Bowling Green

Saturday Recap: Five Ranked Teams Fall to Unranked Opponents

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:27:58 -0800

The first Saturday of the new year proved to be far more exciting than anticipated, much to the detriment of ranked teams who took their show on the road. Removing #7 Missouri and #20 Marquette, who both lost on the road to ranked opponents (more on both of those games below), five ranked teams lost to unranked opponents with four of the losses coming on the road. The Big East provided the most intrigue, with #8 Connecticut and #9 Georgetown falling on the road while #10 Louisville lost in double overtime at home. So which of the three defeats is most concerning? That's likely a toss-up between the Huskies and Cardinals.

Connecticut lost at Rutgers, who already owned a win at The RAC over then-#10 Florida, 67-60 with Eli Carter leading the Scarlet Knights with 19 points. It was a Saturday night to forget for Jeremy Lamb, who scored just eight points before fouling out. With the preseason All-America dealing with foul trouble for much of the night, Rutgers head coach Mike Rice was able to go with a zone defense to take advantage of the Huskies' issues in dealing with zones.

While UConn's 36.5% shooting from deep on the season isn't a great number it's definitely better than the 4-for-19 performance they put up against Rutgers. But of more concern than the lack of perimeter shooting is the lack of leadership and toughness for this group, something that was lost with the departure of Kemba Walker. And it's a sore subject for head coach Jim Calhoun, who returned to the bench after missing the last three games due to an NCAA suspension.

"There's not a lack of leadership, there's none," said Calhoun. Short, and to the point.

As for Louisville, their issues of running a half-court offense with cohesion has been well documented, and for that reason it's reasonable to say that Rick Pitino's team was given too much credit earlier in the season. Eric Atkins' shot with 17 seconds remaining gave the Fighting Irish a 65-63 lead and his two free throws in the final seconds of the second overtime sealed the 67-65 victory, giving Notre Dame their first win in the Commonwealth of Kentucky until 1980.

Louisville shot much better from the field, making 42.3% of their shots compared to 31.7% for Notre Dame. But when you hand the ball over 18 times, allowing Notre Dame to score 16 points off of turnovers, there's a good chance that the outcome won't be a positive one. The Cardinals now already have two home conference losses, and that's definitely not a good spot to be in if they're to contend for a Big East title.

"Hard fought game, but if you break it down, they made their free throws and we didn't," said Pitino. "To lose two home games in the Big East with the type of schedule we have is very destructive to say the least."

The other two losses to unranked opponents came in the SEC, with Florida kicking off the crazy day with a 67-56 loss to Tennessee (more on that below) and #15 Mississippi State getting lit up at Arkansas 98-88. The Bulldogs weren't much more than a sieve defensively, allowing the Razorbacks to shoot 56.5% from the field for the game. Rick Stansbury's team seemed to be in solid shape at the half, trailing by just six (43-37) despite turning the ball over eleven times to just two for Arkansas.

But that optimism was misguided as the Bulldogs allowed 55 points in the final 20 minutes with the Hogs making 67.9% of their shots. Julysses Nobles and B.J. Young scored 24 points apiece to lead Arkansas, who finished with five players in double figures, and they were also aided by the fact that three players scored 63 of Mississippi State's 88 points. Arnett Moultrie scored just nine but did grab ten rebounds before fouling out with over six minutes remaining, but his fifth foul essentially signaled the end of the game for Mississippi State. The lesson the Bulldogs learned was similar to that learned by the other ranked teams to fall: anyone can fall on any given day.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Kansas State takes advantage of #7 Missouri's lack of interior depth and hands the Tigers their first loss.
There were certainly concerns about how Frank Haith's team would deal with bigger teams as the season wore on, as Missouri has just seven scholarship players and two true frontcourt players. And at the "Octagon of Doom" the Tigers got their first glimpse of how difficult things could be, especially if their perimeter scorers aren't as productive as expected. Missouri shot just 32.7% from the field and were out-rebounded 39-25 by #23 Kansas State in the Wildcats' 75-59 victory, suffering their first loss of the season.

It didn't help matters that starting forward Ricardo Ratliffe played just 14 foul-riddled minutes, scoring two points and grabbing one rebounds. The Tigers can't afford that level of production when their guards are on, much less when Phil Pressey misses all six of his shots from the field and the team shoots 7-for-24 from three. Rodney McGruder led K-State with 20 points and as a team the Wildcats assisted on 18 of their 28 field goals, resulting in an efficiency (111.9) 21 points higher than what Missouri opponents averaged on the season.

2. Syracuse runs out to a big lead and hangs on to beat Marquette in the Carrier Dome.
Thanks to a 23-1 run in the first half to turn a 12-11 lead into a seemingly insurmountable 35-12 edge, top-ranked Syracuse seemed to be well on their way to an emphatic victory over #20 Marquette. But Jim Boeheim's team apparently left their intensity in the locker room, as they came out of halftime flat while Buzz Williams' team displayed the fight expected of his program. Marquette would eventually pull to within two points (59-57) but could get no closer as the Orange would eventually win 73-66, moving to 17-0 and by the end of the night sitting alone atop the Big East standings.

Marquette could hit nothing in the first half, shooting 30% from the field and going 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. But led by Darius Johnson-Odom (19 points), Jae Crowder (15 points, seven rebounds) and Junior Cadougan (10 points, five assists) the Golden Eagles attacked the inside of the Syracuse zone, resulting in quality looks that were few and far between in the first half. But with Kris Joseph scoring 17 points and reserves C.J. Fair and Dion Waiters combining to score 25 points Syracuse was able to sew things up late, and while they weren't as efficient as usual the Orange did assists on 19 of 24 made baskets. While the landscape beneath them is too muddled to make sense of, it's pretty clear that the Orange are the class of the Big East.

3. Florida has some things to work on defensively if they're to be a factor come March.
The first thing that will stick out in#13 Florida's 67-56 loss at Tennessee is likely the fact that they scored just 56 points, shooting 35.7% from the field in doing so. But what should really be taken out of the defeat is their play on the defensive end of the floor, because despite the struggles offensively Billy Donovan's team won't lack for scoring options. Simply put, can Florida get the stops needed when the possessions become even bigger in March? If they're going to do so some things will need to change, with one being the lack of ball pressure on the perimeter. The issue against Tennessee wasn't about what the Volunteers could do off the dribble but rather the lack of pressure on entry passes.

