Rocket Docket

UT men win, push winning streak to three

UT posted a 72-67 win over Central Michigan on Wednesday night at Savage Arena, avenging a loss to the Chippewas in January. This marks three wins in a row for the Rockets, who can climb into a tie for second place in the West with Western Michigan by beating the Broncos on Saturday at home.

Thoughts on the game:

-Juice Brown was excellent, knocking down 10 of 11 shots on his way to 29 points. His jumper was automatic, but what coach Kowalczyk likes most about his freshman point guard is the leadership he has begun showing. A shy guy, Brown is beginning to speak up around his teammates. Kowalczyk said similar things about Rian Pearson a couple of weeks ago. 

-More on Brown ... He probably secured MAC Freshman of the Year honors tonight by outdueling CMU freshman Austin McBroom (nine points, five assists). Kowalczyk said Brown is playing as well as any point guard in the league right now.

-CMU's Trey Zeigler might be the most talented player in the MAC. His got any shot he wanted tonight and scored 33 points. The son of CMU's head coach, he turned down offers to play at Duke, Michigan State, UCLA, and a host of other premier programs to play for his dad. This kid was excellent tonight.

-UT is learning how to grind out games when it doesn't play well, something that was lacking earlier in the MAC season. The Rockets by no means played a great game tonight, but they put together a 7-0 run with about 5 minutes to go and never trailed again. Free-throwing shooting was important. UT made 18 of 24 from the line, and CMU was just 8 of 16.

-Curtis Dennis had another strong night, scoring 18 points on 6 of 10 shooting. He's perfect for coming off the bench and providing instant offense.

-UT has now avenged two earlier losses to MAC West opponents and will be going for a third Saturday. Dennis said WMU "punked" UT the last time they played and that the Rockets owe them. Kowalczyk noted UT won't win Saturday if it plays the way it did tonight.

MAC men's power rankings - Feb. 22

MAC Power Rankings – Feb. 22 

We're getting down to the nitty gritty of the season. The top tier is jockeying for byes in the MAC tournament, the middle tier is trying to secure first-round home games, and the bottom tier is counting down the days until spring break. We didn't place much emphasis on BracketBuster results, as the games have no bearing on league standings and the teams were paired against opponents of similar caliber.

So here is a look at the league’s 12 teams, with rankings based on performance – and projected development – during the final days of the regular season. Here we go. …

1. AKRON (19-8, 11-1 MAC) (LW #1): The Zips have a 1.5-game lead in the MAC with four games to go. We like their chances of getting the top seed in the conference tournament, obviously, but there's not a huge margin for error. Of the four remaining games, at least three are loseable. To think Akron will beat Bowling Green, Ohio (road), Buffalo, and Kent (road) is asking for a lot. But by being the most consistent team all year long, the Zips won't have to be perfect. This is a very talented and very tough team. RPI: 63.

2. BUFFALO (16-8, 9-3 MAC) (LW #2): Despite two losses last week, to Kent and to South Dakota State by 21, we've decided against dropping the Bulls. A big reason for that is Kent's loss to Miami, but we also still like Buffalo. We didn't react too strongly to its five-point loss at Kent, as that result only evened the season ledger between the two. As far as the East goes, Buffalo has a pretty workable schedule the rest of the way, with home games this week versus Ohio and Miami. The Bulls will finish with a road trip to Akron before hosting BG on the final day of the regular season. Short of a collapse, we like Buffalo to snatch the second seed.  RPI: 82

3. KENT STATE (19-8, 9-4 MAC) (LW #3): The loss Tuesday at Miami doesn't look great, but it happens. Ask yourself this: Would you rather your team play Kent or Miami right now? That's an easy one. Kent has won seven of eight MAC games, and when you combine that with the fact no one behind them deserves to move up, we decided to keep the Golden Flashes at No. 3. A road loss Saturday at Bowling Green might make us feel differently.  RPI: 96

4. OHIO (21-6, 8-4 MAC) (LW #5). On the verge of dropping their third straight, OU played, to steal a line from Bobcats coach John Groce, like "their heads were under water" in the final five minutes or so of a win over Bowling Green last week. They followed that up with an impressive victory over Big South regular season champion UNC-Asheville. We're not sure whether the Bobocats are a legitimate MAC title contender, but we're pretty sure they're better than the team that lost road games at Toledo and Eastern Michigan two weeks ago. RPI: 90

