Road teams scored victories in five of the first 13 games of the conference season. Since then? Home teams won 16 of the next 18. As always, home court is sacred in the MAC. With 11 games left, it’s looking entirely possible that 10 games could be enough to secure the top seed in Cleveland. It’s going to get messy. Road wins, any road wins, will be crucial. Also, look for the teams that perform the best during the next three weeks of interdivision play; chances are, they’re going to win their division.
As always, overall record is first, followed by conference record, then last week’s ranking.
1. Kent State (12-7, 3-2) (7): There’s no true top dog in the MAC right now, but Kent played the most inspired basketball last week, so they reclaim the top spot. Geno Ford shuffled the lineup after questionable effort in a two-game mini-skid, and the Flashes responded by beating Buffalo by 35 then Akron by 17 with the normal starting lineup. The message seems to have gotten through. This week: Toledo (Tuesday), Western Michigan (Saturday)
2. Central Michigan (9-8, 4-1) (6): The Chippewas have a legitimate claim on the #1 ranking this week after taking control of the West by stopping NIU’s win streak. The sledding is tough, though, with two roadies this week; CMU is 3-7 on the road, with two of those wins coming against Toledo and Alcorn State, two of the worst teams in the nation. The other win? South Florida, a top 100 team.
This week: @Miami (Thursday), @Bowling Green (Saturday)
3. Akron (13-6, 3-2) (2): The Zips have seen their last two road affairs turn into decisive defeats. Saturday’s tilt at Kent was just the fifth road game of the year for Akron, who played only two true road games in non-conference play. Critics of Keith Dambrot’s scheduling strategy can point to those road losses as evidence the Zips are not properly prepared for life on the MAC road. A win Wednesday would go a long way toward silencing those doubts. A loss would temper the hopes of a regular season championship. This week: @Western Michigan (Wednesday), Toledo (Saturday)
4. Northern Illinois (8-9, 4-1) (5): OK, I’m convinced. A competitive loss at Rose Arena was enough to prove the Huskies are legitimate contenders in the West. The true test comes not this week, as Ohio and Buffalo at home are both winnable games and bound to be fast-paced, entertaining affairs, but next week. Still, NIU would be well-served to take care of business at home first if they want to stay in the race. This week: Ohio (Wednesday), Buffalo (Saturday)
5. Buffalo (10-6, 3-2) (1): Yikes. I was willing to give the blowout at Kent a pass, but a similar tale in Athens suggests this might be a problem. The Bulls only needed a road split to leave the first East swing with sole possession of first place, but now they’ve cut their work out for them. Buffalo gets the West’s top three teams all in a row with two of them on a road. They best figure out how to show up on the road if they don’t want their season to crash down around them. This week: Ball State (Thursday), @Northern Illinois (Saturday)
6. Miami (6-12, 3-2) (4): The RedHawks are playing with fire. Yes, another second half surge allowed them to dispatch Bowling Green, but Miami has trailed at halftime in their last 12 games. That is not going to work against better teams. Also, their blowouts at Buffalo and Akron cannot be ignored, nor can their 0-9 overall road record. They have to put together 40 minutes of basketball, and they have to do it away from Millett Hall. This week: @Ball State (Tuesday), Central Michigan (Thursday)
7. Western Michigan (11-7, 3-2) (3): Destroying Toledo doesn’t mean much; everyone is doing that. Losing at Muncie was downright shocking, as was giving up 75 points to the offensively-challenged Cardinals. Perhaps the Broncos are the western version of Miami: A tough out at home, but unable to win on the road. This week: Akron (Wednesday), @Kent State (Saturday)
8. Bowling Green (9-8, 2-3) (8): The Falcons had an opportunity to join the bottleneck at the top of the East, only to fall victim to the last Miami second half rally. Still, the schedule for West play sets up pretty well for BG; they get CMU at home and avoid NIU until the end of the interdivisional swing. Louis Orr has the chance to build some momentum and confidence by then. This week: @Eastern Michigan (Wednesday), Central Michigan (Saturday)
9. Eastern Michigan (10-8, 2-3) (9): Very little positive happening in Ypsilanti right now. Even with Carlos Medlock, the Eagles turn the ball over too much (21.4% of possessions). One has to think Charles Ramsey is beginning to sweat at least a little. This week: Bowling Green (Wednesday), @Miami (Saturday)