On multiple occasions the lack of pressure on passers allowed a Jeronne Maymon (12 points, seven rebounds) or Kenny Hall (13 points, five rebounds) the time to walk their man up the lane and out of prime defensive position. If Florida couldn't get away with this against Tennessee, what are they going to do in their two meetings with Kentucky? And it's not out of the realm of possibility that a team like Alabama (or even Mississippi State) that has multiple big men could give them a hard time inside. The Vols entered Saturday's game scoring 33% of their points from three, but they didn't have to do that as the paint was open for business. Florida can't allow that to happen if they're to reach their full potential, prolific offense or not.

4. George Mason beats Georgia State to take over sole possession of first place in the CAA.
In prior seasons the three-game stretch for Georgia State of Drexel/VCU/George Mason would elicit bets of what the Panthers' combined margin of defeat would be. To say the least things have changed under Ron Hunter, as they'd won the first two games of that stretch going into Saturday's showdown with the Patriots for sole possession of first place in the CAA. But despite Ryan Pearson failing to make a single field goal it was George Mason who was able to make the key baskets late on their way to the 61-56 win. Neither team shot well from the field and George Mason turned the ball over 19 times, but the deciding factor was the charity stripe.

George Mason, who shot 67.3% from the line on the season, made 18 of 21 on Saturday night and outscored the Panthers by eight in that department. Vertail Vaughns (17 points) and Mike Morrison (14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks) more than made up for Pearson's 0-for-4 night, while the Georgia State combo of Josh Micheaux and Devonta White shot a combined 3-for-15 (they entered the game averaging a combined 20.2 points/game). Jihad Ali led Georgia State with 19 points, and while they didn't win the Panthers have the look of a team that could hang around the race throughout the season. But they didn't have enough down the stretch, allowing the Patriots to take control of the driver's seat a quarter of the way through CAA play.

5. Oral Roberts blows out South Dakota State and moves to 6-0 in the Summit League.
The matchup between the Golden Eagles and Jackrabbits was anticipated by some due to not only the matchup of early Summit League POY frontrunners Dominique Morrison (ORU) and Nate Wolters (SDSU) (Oakland's Reggie Hamilton will also figure in the discussion). But they game didn't live up to that, much to the detriment of the Jackrabbits, who fell 97-75 in Tulsa. Morrison was outstanding as he finished with 38 points and seven rebounds, but he had plenty of help as Steven Roundtree scored 17 off the bench and Michael Craion and Warren Niles scored 15 apiece.

Wolters led five SDSU players in double figures with 22 points to go along with six assists, but the Jackrabbits' biggest problem was they they couldn't stop the Golden Eagles. ORU shot 60.7% from the field on the night and 67.5% from two while also making ten of twenty-one from beyond the arc, and when ORU's got it rolling like that they're extremely difficult to beat at the Mabee Center. Oral Roberts finished the game with an offensive efficiency of 154.0, scoring 1.5 points/possession on the night. To say the least South Dakota State will do their best to make sure that doesn't happen in the rematch on February 2nd.

Quick Hitters

1. Saturday marked the first step towards another March in which Virginia Tech is once again discussed as a bubble team, with the Hokies losing at Wake Forest 58-55. Erick Green was solid for the Hokies, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but more is needed from Dorenzo Hudson (4-13, eight points) if they're to be a tournament team.

2. Entering the week with an 0-2 league record, UCLA couldn't afford anything less than a split with the Arizona schools if they wanted to be a contender in the Pac-12 race. Ben Howland's squad did better than that, wrapping up a sweep with a 75-58 win over Arizona State. Travis Wear scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Joshua Smith added 18 off the bench.

3. Few people gave Colorado a shot at being in first place in the Pac-12 at this point in the season, but there they sit after sweeping the Washington schools this weekend. A big reason why: defense. In their 71-60 win over Washington State, Colorado limited the Cougars to 36.5% shooting and none of their three league opponents have shot over 40% from the field. Also in forward Andre Roberson, Tad Boyle's got one of the most underrated players in the country.

4. Of the four teams tied for first place in the MVC the most surprising has to be Illinois State, who beat Evansville 75-73 on a miraculous shot by Jackie Carmichael. Carmichael, who finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, banked in his first career three-pointer as time expired to win the game. We'll find out how much staying power the Redbirds have immediately too, as they visit Wichita State and host Creighton in their next two games.

5. In a matchup of teams undefeated in SoCon play Davidson shot 60% from the field and made 11 three-pointers in their 96-74 win over Georgia Southern. Jake Cohen (29 points) and De'Mon Brooks (24 points) combined to score 53 points with Cohen also grabbing 12 rebounds in the victory.

6. There was also a matchup of undefeated teams in the NEC, and that game wasn't particularly close either. Ken Horton scored 21 points and grabbed ten rebounds while Robbie Ptacek scored 24 points and Kyle Vinales 18 in Central Connecticut State's 68-53 win over Robert Morris. Robert Morris shot just 30.3% from the field and turned the ball over 15 times in defeat.

7. Back in the ACC, Florida State laid a serious egg in their ACC opener as they fell 79-59 at Clemson. Not only did the Seminoles struggle offensively, shooting 35.5% and turning the ball over 15 times, but they also allowed the Tigers to shoot 60% from two and 49% overall. Leonard Hamilton's team can ill-afford the defensive breakdowns they had on Saturday if they're going to be a tournament team.

8. Both Temple and Saint Joseph's dropped conference games at home on Saturday, with Dayton pulling away late to be at the Owls 87-77 and Charlotte shocking the Hawks 57-52. Archie Miller's Flyers picked up a key resume-building win, and Charlotte's victory was a good step for Alan Major as he looks to rebuild that program.

9. Bowling Green also provided a surprise in their MAC opener as they beat Ohio 67-57. Jordon Crawford led the way, scoring 16 points to go along with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. BGSU turned the ball over 20 times (Crawford: six turnovers) but the Bobcats shot 4-for-20 from three, alliowing the home team to lock up the victory.

10. And in terms of a possible changing of the guard Nevada may have struck the biggest blow, handing Utah State their first conference home loss since 2007 by the final score of 78-71. Deonte Burton, who finished with 25 points and five assists, provided the dagger in the form of a four-point play with 37 seconds remaining while Dario Hunt scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Five (plus one) Notable Performances

1. F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
44 points (18-23 FG), eight rebounds and two assists in the Bluejays' 92-83 win at Bradley.

2. F Dominique Morrison (Oral Roberts)
38 points (11-15 FG), seven rebounds and two assists in the Golden Eagles' 97-75 win over South Dakota State.