5. BOWLING GREEN (14-12, 7-5 MAC) (LW #4): Dropping BG in the poll wasn't necessarily a punishment but a reflection of us letting OU out of the dog house and back into the top four. BG has won five of six games against marginal competition (the MAC West, mostly). An upset on the road at Akron (tonight) or at Buffalo (March 3 in the season finale) would indicate BG might do something special in the tournament. RPI: 158

6. WESTERN MICHIGAN (11-16, 5-7 MAC) (LW #7): Call this a "gut" pick. WMU has won just one of its last six, but we see positives. They lost back-to-back overtime games to Kent (road) and Akron before losing by two at Buffalo. That's as impressive of an 0-3 stretch as we'll see in the MAC. WMU "looks" like the best team in the West, and with just one game separating themselves and leader Eastern Michigan, we like the Broncos' chances of winning the division - outright or otherwise. With EMU losing last week at lowly Central, we had to punish the Eagles. The remainder of the schedule is relatively light for EMU - Ball State, Toledo (road), Eastern Michigan, and Central Michigan (road). RPI: 187

7. EASTERN MICHIGAN (11-16, 6-6 MAC) (LW #6): The Eagles have dropped one spot in the poll the past two weeks as they've lost five of six. They should pick up wins this week at home against Northern Illinois and Ball State, which would give them eight league wins -perhaps enough needed to win the West - heading into road games at Western Michigan and Toledo. Or maybe the wheels fall off altogether. RPI: 225

8. TOLEDO (13-14, 4-8 MAC) (LW #8): UT did nothing to deserve dropping in the polls, so we kept them at No. 8 over Miami despite the RedHawks' home win over Kent State. The Rockets picked up two road wins last week at Ball State and Sam Houston State, which is further evidence of the team's improvement from the beginning of the MAC season. Home wins this week over Central Michigan and Western Michigan are a real possibility. By the way, UT jumped a whopping 23 spots in the RPI. RPI: 245

9. MIAMI (9-17, 5-8 MAC) (LW #9): Perhaps we should have given Miami a reward for its home win over Kent State, but we weren't all that surprised by the result. Miami is a tough out at home, but the reality is, this is a mediocre to weak team. The RedHawks' schedule gets tough, with road games at Buffalo and Bowling Green before a home match up with Ohio to close the regular season. If Miami finishes strongly, Julian Mavunga should get strong consideration for MAC player of the year. Without him, Miami might be the worst team in the MAC. On second thought, Northern Illinois is the worst team in the MAC. Bar none.  RPI: 252

10. BALL STATE (13-12, 4-8 MAC) (LW #10): A home win over Southern Illinois stopped a seven-game losing streak, but road games this week at Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan might start another losing streak. This is clearly not the team we thought it was after its 4-1 start to the MAC. Big man Jarrod Jones has really struggled of late. RPI: 240

11. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (8-18, 3-9 MAC) (LW #11): A win last week at home over Eastern Michigan snapped a nine-game losing streak. Thoughts that the Chippewas might be ready to put together a strong finish vanished with a home loss to a bad Texas A&M-CC team. CMU sophomore Trey Zeigler is a niceplayer, but he has virtually zero help.  RPI: 271

12. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (3-22, 2-10 MAC) (LW #12): What's left to say? This team is woeful. Mark Montgomery has a lot of work to do to make these guys competitive in the future. A road game Saturday at Central Michigan is the Huskies' best chance at picking up a fourth win. RPI: 334

EMU annihilates Toledo

I typically avoid using the term "embarrassing" or "embarrassed" when covering sports. It's a cheap shot at the players who work much harder and put more on the line than any slug sitting on media row. Having said that, Eastern Michigan embarrassed Toledo tonight. Sorry, but there's no real way of sugarcoating the Rockets' 54-33 loss in a match up between the leaders in the West division. No one could have envisioned such a lopsided defeat.

