guard Rodriguez Sherman led Kent State with 14 points in his first colleigate start. Due to many suspensions of players he was thrust into the lineup and did not commit one turnover in 31 minutes of play. Senior Armon Gates scored 12 points and brought down a career high 8 rebounds. He is known more for his 3 point shooting ability but in this game he was only able to make two three pointers. Kent State returns to action on Tuesday when they host Temple University. Eastern Michigan fell hard to #17 Marquette University 95-62. The Eagles were led by freshmen Devon Dumes who was the only player on Eastern in double figures as he scored 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field while hitting 4-of-7 from behind the arc. EMU stayed with Marquette for much of the first half but could not withstand Marquette’s hot shooting from the field along with its stingy defense. The Golden Eagles connected on 48% of it’s three point attempts while Eastern hit just 38% of theirs. Marquette had five players in double figures and were led by sophomore guard Dominic James who had 17 points. EMU will take on Detroit on Wednesday, November 29th. Toledo got their first win of the year last night but it wasn’t easy. Playing against Middle Tennessee State in the Virgin Islands as part of the Paradise Jam Tournament, Toledo fell down by as much as 18 points at the half but battled back to win it 75-69 in overtime. Senior guard Justin Ingram came up big for the Rockets scoring a career-high 32 points. He also hit the three that forced overtime. Senior forward Keonta Howell came up with 21 points and 6 rebounds and overcame a 20 point deficit with a 22-2 surge late in the second half. Ingram hit the game-tying three with only 0.9 seconds left on the clock. Middle Tennessee State rode their 72.7 percent shooting to a 18 point halftime lead. Toledo will play VCU on Monday afternoon in their last game at the Paradise Jam Tournament. The Buffalo Bulls win over the Miami Hurricanes was the school’s first win over a school from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Bulls defeated the Hurricanes 60-57 in the America’s Youth Classic in Evansville, Indiana last night. Yassin Idbihi hit the game-winning jumper with 3.7 seconds remaining to carry the Bulls to their third win of the season. The senior forward led Buffalo with 22 points and a career high 14 rebounds. Buffalo only shot 36.5 percent but played solid defense and came up big on the boards. Buffalo was able to out-rebound Miami 43-35, including 16 offensive boards. Buffalo will take on Evansville in the final game of the tournament today. Today’s games feature Ball State hosting Prairie View A&M, Bowling Green hosting Furman, Akron hosting Tiffin, Ohio hosting Yale, Buffalo on the road at Evansville, and Central Michigan hosting UMKC. Here are my predictions: Ball State, Akron, Ohio, and Central Michigan all win, while Bowling Green and Buffalo both lose. Yesterday: 1-3. Overall: 6-4.

MAC Recap: 11-17

Ryan Molnar — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 11:30:39 -0500

The MAC had three teams in action and while they went 2-1 none of the two teams that won had very impressive wins. Toledo was in action against Iowa in the Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam Tournament, Miami won big over Florida A&M, and Buffalo won a close one at home over Cleveland State. On to the recaps: Toledo fought hard against Iowa but came up short 78-65 in the opening round of the Paradise Jam Tournament. The seniors held the Rocket’s in this game though. Senior guard Justin Ingram paced the Rockets with 22 points, 4 steals and 4 rebounds and was a point shy of his career scoring high. Senior forward Keonta Howell chipped in 16 points and six rebounds and senior forward Florentino Valencia scored 12 points and came down with a team high 8 rebounds. Freshmen forward Tyler Smith scored a game high 28 points for the Hawkeyes. The Rockets were able to shut down Iowa’s leading scorer, Adam Haluska, limiting him to only 10 points. However, that opened the door for Smith’s big night. Iowa also destroyed Toledo on the boards with a 51-30 rebounding edge. Toledo will face Middle Tennessee State tonight as the Blue Raiders dropped their game last night against 10th ranked Alabama. Miami dominated their game against Florida A&M coming away with a 52-33 win. Junior forward Tim Pollitz scored 16 points and came down with 11 rebounds. The 33 points were the fewest opponents points since Miami gave up 32 points to Wright State back in 1947. The RedHawks also only gave up 11 points in the first half, which tied a school record. Miami returns to action by playing at home again on Tuesday and hosting the University of Illinois-Chicago. The other MAC team in action last night was the Buffalo Bulls and they picked up a good 77-73 win over Cleveland State. It was the opening game of the America’s Youth Classic in Evansville, Indiana last night. For the second straight game, senior Parnell Smith posted a career high in scoring, this time with 24 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists. It wasn’t an easy win for the Bulls as they fell behind early and were trailing 35-28 at the half. However, they quickly responded to open the second half as they outscored the Vikings 36-14 in the first 12 minutes. The Bulls ran the lead all the way up to 13 points before Cleveland State battled back to make it a close game at the end. Following two missed free throws by Buffalo, the Vikings had a shot at the win. However, Vadim Fedotov drew a charge with six seconds remaining for the Bulls and Eric Monroe drilled a pair of free throws to give the victory to Buffalo. Buffalo takes on Miami (FL) tonight in the second round of the America’s Youth Classic. Tonight’s game matches Kent State hosting Detroit, Eastern Michigan on the road at Marquette, Toledo playing Middle Tennessee State in the Virgin Islands, and Buffalo playing Miami (FL) in Evansville, Indiana. I’m predicting that Toledo will be the only team that will win out of the MAC tonight. Last night’s record: 3-0. Overall record: 5-1.

MAC Recap: 11-13

Ryan Molnar — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 15:56:04 -0500

Last night was not a good chance for the MAC’s chances of having more than one team in the Big Dance come March. Every single MAC team in action lost last night along with the team that is supposed to carry the league, Akron. When your best team is losing to Arkansas Little-Rock with a chance to play Texas Tech on national television looming, you have the feeling that this could be a long year. Last night for some reason was upset special all around the country with Boston College losing to Vermont at home, Notre Dame losing to Butler at home and Indiana almost losing to Layfeytte in the preseason NIT. Akron shot 51 percent from the floor but could not get rebounds when it mattered the most. The Trojans outscored the Zips 21-11 on second-chance points and also outrebounded them 36-24. That just goes to show that you can’t just win games with talent, you have to actually go out there and perform and Akron didn’t do that last night. They’ll have another chance tonight to pick up what appears to be an easy W over Gardner-Webb at 7 PM tonight. Buffalo traveled down to play South Florida last night in a match up with the only other school with a Bull as a mascot and they left their shooting touch back home as well. Add 40% shooting with 25 turnovers and you’ll lose almost every game. In this case the final was 77-61 and this years Bulls team does not look very well at well coming out of the gate. Their other game of the year was against Canisius and was a 3 point squeaker. The Bulls are off again until Friday. Toledo had a shot to get a very big non conference win for themselves and for the MAC against Missouri State and they came up short. The Rockets outscored the Bears 34-26 in the paint but they committed 22 turnovers which translated into 24 Missouri State points. Toledo now travels to the Virgin Islands to take part in the Paradise Jam tournament which is gaining strength as one of the better season tournaments in the nation. They’ll face the Iowa Hawkeye’s on Friday afternoon. The only other MAC game tonight besides the Akron game will be the Western Michigan Broncos taking on the Indiana State Sycamores in a rematch of last year’s BracketBuster game.