3. G Damian Lillard (Weber State)
38 points (8-14 3PT), five rebounds and five assists in the Wildcats' 88-81 win at Portland State.

4. G Isaiah Canaan (Murray State)
35 points (7-8 3PT), five assists and two rebounds in the Racers' 87-75 win at Austin Peay.

5. F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
22 points (8-12 FG) and 16 rebounds in the Mountaineers' 74-62 win over #9 Georgetown.

Plus One: F Royce White (Iowa State)
18 rebounds, ten points and ten assists in the Cyclones' 74-50 demolition of Texas A&M in College Station.

Game of the Day: Stanford 103, Oregon State 101 (4 OT)
If you missed this one late that's too bad, because the Cardinal and Beavers combined to play an instant classic. The game didn't truly take off until the final moments of regulation, as Stanford's game-winning basket was ruled to have come after time expired. Stanford would eventually win as Roberto Nelson's three-point attempt as time expired missed the mark. Chasson Randle led six Stanford players in double figures with 24 points off the bench while Nelson and Jared Cunningham led six Oregon State players in double figures with 19 apiece.

College Hoops Sunday Recap: Atlantic 10 Earns Two Titles

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:06:47 -0800

Sunday set up to be a big day for the Atlantic 10 with Dayton (Old Spice Classic) and Saint Louis (76 Classic) playing in the title game of their respective in-season tournaments. And even better for the conference is that both picked up wins, displaying the depth of a league thought by many to be Xavier, Temple and 12 other teams before the season began.

Saint Louis used an 18-2 run halfway through the second half to pull away from Oklahoma, winning 83-63 in Anaheim. Tournament MVP Brian Conklin made nine of his eleven shots from the field and scored 25 points, and as a team the Billikens shot 60.4% from the field and 52.9% from beyond the arc. Rick Majerus' team scored 1.32 points/possession, and their offensive efficiency of 131.7 was their best performance of the season, surpassing the 125.0 posted in their win over Villanova on Friday (numbers courtesy of statsheet.com).

"I thought the guys played with good poise and composure," said Majerus. "We were good with shot selection. A big goal of ours was to restrict the three. I thought [Conklin] deserved the tournament MVP, if nothing else for his defense and rebounding, and he was a beneficiary of his hard work in the summer."

The key for Saint Louis (as is the case with UNLV, who beat top-ranked North Carolina on Saturday night) will be how they deal with prosperity. A lot is made of how teams deal with adversity, but some things about Conklin and his teammates will be learned in their game at Loyola Marymount on Tuesday night. As for Dayton, their three wins in Orlando were a big deal in the first season of the Archie Miller era. Kevin Dillard was outstanding for the Flyers, posting a line of 19 points, 10 assists, seven steals and three blocks in winning the tournament MVP award.

Chris Johnson (18 points), Josh Benson (16), Josh Parker (12) and Luke Fabrizius (11) also reached double figures in Dayton's best offensive performance of the season since their opening win over Western Illinois. In Dayton's three best offensive games of the season they've assisted on at least 63% of their baskets, providing a blueprint for what the Flyers will need to do in order to continue on this path. And just like Saint Louis, Dayton will need to show that they can deal with prosperity. Following a home game against Buffalo the Flyers visit Great Alaska Shootout champ Murray State and host Alabama, meaning that a lot more will be learned about this team's potential.

While there were disappointments for the Atlantic 10 on Sunday (more on those below), the tournament wins for Dayton and Saint Louis show that the conference has something that it hasn't always had in recent seasons: depth. St. Bonaventure (who lost at Virginia Tech on Sunday), Duquesne and George Washington are three other teams that could be a factor in the A-10 race come January, and the race is setting up to be a very entertaining one at that.

Other Notable Happenings

1. A foul-counting mishap aids in Villanova's late collapse against Santa Clara.
With just over seven seconds remaining Villanova asked for their team foul count during a timeout while leading Santa Clara 64-61. Jay Wright and his staff were told that they only had five team fouls, and that was also displayed in Anaheim Arena. But when Darrun Hilliard gave the foul the Wildcats were found to have actually committed their seventh team foul, sending Evan Roquemore to the line for a 1-and-1. Roquemore made both, and after JayVaughn Pinkston missed the front end of his 1-and-1 he fouled Roquemore in his pursuit of the loose ball. The Bronco guard came through once again, making both free throws to give Santa Clara the stunning 65-64 win.

While the administrative error didn't help Villanova at all, they really have no one to blame but themselves for ending up in that situation. Leading 64-57 with 2:56 left in the game, Villanova failed to score again and turned the ball over four times in the final 2:56. Raymond Cowels III led Santa Clara with 20 points, and he combined with Roquemore to score 24 second-half points on a night that saw Kevin Foster (5-17 FG, 13 points) struggle. As for Villanova, Mouphtaou Yarou led the way with 19 points, and for them to be successful as the season wears on they'll need more than a combined 4-for-15 outing from Dominic Cheek (10 points) and James Bell (seven). Can this group that's adjusting to life without Corey Stokes, Corey Fisher and Antonio Pena produce enough offensively to account for those losses? We shall see.

2. Indiana has an impressive second half in pulling away from Butler.
While some have pointed out the improved play of Tom Crean's Hoosiers to start the season, skeptics pointed at their schedule and wanted to see more evidence against credible competition. Indiana got their chance on Sunday night with two-time defending national runners-up Butler visiting Assembly Hall, and after a 30-minute slugfest the Hoosiers separated with an 11-2 run. Indiana went on to win 75-59 with Will Sheehey (Hoosier Invitational MVP) scoring a career-high 21 points and Cody Zeller leading three other Hoosiers in double figures with 16, but the bigger story was their defense.

Butler finished the game with seven assists and 21 turnovers, which means an assist-to-turnover ratio of 0.33. Crean praised his team for their defensive effort, pointing out that Indiana had 74 deflections on the night. Indiana shot 50% in the second half as they outscored Butler 44-31, and outside of Chrishawn Hopkins (19 points) and Khyle Marshall (16) the Bulldogs couldn't establish much of anything offensively. With NC State and Kentucky in two of their next three games, Indiana will definitely be challenged. But for the first time in Crean's tenure at IU, it can be said that the Hoosiers look capable of attacking those challenges head-on.