Some thoughts:

-UT fans were well represented at the Convocation Center. With about 20 minutes until tip off, I estimated the turnout was 2:1 in favor of the Rockets. By the start, once EMU's students had rolled in, it was about 1:1. Although not a large crowd — attendance: 1,237 — both sides came strong. UT's fans simply didn't have much to cheer about.

-The turning point, in my mind, came midway through the first half when Lecretia Smith and Andola Dortch went to the bench with two fouls within about three minutes of each other. Those two are UT's best defenders. Without Dortch, and without reserve point guard Janelle Reed-Lewis (concussion), Courtney Ingersoll was forced to play point guard in addition to chasing around EMU's excellent guard Tavelyn James on the defensive end. Ingersoll was strong in the first half, holding James to six points, but she wore down. Who wouldn't under those circumstances? James, the nation's second-leading scorer, finished with 20 points, many of them on run outs after turnovers. Ingersoll, the nation's leading 3-point shooter, made just 1 of 6 shots from beyond the arc for all three of her points, and you have to believe tired legs played a role.

-Here's some brutal stats for the Rockets: 28 turnovers, 1 of 13 shooting on 3s, and 15 offensive rebounds allowed. Oh, the 6 of 14 mark from the free-throw line was yucky too.

-Eastern Michigan is very good. Its length, speed, and ability to finish around the rim is something UT hasn't faced since the last time it played Eastern Michigan. It will be tough, but not impossible, for the Rockets to reverse this result if the teams meet up again in Cleveland. They'll have to clean up the turnovers, and, as simplistic as it sounds, make some shots.

-Speaking of Cleveland, UT won't be getting a bye to the semifinals. Not likely, anyway. For it to happen, UT must win its final two games and EMU must drop its final two or Bowling Green must lose two of three. UT might win out, but I don't see it getting the help it needs.

-The officiating was not good in the first half, and the second foul on Dortch, when she was pulled to the ground by James, was especially bad. But poor calls shouldn't be made into too big of a deal tonight. UT lost because it played poorly.

-The lone Rocket who had a decent stat line was Yolanda Richardson, who totaled 18 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots. But she also had five turnovers, and at times struggled to catch the ball in the paint. 

MAC women's power rankings – Feb. 21

Written by my colleague, BGSU beat writer John Wagner.

Even though there are still three games left on the regular-season schedule, some things have already been decided in Mid-American Conference women’s basketball. For example, three teams – Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and Toledo – have guaranteed themselves byes into the quarterfinals of the MAC tournament, and Miami probably will clinch the fourth spot by week’s end.

But not everything is clear just yet, although this week should increase the clarity at the top, middle and bottom of the standings. At the top, Tuesday’s EMU-UT battle will likely determine which two teams get byes to the semifinals, and Saturday’s contest between BG and Miami will help in that regard as well.

In the middle, Northern Illinois enters a tough stretch in the schedule, while Akron is on the road twice this week, which may give other schools a chance to rise in the standings. And at the bottom all four teams still have a shot at moving up enough to claim a first-round home game in the tournament, although the window is about to snap shut on Buffalo.

As it stands now, here is our look at how the league has shaped up after 13 conference games. …

1. BOWLING GREEN (22-4, 12-1 MAC) (LW #1): The Falcons won twice last week, but neither game was particularly impressive. In fact, winning by only 10 at home against the team with the league’s worst record is probably a bit of an indictment. Has the wind gone out of the Falcons’ sails because of the loss at Toledo? We’ll find out Saturday when BG hosts Miami at the Stroh Center. If the Falcons can win that contest, they will claim one of the two berths in the semifinals of the league tournament. RPI: 63.

Tournament road: At Ohio, home vs. Miami, at Kent State.

2. EASTERN MICHIGAN (19-7, 11-2 MAC) (LW #2): The Eagles already have clinched a berth in the quarterfinals of the MAC tournament, and a win at home over Toledo Tuesday would practically guarantee EMU advances directly to the semifinals. The Eagles enter Tuesday’s contest on a seven-game winning streak, but UT has won 10 straight – including a win over Bowling Green. And should the Rockets win the rematch, Toledo then wins the tiebreaker since the Rockets beat BG. If the Eagles beat Toledo, Eastern Michigan gets the tiebreaker with a season’s sweep. RPI: 69.

Tournament road: Home vs. Toledo, home vs. Ball State, at Central Michigan.

