Toledo's Gene Cross (left) makes his debut tonight against Florida
Its already been a busy couple of days in MAC hoops action. The RedHawks battled 4th-ranked UCLA down to the wire Thursday night while six more MAC squads open play tonight. There was also news from the recruiting trail as several teams announced early signings.
Miami Falls 64-59 to 4th-ranked UCLA
Miami pushed No. 4 UCLA to the brink Thursday night at Pauley Pavillion, leading 54-53 with just over five minutes remaining, but James Keefe hit a three-pointer to put the Bruins ahead to stay in a 64-59 victory over the RedHawks.
With the outcome in doubt Thursday night, Darren Collison made two free throws with 21 seconds remaining and No. 4 UCLA survived a defensive struggle.
Michael Bramos scored 22 points for the RedHawks (1-1). Bramos became the 33rd player in
Miami history to amass 1,000 career points, needing just nine points to reach the benchmark entering the game.
For the game, Miami shot 48.8 percent from the field, 46.7 percent from 3-point range and 85.7 percent from the free-throw line.
(Report courtesy Mid-American Conferencefor full game coverage courtesy of www.muredhawks.com, click here.)
Six Men's Hoops Squads Begin Regular Season Today
Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo and Western Michigan take the court this evening. The Rockets will take on No. 19 Florida on ESPNU at 6 p.m.
Marygrove (0-1 NAIA) at Eastern Michigan (0-0, 0-0 MAC), 12 p.m.
Eastern Michigan captured a 79-43 win over a visiting Alma College squad Sunday, Nov. 9, in the lone exhibition game of the 2008-09 season... EMU had four players in double figure scoring, led by junior center Justin Dobbinswith 14 points... With a win over Marygrove the Eagles will set the record for a winning streak in the home confines of the Convo with a seven game streak...Marygrove is coming off a 75-66 loss to Concordia (Mich.).
Western Michigan (0-0, 0-0 MAC) vs. TCU (0-0, 0-0 MWC), 12:30 p.m.
ESPN Palmetto Classic (Charleston, S.C.)
TCU leads series 1-0
This is the second season in a row (11th overall) WMU will start the season with a tournament and the third season in a row they will start the year at a neutral site... This meeting wont be the first time WMU head coach Steve Hawkins has faced TCU head coach Jim Christian. Hawkins was 3-4 against Kent State while Christianwas head coach... WMU played one exhibition and defeated Kalamazoo College, 57-37, on Nov. 6. The Broncos forced 20 turnovers and held the Hornets to 25.5% shooting...TCU played one exhibition and won, 81-50, over Lithuania Christian University. TCU was led by returning All-MWC senior forward Kevin Langford with 12 points and 13 rebounds. TCU was 14-16 last year and finished seventh in the MWC.
Northern Illinois (0-0, 0-0 MAC) vs. Maine (0-0, 0-0 America East), 5 p.m.
100 Club Classic (Kennesaw, Ga.)
NIU leads series 4-0
In the Huskies first two exhibition games, reigning Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year Darion Jake Anderson continued to be NIUs offensive catalyst. The Chicago native averaged 20.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, while shooting nearly 70 percent (.696) from the field (16-of-23). Sophomore center Sean Kowal averaged 11 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest in the two home games... Maine completed the 2007-08 campaign with a 7-23 (3-13, America East) record. The Black Bears return eight letterwinners from last years team. Among the returnees are All-America East selection Mark Socoby and All-Academic selction Junior Bernal.
Toledo (0-0, 0-0 MAC) at No. 19 Florida (0-0, 0-0 SEC), 6 p.m. (ESPNU)
OReilly Auto Parts CBE Classic (Gainesville, Fla.)
First Meeting
Toledo Head Coach Gene Cross will be making his debut on the Rocket sidelines against the Gators in a contest that will be televised live nationally on ESPNU and tip off at 6:00 p.m... In its lone exhibition contest, Toledo posted a 63-56 triumph over NCAA Division II foe St. Edwards (TX) Univ. on Sunday night at Owens Community College. The Rockets posted a 56.0 field-goal percentage in the final 20 minutes en route to the win...Senior guard Tyrone Kent tallied a game-high 27 points and tied for the team lead with eight rebounds to lead the Rockets.. The Gators are ranked No. 19 nationally and are picked to finish second in the SECs East Division behind Tennessee. Sophomore guard Nick Calathes led Florida with 15.3 points and 6.1 assists last year. UF is one of five schools to win 20 or more games in each of the last 10 years.
Bowling Green (0-0, 0-0 MAC) vs. GeorgiaState (0-0, 0-0 CAA), 7 p.m.