3. Syracuse makes the move to fire associate head coach Bernie Fine after new information "surfaces".
Unfortunately there was more off-court news involving the sexual assault accusations levied against now-former Syracuse associate head coach Bernie Fine. Not only did a third accuser surface but a recorded phone call between Fine accuser Bobby Davis and Fine's wife Laurie from 2002 was released by ESPN's Outside the Lines. Both chancellor Nancy Cantor and head coach Jim Boeheim released statements on Sunday night in support of the action taken against Fine by the school, with this being a sharp departure from the defiant stance taken by Boeheim in support of his long-time assistant and friend when these allegations were first made. The question now is just how far this investigation goes, and what effect it may have on the Orange on the floor. Given the way they dealt with the distractions on their way to the NIT Season Tip-Off crown last week and the team's experience, Syracuse will likely be fine on the floor. But given both the sensitive nature of the charges and the statement issued by Boeheim in the beginning, this situation likely won't be solved for a while.

Quick Hitters

1. With Trevor Mbakwe scheduled for an MRI on his right knee, injured in their loss to Dayton, Minnesota has a lot on the line with regards to their season. Hopefully he checks out OK, but that would be a major loss for the Golden Gophers if he were to be ruled out for a significant amount of time.

2. The most disappointing in-season performance of the weekend: Washington State, who capped an 0-3 weekend in Anaheim with a 64-63 loss to UC Riverside. Yes the Cougars lost Klay Thompson and DeAngelo Casto, but there's talent back in Pullman. Not a good weekend for the Cougars or the Pac-12.

3. Team that should feel good about their weekend: DePaul. The Blue Demons made things tougher on themselves than they should have late but they did enough to hold off Arizona State 68-64 in the fifth place game at the Old Spice Classic (2-1 for the weekend). Cleveland Melvin led the way with 18 points and seven rebounds.

4. Cleveland State whipped Rhode Island 67-45 in Kingston in the final day of that particular three-game Legends Classic round-robin. Jim Baron's team turned the ball over an astonishing 17 times in the first half and as a result trailed 40-23 at the break. Rhody finished the game with 21 turnovers (27-23 CSU in the second half).

5. Bowling Green scored a nice win for both themselves and the MAC with a 67-64 win over Temple. BGSU shot 58% from the field in the second half and 56% for the game, and A'uston Calhoun led the way with 16 points and seven rebounds.

6. What's going on with UAB? Mike Davis' Blazers dropped to 1-4 on the season with a 59-54 loss to UT-Martin despite 15 points apiece from Cameron Moore and Jordan Swing. Mike Liabo scored 22 points off the bench to lead the Skyhawks, who entered the game having lost five of their first six games.

7. Indiana State hung on to beat Fairfield 72-66 in the third place game of the Old Spice Classic. Jake Odum posted ISU's first triple-double in 32 years and Dwayne Lathan and Myles Walker scored 16 apiece, with the Sycamores controlling the play in the paint throughout (34-20 points in the paint advantage).

Three Notable Performances

1. F Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk State)
23 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the Spartans' 70-63 win over Eastern Kentucky.

2. G Jake Odum (Indiana State)
10 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in the Sycamores' 72-66 win over Fairfield. The triple-double is the first in ISU history since the great Larry Bird posted one in 1979.

3. G Kevin Dillard (Dayton)
19 points, 10 assists, seven steals and three blocks in the Flyers' 86-70 win over Minnesota.

MAC Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:33:55 -0800

Akron is the favorite after winning 23 games last year, but just about everyone in the dominant East Division has a chance to make some noise.

Conference Rank: 17th

10 year average: 13th

MAC Conference Page

All-MAC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Rodney Pierce	Buffalo	Sr
G	Darion Anderson	Northern Illinois	Jr
G/F	David Kool	Western Mich.	Jr
F	Brandon Bowdry	Eastern Mich.	Jr
F	Jarrod Jones	Ball State	So

Player of the Year - Rodney Pierce
CHN Award Winners		Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Darion Anderson Rodney Pierce		Best Scorer: David Kool Best Rebounder: Brandon Bowdry Best Passer: Joe Jakubowski

MAC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

68	Akron	MAC	1	NCAA
82	Buffalo	MAC	2	NIT
104	Kent State	MAC	3	CBI/CIT
128	Bowling Green	MAC	4
184	Ohio	MAC	5
199	Miami (OH)	MAC	6
232	Central Michigan	MAC	7
266	Ball State	MAC	8
289	Northern Illinois	MAC	9
311	Eastern Michigan	MAC	10
318	Western Michigan	MAC	11
341	Toledo	MAC	12

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the MAC?

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Bowling Green/Buffalo Football Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:37:40 -0800

Two of the best offenses in the Mid-American Conference will be on display tonight (8 PM on ESPN2) when the Bowling Green Falcons (3-5, 2-2) visit the Buffalo Bulls (3-5, 1-3) in a game that doesn't have as much riding on it as anticipated when the season began. Buffalo lost starting RB James Starks before the season began and his absence has had an effect despite Turner Gill's team having the conference's second-best offense. Turnovers have been a problem for the Bulls, who rank eleventh out of thirteen teams in turnover margin. The key for the Bowling Green defense will be to pressure QB Zach Maynard, foricing him to make bad decisions.

But the best player on the field tonight will be wearing the road whites. WR Freddie Barnes has 99 receptions through eight games and leads the nation in receptions (12.38) and yards per game (131.75), and going up against a pass defense that ranks seventh in the conference there should be opportunities for Barnes to go to work. QB Tyler Sheehan leads the conference in total offense and passing yards per game, another example of the effect that first-year head coach Dave Clawson has had on the Bowling Green attack.

One key to watch is how well the Falcons do in the red zone. They've converted just 68% of their red-zone opportunities, ranking eleventh in the conference in that category. Buffalo is eleventh in the MAC in red-zone defense so there will likely be opportunities on both sides to make plays. It will be fun to watch receivers Barnes and Buffalo's Naaman Roosevelt go to work in this one; Bowling Green wins it with a late field goal.

MAC Preseason Poll & Awards

Press Release — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:54:36 -0700

CLEVELAND - Akron was predicted to finish first in the Mid-American Conference East Division in a poll of the league's media, the conference office announced on Oct 28.

Central Michigan was predicted to win the West Division, amassing 113 points and 10 first-place votes. Northern Illinois was picked to finish second with 102 points, while Eastern Michigan was forecast to finish third with 94 points. Ball State, Western Michigan and Toledo were picked to finish fourth, fifth and sixth in the West Division, respectively.

Five schools earned votes to win the MAC Tournament with Akron being the favorite with 19 votes. Buffalo received two votes, while Northern Illinois, Kent State and Bowling Green each received one.