3. TOLEDO (18-7, 11-2 MAC) (LW #3): The Rockets have earned a berth in the quarterfinals of the MAC tournament, and they have given themselves a shot at a semifinal berth if they can win at Eastern Michigan. Losing at EMU would probably squash that chance, though, since it would give the Eagles the head-to-head tiebreaker and put UT potentially two games behind Bowling Green with just two games left. The EMU-UT game will be won by … the team that can force the game to be played at its favorite tempo: fast (EMU) or slow (UT). Gut feeling? The Rockets come to rue their horrible, inexplicable loss to Western Michigan in their MAC opener. RPI: 80.

Tournament road: At Eastern Michigan, home vs. Northern Illinois, at Ball State.

4. MIAMI (19-7, 9-4 MAC) (LW #4): The RedHawks may have gotten the train back on the tracks with road wins at Kent State and Buffalo, but it may be too late. Miami loses tiebreakers with both Eastern Michigan and Toledo, and the only way MU catches Bowling Green is if the Falcons lose the rest of their games, which is hard to imagine. The good news is that the RedHawks need just one more win to clinch the fourth and final spot in the quarterfinals, which isn’t a bad consolation prize. Miami can use Saturday’s game at Bowling Green to signal the rest of the league that the RedHawks are a fourth legitimate MAC title contender. RPI: 97.

Tournament road: Home vs. Akron, at Bowling Green, home vs. Ohio.

5. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (12-13, 6-7 MAC) (LW #7): Two weeks ago I admitted that the decision to move this squad all the way from 12th to seventh might be seen as “silly.” But instead the Huskies have validated the move by winning five of their last seven, with the losses coming to Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan. This week may be the most challenging of all, since it includes tough road games at Central Michigan and Toledo. If NIU can win one of those two contests, a first-round home game in the MAC tournament is virtually assured. If it can’t win this week, Northern will need a little help – and probably will get it. RPI: 180.

Tournament road: At Central Michigan, at Toledo, home vs. Western Michigan.

6. AKRON (12-15, 6-7 MAC) (LW #6): The Zips nearly went 4-0 in their just-completed homestand, which gives them a strong shot at a first-round home game in the MAC tournament. It’s not guaranteed, though, so a road win this week would certainly help. If Akron can’t win at Miami on Wednesday – which will be a tall order – the Zips need to sweep their final two games to earn that home bid. Winning at Kent State won’t be easy, but closing out the home schedule against Buffalo should be. RPI: 193.

Tournament road: At Miami, at Kent State, home vs. Buffalo.

7. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (13-14, 5-8 MAC) (LW #5): There’s no shame in losing to Toledo, although the Chippewas did lose by 18 points on their home floor. And losing to Ball State (albeit on the road) on Sunday was another misstep by a team with far more talent that its record would indicate. If this team hopes to host a first-round tournament game it must go 2-0 this week, with the home game against Northern Illinois crucial if the Chippewas want a higher seed. If it comes down to the final game, this team is in trouble because it hosts Eastern Michigan, and the Eagles are on a roll. RPI: 169.

Tournament road: Home vs. Northern Illinois, at Western Michigan, home vs. Eastern Michigan.

8. OHIO (12-15, 5-6 MAC) (LW #8): A crucial home win over Kent State Saturday helped salve the wound caused by a loss at Akron Wednesday. The Bobcats are still hanging on to the eighth seed (and a first-round home game) in the MAC tournament, but it will be tough to hold on now as Bowling Green and Miami still remain on the schedule. Ohio To keep its grip on that home contest, the Bobcats must win at Buffalo Saturday – and OU probably needs to find a way to win one more time as well. RPI: 260.

Tournament road: Home vs. Bowling Green, at Buffalo, at Miami.

9. BALL STATE (9-16, 4-9 MAC) (LW #12): The fact that the Cardinals have risen to the ninth seed is more an indictment of the three teams below it than any kind of reward for Ball State. The Cards did claim a nice home win over Central Michigan on Sunday, but BSU still has lost eight of its last 10. Any chance Ball State has of hosting a first-round tournament home games hinges largely on Wednesday’s home game at Western Michigan, and that contest becomes especially must-win since the schedule finishes with potential losses at Eastern Michigan and home against Toledo. RPI: 259.