NABC Classic (Minneapolis, Minn.)
First Meeting
BGSU head coach Louis Orr will try to follow up a season in which he and his coaching staff performed one of the top coaching jobs in the MAC. The Falcons more than doubled its MAC win total for all of 2006-07 (going 7-9 after a 3-13 record the prior year)... BGSU prepared for the 2008-09 regular season by defeating NCAA Division II Ashland University 87-63 in a home exhibition game Nov. 8. Nate Miller came off the bench to score a game-high 19 points and he added six assists, four steals and four rebounds...Georgia State went 9-21 a year ago, including a 5-13 record in the Colonial Athletic Association...The Panthers return its top three scorers from a year ago in senior Leonard Mendez (16.0 ppg), junior Trae Goldston (9.3 ppg) and senior Rashad Chase (7.5 ppg).
Central Michigan (0-0, 0-0 MAC) at Princeton (0-0, 0-0 Ivy), 7 p.m.
The Chippewas have increased their overall and MAC win totals in each of Ernie Zeiglers first two seasons at the helm of the CMU program. Zeigler took over following a 4-24 campaign and CMU went 13-18 and 14-17 the next two years... The Chippewas are 2-0 all-time against teams currently playing in the Ivy League...Chris Kellermanns double-double led Central Michigan to a 75-55 exhibition victory over Marygrove College last Saturday in Rose Arena. Kellermann scored 12 of his 17 points in the first half, including a pair of three-pointers to get CMU off to a good start. The senior also grabbed 10 rebounds... Princeton returns nine players from a year ago, including two who started a double-digit number of games in juniors Zach Finley and Marcus Schroeder...Finley averaged a team-best 10.2 points per game last season and grabbed 4.4 rebounds.
MAC Schools Announce Recruiting Classes
Thursday was the first day of the early signing period in college hoops and eight MAC squads announced signings, highlighted by Akrons signing of 7-foot center Zeke Marshall, a consensus Top 100 recruit.
Listed below are the signings announced by each school. Click on the team name to access the schools website release for more details.
Zeke Marshall, 7-0, 218 lbs., C, McKeesport, Pa. (McKeesport)
Bowling Green Falcons
Luke Kraus, 6-2, 185 lbs., G, Findlay, Ohio (Findlay)
Danny McElroy, 6-8, 210 lbs. F, Cincinnati, Ohio (La Salle)
Tyler Brown, 6-7, 220 lbs., F, Eau Claire, Wis. (Eau Claire North)
Kallante Miller, 6-5, 170 lbs., F, Oak Park, Mich. (Oak Park)
Matt Balkema, 6-10, 270 lbs., C, Warren, Mich. (Cousino)
Jamell Harris, 6-8, 210 lbs., F, Euclid, Ohio (Euclid)
Greg Avila, 6-6, 235 lbs., F, Bronx, N.Y. (Harcum College (Pa.))
Randal Holt, 6-1, 180 lbs., G, Bedford, Ohio (Glenville)
Robert Johnson, 6-6, 190 lbs., F, Bedford, Ohio (Bedford)
Miami RedHawks
Mark Anderson, 6-7, 215 lbs., F/G, Dayton, Ohio (Dunbar/Sinclair C.C.)
Drew Kelly, 6-7, 250 lbs., F, Franklin, Tenn. (Centennial)
Drew McGhee, 6-11, 220 lbs., C, North Ridgeville, Ohio (N. Ridgeville)
Allen Roberts, 6-3, 205 lbs., G, Middletown, Ohio (Middletown)
Orlando Williams, 6-4, 180 lbs., G, Cincinnati, Ohio (Princeton)
Northern Illinois Huskies Tony Nixon, 6-4, 190 lbs., G, South Holland, Ill. (Seton Academy)
Ohio Bobcats
D.J. Cooper, 5-9, 166 lbs., G, Chicago, Ill. (Hales Franciscan)
Marquis Horne, 6-6, 185 lbs., F, Cincinnati, Ohio (Princeton)
Reggie Keely, 6-8, 230 lbs., F, Cleveland Hts., Ohio (Cleveland Hts.)
James Kinney, 6-1, 150 lbs. G, Champaign, Ill. (Centennial)
David Brown, 6-3, G, Rockton, Ill. (Hononegah)
Austin Harper, 6-3, G, Grand Haven, Mich. (Grand Haven)
Nate Hutcheson, 6-7, F, Marion, Iowa (Linn-Mar)
Shayne Whittington, 6-10, C, Lawrence, Mich (Lawrence)
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