MAC East Division Preseason Media Poll

1.       Akron – 190 points (19)

2.       Kent State – 108 points (3)

3.       Buffalo – 97 points (1)

4.       Miami – 78 points

5.       Bowling Green – 54 points (1)

6.       Ohio – 32 points

MAC West Division Preseason Media Poll

1.       Central Michigan – 113 points (10)

2.       Northern Illinois – 102 points (4)

3.       Eastern Michigan – 94 points (3)

4.       Ball State – 87 points (3)

5.       Western Michigan – 79 points (4)

6.       Toledo – 29 points

(1st place votes in parentheses)

Tournament Winner: Akron (19), Buffalo (2), Northern Illinois (1), Kent State (1), Bowling Green (1)

East Division All-MAC Preseason Team

Kenny Hayes, G, Miami

Brett McKnight, F, Akron

Rodney Pierce, G, Buffalo

Chris Singletary, G, Kent State

Anthony “Humpty” Hitches, G, Akron

West Division All-MAC Preseason Team

David Kool, G, Western Michigan

Jarrod Jones, F/C, Ball State

Brandon Bowdry, F, Eastern Michigan

Darion “Jake” Anderson, G, Northern Illinois

Carlos Medlock, G, Eastern Michigan

The Ultimate Schedule: MAC East

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:12:49 -0700

MAC Scheduling “Rules”:

- Four non-conference games

- Eight conference games (five within the division)

- Marathon MAC Football Championship Game (December 4^th in Detroit)

Week 1: Troy @ Bowling Green (September 3^rd)

Why not open up the season with the favorite to defend its conference title (Troy of the Sun Belt Conference) visiting a Bowling Green team looking to pick up the first win of the Dave Clawson era? The question for the Falcons is which job will be more representative of Clawson’s offensive gameplan abilities: his years of success at Richmond, or one ill-fated year at Tennessee? Tennessee was a tough situation in 2008, with Phil Fulmer under pressure to win immediately, so it can be understood why the Volunteers struggled (quarterback play didn’t help either). Tyler Sheehan is a capable signal-caller, but he will be tested by the Troy defense. This will be a good measuring stick in the season opener for the Falcons.

Other Games Considered: Akron @ Penn State (9/5), Connecticut @ Ohio (9/5), Buffalo @ UTEP (9/5)

Week 2: Pittsburgh @ Buffalo (September 12^th)

Last season the Panthers dropped a game at home to a Bowling Green team that ended up not being as good as thought when the season ended. So what can happen when Pittsburgh visits the defending MAC champion Bulls? Buffalo will hope that they’ve found capable replacements for RB James Starks, who will have season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum, and Pitt will also be looking for backs to replace the departed LeSean McCoy. The position to watch: wide receiver, where Naaman Roosevelt can hold his own with any wideout on the Pitt roster. Simply put, this is one of the early-season games that can provide the MAC with a BCS “scalp”.

Other Games Considered: Kent State @ Boston College (9/12), Miami @ Boise State (9/12), Bowling Green @ Missouri (9/12)

Week 3: Indiana @ Akron (September 19^th)

Speaking of possible wins against BCS teams, the Zips host an Indiana team picked by the media to finish last in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers dismissed QB Kellen Lewis in a case of taking team chemistry over playmaking ability. Who else is there that can make things happen for the Hoosiers offensively? QB Ben Chappell has a solid season in 2008, but the defense led by DE Jammie Kirlew will be leaned upon heavily in the first month of the season. Akron isn’t a particularly explosive team on offense either, but they do have a solid quarterback in senior Chris Jacquemain. The Zips have never hosted a BCS conference team so expect a frenzied atmosphere despite the predicted level of the opponent.

Other Games Considered: Temple @ Penn State (9/19), Miami @ Western Michigan (9/19), Buffalo @ UCF (9/19)

Week 4: Buffalo @ Temple (September 26^th)

Rarely does a game between the two teams expected to vie for the division title take place in the first month of the season. But that’s the scenario that the Bulls and Owls have to deal with, and if this one is as wild as last year’s game then we’re in for a treat. A Hail Mary at the gun from Drew Willy to Naaman Roosevelt won it for the Bulls, who went on to win the entire conference. With nine starters back on defense led by linebackers Amara Kamara and Alex Joseph, the Owls may have more than enough ammunition to slow down the Buffalo attack. The winner goes a long way towards punching their ticket to Ford Field while the loser falls into “hope the winner loses two league games” mode.

Other Games Considered: Akron @ Central Michigan (9/26), Miami @ Kent State (9/26), Ohio @ Tennessee (9/26)

Week 5: Central Michigan @ Buffalo (October 3^rd)

While Temple doesn’t play either of the two favorites in the West the Bulls get both, beginning with a visit from the Chippewas on the first Saturday in October. Buffalo nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback in last year’s 27-25 defeat, missing a late field goal after recovering an onside kick. But all-time history isn’t on the side of the Bulls either, who are 3-21 against the West since joining the conference in 1999. The running game played a large factor in last season’s result with the Chips rushing for 208 yards while holding UB to just sixty-six (and that was with James Starks). The Bulls were close thanks to a furious rally; a little offensive balance could be what puts them over the top in the rematch.

Other Games Considered: Ohio @ Bowling Green (10/3), Kent State @ Baylor (10/3)

Week 6: Ohio @ Akron (October 10^th)

How to pick the four teams behind Buffalo and Temple would be anyone’s guess, and the winner of this matchup goes a long way towards finishing third if not challenging for the division title. The Bobcats won a wild battle in Athens 49-42, but the road team hasn’t fared well in the recent history of this series (last win by the road team: 2004) and the Bobcats haven’t won consecutive games over the Zips since the late-90s. It’s also Homecoming for the Zips, who will be playing on campus and that should add something to the atmosphere surrounding the game. Coaches Frank Solich and JD Brookhart are two of the better coaches in the conference, so the strategic aspect should be something to pay attention to as well.

Other Games Considered: Bowling Green @ Kent State (10/10), Miami @ Northwestern (10/10)

Week 7: Bye Week (October 17^th)

The most appealing game on the schedule is Akron visiting Buffalo, but the Bulls have been on the list three times already. Miami’s visit to Athens to take on the Bobcats doesn’t have the look of a game that will have a significant impact on the division race, and the same goes for Bowling Green visiting Ball State.