Tournament road: Home vs. Western Michigan, at Eastern Michigan, home vs. Toledo.

10. KENT STATE (5-18, 4-9 MAC) (LW #9): I’m still shaking my head over ranking this team in the upper division following its mid-season three-game win streak. That ranking looks especially foolish since this young and generally inexperienced team lost the six games that have followed. Worse for the Golden Flashes, Tuesday’s game at Buffalo becomes a must-win if KSU entertains any hopes of a first-round MAC tournament home game, although the Flashes do end the season with back-to-back home games. One problem: Kent State hosts Akron and Bowling Green in those two contests and will be the underdog in both. RPI: 296.

Tournament road: At Buffalo, home vs. Akron, home vs. Bowling Green.

11. WESTERN MICHIGAN (6-20, 3-10 MAC) (LW #10): Last week I wrote that Northern Illinois’ win over Miami was the MAC upset of the year. After watching Toledo beat the Broncos by 26 last Saturday – in a game that wasn’t NEARLY as close as the final score would indicate – I stand correct. How did this team beat the Rockets on Jan. 5? If WMU wants to win again this season, Wednesday’s contest at Ball State is must-win, because the Broncos finish with the sleep-walking Chippewas of CMU (well, that IS a possible win) and a contest at Northern Illinois (I have a hard time envisioning a win there). RPI: 306.

Tournament road: At Ball State, home vs. Central Michigan, at Northern Illinois.

12. BUFFALO (7-20, 2-11) (LW #11): I watched the Bulls play Bowling Green “close” on Wednesday, and I see Buffalo has other “close” losses as well – most notably a two-point home loss to red-hot Toledo. The problem for Buffalo is that “close” only counts in three places: horseshoes, hand grenades and drive-in movies. The Bulls have a pair of winnable games this week as they host Kent State and Ohio. UB must win them, though, and because of all the “close” losses that still probably won’t be enough for Buffalo to rise enough and capture a first-round home game in the MAC tournament. RPI: 210.

Tournament road: Home vs. Kent State, home vs. Ohio, at Akron.

Reed-Lewis/UT-EMU showdown/Brown honored

-UT coach Tricia Cullop seemed optimistic after Saturday's game that reserve guard Janelle Reed-Lewis (concussion) would be back for Tuesday's big match up at Eastern Michigan. That optimism was all but gone Monday, as Cullop said it looks "less likely" Reed-Lewis will play. Reed-Lewis, who is averaing almost 10 minutes per game in MAC play, did not practice Monday. The concussion, JRL's second of her career, came in the second half of last Wednesday's win at Central Michigan.

-A little fun with numbers as we look forward to Tuesday's game between the leaders in the West division. After losing to EMU in the MAC semifinals last March, the Rockets ripped off six wins in the WNIT. After losing to EMU in January, UT has won 10 straight. That's 16 straight wins after losses to EMU. Eagles coach AnnMarie Gilbert had this to say about UT rallying after losing to her team ... On second thought, if I tell you what she said it will cheapen the quote in tomorrow's advance story. You can wait.

-More fun with numbers: EMU has drawn a total of 4,894 fans to its 10 home games. UT has topped 5,000 in each of its past two home games.

-On the men's side, freshman point guard Julius Brown was named Mid-American Conference West division player of the week. Brown averaged 11 points, 6.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds in road wins over Ball State and Sam Houston State. Brown scored 10 points and dished out five assists in UT’s 63-55 road win over Ball State on Wednesday and followed that up with 12 points, eight assists, six rebounds and a season-low one turnover in the Rockets’ 59-58 victory at Sam Houston State on Saturday.

-In scheduling news, the UT men's March 3 home game against Eastern Michigan will start at 2 p.m.

UT women win, so do the men

I was at the women's game today, so we'll start there ...

*Edit to original post* WTOL's Chrys Peterson, a wonderful person, MC'd today's Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer fundraiser and wants me to mention that the auction of game jerseys brought in $14,910. Well done, everyone.

-A complete and utter annihilation, as UT led in the first half by 14-2, 30-10, 41-14, 47-19, and a whole bunch of other lopsided scores. The second half took foreeeevvvveer. Can we get fast forward buttons installed at Savage?