10. Ohio (10-9, 1-4) (10): The Bobcats had started to fall into a reverse Miami pattern, taking the lead into halftime, only to lose. No letting up against the Bulls, though, giving the conference a glimpse of what the team is capable of. However, that was only the second time Ohio cracked 70 points in their last seven tries, not a good sign for a team that plays as fast as they do. This week: @Northern Illinois (Wednesday), Ball State (Sunday)
11. Ball State (8-9, 2-3) (11): Could the Cardinals be turning a corner? Two straight 70-point performances followed by a stiff fight at Eastern Michigan. When Miami comes to town Tuesday, first to 50 wins. This week: Miami (Tuesday), @Ohio (Sunday)
12. Toledo (3-16, 0-5) (12): A faint silver lining: The Rockets were competitive for the first time in a month, losing by only four to NIU. Right now, moral victories are the only thing Toledo fans have. This week: Kent (Tuesday), @Akron (Saturday)
NEW YORK CITY - Jordan White was the 244th overall selection of the 2012 National Football League Draft and became the N.Y. Jets's seventh round selection on Saturday afternoon. …
Read more
OXFORD, Ohio—Miami University head men’s basketball coach John Cooper has signed his first two players since taking the helm of the RedHawk program. Guards Reggie Johnson, Jr.…
Read more
Central Michigan (9-8, 4-1) (6): The Chippewas have a legitimate claim on the #1 ranking this week after taking control of the West by stopping NIU’s win streak. The sledding is tough, though, with two roadies this week; CMU is 3-7 on the road, with two of those wins coming against Toledo and Alcorn State, two of the worst teams in the nation. The other win? South Florida, a top 100 team.
Northern Illinois (8-9, 4-1) (5): OK, I’m convinced. A competitive loss at Rose Arena was enough to prove the Huskies are legitimate contenders in the West. The true test comes not this week, as Ohio and Buffalo at home are both winnable games and bound to be fast-paced, entertaining affairs, but next week. Still, NIU would be well-served to take care of business at home first if they want to stay in the race.
Buffalo (10-6, 3-2) (1): Yikes. I was willing to give the blowout at Kent a pass, but a similar tale in Athens suggests this might be a problem. The Bulls only needed a road split to leave the first East swing with sole possession of first place, but now they’ve cut their work out for them. Buffalo gets the West’s top three teams all in a row with two of them on a road. They best figure out how to show up on the road if they don’t want their season to crash down around them.
Miami (6-12, 3-2) (4): The RedHawks are playing with fire. Yes, another second half surge allowed them to dispatch Bowling Green, but Miami has trailed at halftime in their last 12 games. That is not going to work against better teams. Also, their blowouts at Buffalo and Akron cannot be ignored, nor can their 0-9 overall road record. They have to put together 40 minutes of basketball, and they have to do it away from Millett Hall.
Western Michigan (11-7, 3-2) (3): Destroying Toledo doesn’t mean much; everyone is doing that. Losing at Muncie was downright shocking, as was giving up 75 points to the offensively-challenged Cardinals. Perhaps the Broncos are the western version of Miami: A tough out at home, but unable to win on the road.
Bowling Green (9-8, 2-3) (8): The Falcons had an opportunity to join the bottleneck at the top of the East, only to fall victim to the last Miami second half rally. Still, the schedule for West play sets up pretty well for BG; they get CMU at home and avoid NIU until the end of the interdivisional swing. Louis Orr has the chance to build some momentum and confidence by then.
Eastern Michigan (10-8, 2-3) (9): Very little positive happening in Ypsilanti right now. Even with Carlos Medlock, the Eagles turn the ball over too much (21.4% of possessions). One has to think Charles Ramsey is beginning to sweat at least a little.
Ohio (10-9, 1-4) (10): The Bobcats had started to fall into a reverse Miami pattern, taking the lead into halftime, only to lose. No letting up against the Bulls, though, giving the conference a glimpse of what the team is capable of. However, that was only the second time Ohio cracked 70 points in their last seven tries, not a good sign for a team that plays as fast as they do.
Ball State (8-9, 2-3) (11): Could the Cardinals be turning a corner? Two straight 70-point performances followed by a stiff fight at Eastern Michigan. When Miami comes to town Tuesday, first to 50 wins.
Toledo (3-16, 0-5) (12): A faint silver lining: The Rockets were competitive for the first time in a month, losing by only four to NIU. Right now, moral victories are the only thing Toledo fans have.