Week 8: Akron @ Syracuse (October 24^th)

The Zips won last season’s meeting in rather comfortable fashion, racking up 478 yards of offense in the 42-28 win. The question for Syracuse is how much Greg Paulus can help in the passing game. Against Akron the Orange had just 135 yards through the air, offsetting a solid 218 yards on the ground. Doug Marrone should bring more balance to the Syracuse attack, but it remains to be seen what Paulus can produce since he hasn’t taken a live snap since his senior year of high school. Look for Akron DE Almondo Sewell to lead the way in pressuring the former Duke point guard for sixty minutes.

Other Games Considered: Temple @ Toledo (10/24), Kent State @ Ohio (10/24) and Northern Illinois @ Miami (10/24)

Week 9: Western Michigan @ Kent State (October 31^st)

The Broncos have dominated the series with the Golden Flashes, winning the last twelve meetings. And it’s not like these have been “close but no cigar” meetings either; WMU has managed to blow out Kent State on a regular basis. And with Tim Hiller back for one more year in Kalamazoo, KSU free safety Brian Lainhart and company will have their hands full in slowing down Bill Cubit’s offense. The Golden Flashes tend to rely heavily upon their run game, and they’ll need to get the job done in order to keep the ball out of the hands of Hiller and company.

Other Games Considered: Akron @ Northern Illinois (10/31), Temple @ Navy (10/31)

Week 10: Kent State @ Akron (November 7^th)

Back with the Golden Flashes, this time to watch them take on an Akron team that beat them in overtime last season. The Golden Flashes held a sizeable advantage in yards gained and first downs yet it’s the Zips who possess the Wagon Wheel. Chris Jacquemain and company should be better equipped to put up solid offensive numbers, while Ken State needs to be a little more opportunistic this time around. These two could be fighting for slots in the conference pecking order behind favorites Buffalo and Temple, or they could find a far more lucrative position at the fingertips of the winner.

Other Games Considered: Bowling Green @ Buffalo (11/3), Miami @ Temple (11/7)

Week 11: Bowling Green @ Miami (November 12^th)

The Redhawks have dominated the all-time series with a record of 41-19-5 against the Falcons, who haven’t beaten Miami since 2005. What does Bowling Green need to do in order to end the current run of futility? They can start by shoring up a rush defense that allowed the Redhawks to run for 218 yards in last year’s 27-20 win. To put that into context, the 2-10 Redhawks averaged 107 rushing yards per game, and their second-highest total for a game was 142 in a loss to Kent State. Sometimes, a team simply has your number no matter what the circumstances may be. The hope for Bowling Green is that they can turn the tide in the other direction.

Other Games Considered: Ohio @ Buffalo (11/10), Temple @ Akron (11/13)

Week 12: Kent State @ Temple (November 21^st)

These two teams played an exciting game in 2008, with the Golden Flashes winning 41-38 thanks in large part to 561 yards of offense (329 on the ground). Temple produced just seventy-two yards on the ground and lost the yardage battle by 207 yards yet still found themselves with a chance to win the game late. The Owls finished 2008 dead last in total offense, the lone team unable to average at least three hundred yards per game. By this point in the season people should have a good idea as to whether or not that unit has become any more productive. If so, the Owls could very well find themselves chasing down a division crown.

Other Games Considered: Northern Illinois @ Ohio (11/21), Akron @ Bowling Green (11/20)

Week 13: Toledo @ Bowling Green (November 27^th)

The two schools are separated by just twenty-six miles, meaning that bragging rights take on a more personal feel in the aftermath of this game. The Falcons have won the last two with nearly identical final scores (37-10 in 2007, 38-10 in 2008). Last year’s game saw Bowling Green rack up nearly 300 yards on the ground while holding the Rockets to just sixty-seven yards through the air (Toledo had -1 yards total in the first half) in the final game of the Tom Amstutz era. Toledo senior QB Aaron Opelt will be hoping for a far better result in this year’s battle for the Peace Pipe, as will his teammates.

Other Games Considered: Temple @ Ohio (11/27), Buffalo @ Kent State (11/27)

Week 14: Marathon MAC Football Championship Game (December 4^th in Detroit)

The conference gets the Friday night spotlight to itself on Championship Weekend, and the pick here is for Central Michigan to close out Dan LeFevour’s career with a conference title. Look for the Chippewas to dethrone reigning champion Buffalo at Ford Field.

MAC Football Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:50:19 -0700

Can the Bulls repeat as champions?

By Raphielle Johnson

2008 saw the completion to one of the biggest turnarounds in recent college football history, with Turner Gill leading the Buffalo Bulls from the dregs of college football to the top of the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls knocked off Ball State in the conference championship game, earning a trip to the International Bowl. They may have lost that game and starting quarterback Drew Willy (graduation), but most importantly they did not lose Coach Gill.

Despite a few interview opportunities he’ll be right back on the sidelines, hoping that players such as WR Naaman Roosevelt and RB Brandon Thermilus (James Starks will likely miss the entire season due to a torn labrum in his shoulder) can lead the Bulls to another title. Zack Maynard takes over for Willy under center, and while he’s got many options to go to with the football he’ll also have to deal with three new starters on the offensive line. Defensively, look for the Bulls to be one of the conference’s stronger units with nine starters returning. The key for Buffalo: avoiding a “hangover” following a season of success the likes of which hadn’t been seen at UB for a very long time.

Their biggest challenger in the East could very well be Temple, another program looking to drag itself up from the bottom of college football. Al Golden’s team went 5-7 in his first year in Philadelphia, but they did win four league games. Adam DiMichele has graduated, but the Owls do have quarterbacks with starting experience in Vaughn Charlton and Chester Stewart. Outside of quarterback the Owls are a solid football team featuring a number of young yet talented options on both sided of the football. Far more competitive than people expected them to be last season, Temple has the talent to challenge the Bulls and possibly win the conference.

Ohio, Akron and Bowling Green could slot in behind those two in any given order, but good luck figuring out which of the three would have the best chance to shove their way into the top two. Ohio will always run the ball and play sound football under Frank Solich, but the growth of the passing game will determine whether or not the Bobcats can win the division. JD Brookhart’s Akron Zips return nine starters on offense with QB Chris Jacquemain leading the way. But in order for Akron to put together their first winning season since 2005 a defense that finished tenth in the MAC in total defense must improve.

Bowling Green welcomes a new head coach in Dave Clawson, who was extremely successful at Richmond before taking over as offensive coordinator at Tennessee in 2008. He will have some dependable options on offense in QB Tyler Sheehan and WR Freddie Barnes to work with, but there will be some work to do defensively. A unit that ranked second in the conference in total defense returns just three starters and have to replace all-conference DE Diyral Briggs.