-UT reserve guard Janelle Reed-Lewis was not in the building after suffering a concussion in the second half of the Central Michigan game Wednesday. Coach Cullop indicated she'll be back Tuesday.

-What's Tuesday? C'mon, you should know that. UT heads to Ypsilanti for a showdown of MAC West leaders against Eastern Michigan. This is a match up people have been anticipating ever since EMU lost to Bowling Green on Jan. 22 to create a two-way tie with the Rockets. I figured one or both of them would lose a game over that period, but it hasn't happened. There will be much more written on this one over the next couple of days.

-Thoughts on today's game. Not much, frankly. WMU was outmatched, and I still refuse to believe that UT lost to this team on Jan. 5. Yes, WMU was without starting freshman point guard Aurielle Anderson, but that wouldn't have changed much. UT is simply a much better team than it was at the beginning of league play, and WMU has regressed, losing 10 of 11.

-Surprising stat: UT's three post players, Richardson, Baumgartner and Jones, combined for just nine points on 4 of 16 shooting. Baumgartner logged 12 minutes, the fewest of anyone who played today, and I suspect her shoulder is bothering her. Another surprising stat: WMU had 15 first-half turnovers and two assists.

-The usual suspects did most of the scoring. Ingersoll had 18 points, Dortch 17 and Smith 12. At about the three minute mark of the first half, Ingersoll was outscoring WMU.

-In the few times she's gotten extended playing time, freshman Stephanie Recker has been impressive. She needs to clean up her play at times, but I like her length for a guard. She drew a charge in the second half, eliciting smiles and laughter from the bench. Cullop thinks it was the first charge Recker has ever drawn.

-UT's win streak, now at 10, is its longest since the 2000-01 team ripped off 16 in a row.

Now for the men's 59-58 win at Sam Houston State, which marked UT's first winning streak since it took three in a row from late November to early December.

-Wasn't there, so I'm judging based solely on the box score. Nothing jumps out, although Reese Holliday played well, scoring 14 points on 6 of 7 shooting from the field. Richard Wonnell didn't score a point and grabbed one rebound in 16 minutes, but that doesn't mean he didn't have an impact on the defensive end. Rian Pearson is in a bit of a funk, recording his third straight so-so game with 12 points on 5 of 14 shooting.

-Never underestimate what road wins can do for a team's confidence. UT has two in a row now and will be feeling good about itself heading into Wednesday's home game against woeful Central Michigan.

-In one of the MAC's marquee BracketBuster games, Akron fell at Oral Roberts, 67-61. Pearson's brother, Roderick, is a starter for ORU and played 24 minutes before fouling out. He had five points.

 

Richard Wonnell, starter

I haven't written about this much, but walk-on center Richard Wonnell has established himself as the starter in the spot that previously belonged to Reese Holliday. At first I thought it might be a one or two game deal based on match ups, but Wonnell was in the starting line up for the fourth straight game Wednesday at Ball State. I asked Coach Kowalczyk about Wonnell's new role on Thursday, and here's what he said.

"He defends and he brings energy. Those two things are very, very valuable to this program."

I don't think this is necessarily an indictment on Holliday, as his minutes haven't seen a dramatic decrease since he began coming off the bench. Reading between the lines, Kowalczyk knew he needed more size in his starting line up but that Wonnell and Delino Dear weren't ready to assume a starting role. Kowalczyk initially gave the starting job to Dear who apparently lost it after he posted an assist, a steal, and a personal foul and nothing else in in nine minutes at Akron. Enter Wonnell.

Here are Wonnell's stat lines since he became a starter:

Buffalo: 21 minutes-two points, one rebound, four personal fouls

Ohio: 11 minutes-zero points, one rebound, fouled out

Bowling Green: 17 minutes-zero points, one rebound, three personal fouls

Ball State: 21 minutes-four points, four boards, one personal foul.

Not exactly impressive numbers, but what Kowalczyk loves about Wonnell — defense and energy — isn't necessarily reflected in stats. For an example, Kowalczyk gave high praise to Wonnell on Thursday for playing great defense on BSU's nice post player, Jarrod Jones. I'd expect Kowalczyk to continue to start Wonnell unless his defensive productivity and energy begin to decline. 