Kent State is another team to keep an eye on, with the Golden Flashes returning fifteen starters, led by the diminutive yet productive RB Eugene Jarvis. Jarvis rushed for just over eight hundred yards in 2008, missing three games due to injury. His health becomes even more important due to the graduation of QB Julian Edelman. Four starters are back on the offensive line, and the defense returns starters at all three levels. The wildcard in regards to their contention for a division crown will be the play of sophomore QB Giorgio Morgan; if he can play mistake-free football the Golden Flashes have a chance to earn their first winning season since 2001.

Miami of Ohio also has a new head coach in Mike Haywood, and he’ll have quite the rebuilding job to do in Oxford. The Redhawks have a proud football history but they’ve finished 2-10 in two of the last three seasons. Senior Daniel Raudabaugh returns to lead the offense, and that unit ranked ahead of only Temple in total offense. The Redhawks weren’t much better defensively, ranking ninth in the conference in total defense. Just five starters return to that unit, led by three returnees in the secondary.

In the West, it’ll most likely be a two-horse race between Central Michigan and Western Michigan. The Chippewas return the conference’s best quarterback in Dan LeFevour, and head coach Butch Jones also has receivers Kito Poblah, Bryan Anderson and Antonio Brown back in the fold. But the Chips have just one starter back on the offensive line, and the fact that they have ten starters back on defense is undermined by the fact that CMU was dead last in the conference in total defense last season. If the defense can round into shape they’ve got a chance to get through a tough early-season schedule and get back to the top of the MAC.

As for the Broncos, they’ve got some holes to fill defensively but the offense is in good hands thanks to the return of all five starters on the offensive line and QB Tim Hiller. Hiller threw for 286.5 yards per game in 2008, tops in the conference by thirty yards per game. Brandon West will be back for one more run as well, hoping to improve upon numbers that ranked him sixth in the conference in rushing yards a season ago. The Broncos were fourth in the MAC in total offense but just eighth in total defense. That number has to improve if they’re to win the conference this season.

Northern Illinois was the worst offensive team in the conference yet still reached a bowl game in the first season under Jerry Kill due to a defense that finished tops in the conference by nearly fifty yards per game. Defensive end Larry English is now in the NFL and just four starters return on defense, but things may be looking up for the offense. QB Chandler Harnish started ten games as a freshman and is one of seven starters back on that side of the football. If the NIU offense can make some strides they’ll be in the running for third place in the West.

Toledo, Ball State and Eastern Michigan all welcome new head coaches in 2009, with the Rockets having the best chance of finishing in the top half the of the division. New head coach Tim Beckman takes over a team that returns sixteen starters, including QB Aaron Opelt and running backs Morgan Williams and DaJuane Collins. Growing pains could be more plentiful for Ball State’s Stan Parrish and Eastern Michigan’s Ron English. The Cardinals have just four starters back on an offense that led the MAC in total offense a season ago. The load will become heavier for RB MiQuale Lewis with the loss of QB Nate Davis and four starters on the offensive line.

As for EMU the program has won four games in a season three times this decade. That’s the high-water mark for the perennial MAC doormat, something the former defensive coordinator at Louisville hopes to change. Seventeen starters return to Ypsilanti, including nine to an offense that ranked third in the MAC last season. But no matter how many yards Andy Schmitt threw for the Eagles struggled to win games due to a porous defense. Schmitt did lead the Eagles to an upset win over the Chippewas in the season finale, throwing for 516 yards and five touchdowns in the 56-52 stunner. In the final two games of the season Schmitt attempted 76 (Temple) and 80 (CMU) passes; if he has to do that this year the Eagles will more than likely fail to surpass their three-win total of 2008.

As for who wins the MAC title look for Central Michigan’s defense to show signs of improvement, winning the conference provided LeFevour stay healthy. If not, the door opens for either Buffalo or Western Michigan to grab the title. But rest assured it will be another season of wild games and surprising results in the Mid-American Conference.

Storyline: Offense vs. defense. The Bulls are pretty solid on both sides of the football, but the other major contenders need to make improvements on either the offensive (Temple) or defensive (CMU, WMU) side of the football.

Players of the Year: QB Tim Hiller (Western Michigan) and LB Nick Bellore (Central Michigan)

How they’ll finish

East 1. Buffalo West 1. Central Michigan

2. Temple 2. Western Michigan

3. Ohio 3. Northern Illinois

4. Akron 4. Toledo

5. Kent State 5. Ball State

6. Bowling Green 6. Eastern Michigan

7. Miami (Ohio)

Next: MAC East and West ultimate schedules

2009-10 Bowling Green Basketball Preview: #128

Joel Welser — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:20:39 -0700

Overall Rank: #128

Conference Rank: #4 Mid-American Conference

2008-09: 19-14, 11-5

2008-09 postseason: NIT

Coach: Louis Orr (32-31 at Bowling Green, 145-128 overall)

Was last year a fluke or has Coach Louis Orr truly turned around the Bowling Green basketball program? This year will tell. The 2008-2009 season was a magical one for the Falcons who ended up winning the Mid-American Conference regular season crown and earned a berth to the NIT. Three key parts to that team are gone, but there are some replacements who have the potential to step in and make this team competitive once again.

Key Losses: G Darryl Clements, F Nate Miller, G Brian Moten

Key Newcomers:

Darryl Clements, Nate Miller and Brian Moten were the team’s top three scorers and all averaged over 30 minutes per game. That means the Falcons need some help in the backcourt and fast. Darion Goins is the logical choice to step in and immediately contribute. The 6-3 transfer from San Jose State slumped during his sophomore campaign out West, but he is a capable scorer who can hit the long ball. Luke Kraus and Jordan Crawford are the only other options. In the frontcourt, Austin Calhoun, DaVon Haynes and Danny McElroy will give the team more depth. Calhoun and McElroy have the potential to contribute immediately.

Backcourt:

The only starting guard, and the only guard who saw any significant playing time last year, returning is Joe Jakubowski. While Clements, Miller and Moten were getting all the accolades for winning the MAC and leading this team to a conference title, it was Jakubowski who was setting them all up. He dished out 3.5 assists per game and kept the turnovers relatively low. Now the 6-2 junior will need to emerge as the team’s leader and find new scoring threats. Yet, Jakubowski can score himself as well. He tallied 7.7 points per game last year, but connected on over 40 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. If he has to, Jakubowski can take over the bulk of the scoring load on the perimeter.

Frontcourt:

Yet the true strength of this group lies in the interior. Otis Polk, a 6-9 center, started all 33 games last year and averaged 6.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. Marc Larson, another 6-9 center, could be just as good if he can stay healthy. Larson only saw action in 18 games last year before going down with an injury. Obviously the Falcons recovered nicely without him, but those two seniors can start next to each other and be extremely effective if Coach Orr slows down the tempo and makes sure the big guys get their touches. Senior Erik Marshall was forced into more playing time when Larson went down and did a fine job. At 6-7, he is not as big as Larson or Polk and he will not block as many shots, but he will do the dirty work around the basket.

Who to Watch:

Chris Knight is beaming with potential if he can stay healthy and out of trouble. When he was healthy as a freshman during the 2007-2008 campaign, Knight averaged 10.7 points and 7.3 rebounds. If the athletic small forward can do that again, the Falcons have found their go-to-guy. Last year, in 24 games, he only averaged 6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds and only played 16.4 minutes per contest. Knight has to be back at full strength and become a leader on and off the floor if this group wants compete for another MAC title.

Final Projection:

The pieces are there for Bowling Green to have another decent season. They might not win the conference again, but they could be among the top teams in the MAC if Jakubowski and Knight emerge as the team leaders, Goins can occasionally hit the outside shot and Polk and Larson can make it difficult for any team to score in the paint. And all those things could very well happen. And if they do, it may be another magical season for the Falcons.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Joe Jakubowski, Junior, Guard, 7.7 points per game

Darion Goins, Junior, Guard, DNP last season

Chris Knight, Junior, Forward, 6.2 points per game

Marc Larson, Senior, Center, 3.5 points per game

Otis Polk, Senior, Center, 6.1 points per game

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Preview Interviews

Bowling Green: 2009 NIT

Joel Welser — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:05:54 -0700

Bowling Green Falcons

Mid-American Conference (19-13, 11-5)

NIT Seed: #8

RPI: 154

Big Wins: 1/10 Buffalo (86-82), 2/18 at Buffalo (59-48), 3/1 at Akron (50-46)

Bad Losses: 12/1 at Savannah State (54-57), 12/20 at Central Arkansas (65-67), 2/15 Eastern Michigan (57-65)

Coach: Louis Orr

Probable Starters:

Joe Jakubowski, Sophomore, Guard, 7.9 ppg, 3.5 apg

Brian Moten, Senior, Guard, 11.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg

Darryl Clements, Senior, Forward, 9.9 ppg, 3.0 apg, 4.0 rpg

Nate Miller, Senior, Forward, 13.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.0 spg

Otis Polk, Junior, Center, 6.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.2 bpg

Key Roleplayers:

Chris Knight, Sophomore, Forward, 6.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg

Erik Marschall, Junior, Forward, 5.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg

Scott Thomas, Freshman, Forward, 3.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg

Why They Can Surprise:

Bowling Green has been very surprising all year long. Coach Louis Orr turned around the struggling program much quicker than expected and the Falcons ended up winning the Mid-American Conference. This is not a team that is very impressive statistically, but they simply get the job done when it matters the most. The majority of that success stems from Bowling Green’s attention to defense. The Falcons make sure that their opponent has to work for every shot.

Having Otis Polk and his 6-9, 285 pound frame hanging out under the basket certainly helps. Polk is not the most polished big man around and he is not much of a threat to score, but he is a decent rebounder and an intimidating shot blocker who holds the school record in that category. At 6-4, forwards Darryl Clements and Nate Miller are undersized, but that does not mean they are not great contributors. Miller, who usually mans the four spot, will defend taller players and will never be accused of lacking in toughness.

Why They Can Disappoint:

Part of the reason the Falcons have a small frontcourt is the injury to Chris Knight. The 6-7 sophomore suffered a knee injury late in the year and has been slow to return. Knight’s rebounding has been missed, but the Falcons have proven that they can compete without him. Still, it would be beneficial to have him back at full strength for the tournament. If Knight is on the sidelines, Coach Orr will have to rely on Erik Marschall and Scott Thomas. Marschall is not as effective of a scorer or rebounder as Knight, but he will definitely hit the glass when he is in the game. Thomas, a 6-6 freshman, lacks the size and strength to attack the glass, but he can shoot the ball and provide an offensive spark off the bench.

Who To Watch:

Brian Moten and Joe Jakubowski form the starting duo in the backcourt. Moten is the team’s most prolific outside shooter and is second to only Miller in the scoring column. Most of the Falcons offense will come from the interior, so Moten will get some open looks from beyond the arc. He has to knock them down if this group hopes to continue their magical run deeper into March. Jakubowski is a steady point guard. The 6-2 sophomore will make some mistakes and turn the ball over, but overall he has done a solid job and gives the Falcons another scoring threat on the perimeter.

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 64.2 (252^nd in nation, 6^th in conference)

Scoring Defense: 60.8 (29, 4)

Field-Goal Percentage: 43.0 (213, 4)

Field-Goal Defense: 39.0 (15, 1)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.2 (160, 4)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.8 (103, 2)

Free-Throw Percentage: 67.3 (220, 5)

Rebound Margin: 1.9 (111, 2)

Assists Per Game: 12.8 (182, 3)

Turnovers Per Game: 13.2 (124, 3)

Joel’s Bracket Says: First Round loss to Creighton

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MAC Tournament: Pairings & Schedule

Press Release — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:28:05 -0700

2009 FirstEnergy MAC Men's Basketball Tournament

Tuesday, March 10 - First Round
No. 7 Central Michigan vs. No. 10 Eastern Michigan, Noon
No. 6 Kent State vs. No. 11 Northern Illinois, 2 p.m.*
No. 8 Western Michigan vs. No. 9 Ohio, 4 p.m.*
No. 5 Akron vs. No. 12 Toledo, 6 p.m.*

Thursday, March 12 - Quarters
No. 2 Ball State vs. No. 7/No. 10 Winner, Noon (FS Ohio)
No. 3 Buffalo vs. No. 6/No.11 Winner, 2:30 p.m.* (FS Ohio)
No. 1 Bowling Green vs. No. 8/No. 9 Winner, 7 p.m. (FS Ohio)
No. 4 Miami vs. No. 5/No. 12 Winner, 9:30 p.m.* (FS Ohio)

Friday, March 13 - Semis
No. 2/7/10 vs. No. 3/6/11 Winner,7:30 p.m. (FS Ohio)
No. 1/8/9 vs. No. 4/5/12 Winner, 9:30 p.m.(FS Ohio)

Saturday, March 14
Championship Game (ESPN2), 8 p.m. EST

*or 30 minutes following previous game