 

MAC Power Rankings -- Feb. 15

Written by BGSU beat writer John Wagner. ...

Spoiler alert: I didn’t move a single team in this week’s Power Rankings. Not one. Of course, if you want to find out why nothing changed from last week, you’ll need to read on. …

Well, sorry, second spoiler alert: One reason there wasn’t much movement was because each team played only one game last week. While you could make an argument for several changes – Toledo taking the top spot, for example, or a different order of finish in the Akron-Central Michigan-Northern Illinois tangle, for another example – there still are five more games to shed some light on the relative strengths of the league’s 12 teams.

No spoiler, just a prediction: This week’s schedule of games will go a long way towards clarifying what teams will earn the fifth- through eighth-place berths that signal first-round home games in the MAC tournament. Oops, here’s a second prediction: While the top four teams will start earning byes in the league tournament this week, we’ll have to wait until next week to sort out which team gets what bye.

As it stands now, here is our look at how the league has shaped up after 11 conference games. …

1. BOWLING GREEN (20-4, 10-1 MAC) (LW #1): The Falcons finally lost a league game, although losing by two points at Toledo is no embarrassment. In fact, BG remains in the top spot despite the loss since it held its own on the Rockets’ home court, leading for all but roughly two minutes of the contest. The Falcons need one more win to clinch a bye to the MAC tournament quarterfinals, and Miami’s loss Saturday gives them a leg up towards clinching the East Division title. RPI: 66.

Tournament road: Home vs. Buffalo, at Akron, at Ohio, home vs. Miami, at Kent State.

2. EASTERN MICHIGAN (17-7, 9-2 MAC) (LW #2): The Eagles swept through the rest of East Division after losing to Bowling Green, giving them a “magic number” of two to claim a berth in the quarterfinals. And give EMU bonus points for doing what was expected in convincing fashion: the five wins against the East Division were by an average margin of 24 points. Even though the next two games are on the road, there can be no slip-ups as the Eagles prepare for their home game against Toledo that will decide the West Division winner. RPI: 69.

Tournament road: At Western Michigan, at Northern Illinois, home vs. Toledo, home vs. Ball State, at Central Michigan.

3. TOLEDO (16-7, 9-2 MAC) (LW #3): The Rockets have given their resume some more shine with a home win over Bowling Green, the last unbeaten in the MAC. If UT can beat EMU when the two teams meet in Ypsilanti on Feb. 21, the Rockets would hold the tiebreaker … ah, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves, aren’t we? Toledo enters the week with a “magic number” of two to earn a berth in the MAC tournament quarterfinals. But the Rockets also face a challenge Wednesday at Central Michigan, then give themselves a shot at redemption Saturday when they host a Western Michigan club that beat UT to start MAC play. RPI: 82.

Tournament road: At Central Michigan, home vs. Western Michigan, at Eastern Michigan, home vs. Northern Illinois, at Ball State.

4. MIAMI (17-7, 7-4 MAC) (LW #4): Losing to Bowling Green? Understandable. Losing on the road to Eastern Michigan and Toledo? Understandable as well. Losing to Northern Illinois at home? I know I said the Huskies are better, but that’s still not a good loss for the RedHawks. The good thing for Miami is that many of its goals are still attainable, including a quarterfinals bye (although the “magic number” for that berth remains four, and it’s not a lock). Best of all, nearly all of the RedHawks’ goals remain in their hands. RPI: 112.

Tournament road: At Kent State, at Buffalo, home vs. Akron, at Bowling Green, home vs. Ohio.

5. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (13-12, 5-6 MAC) (LW #5): Winning by only six against Buffalo isn’t very impressive, although the game was played on the Bulls’ home court. But a win is a win is a win for a team that had lost five of its previous six. The Chippewas can continue the work of get their train back on track with a home win over Toledo Wednesday –- and CMU led the Rockets for much of the team’s first meeting, so this is doable. Still, time is running out for this talented team to get its act together. RPI: 159.

Tournament road: Home vs. Toledo, at Ball State, home vs. Northern Illinois, at Western Michigan, home vs. Eastern Michigan.

6. AKRON (11-14, 5-6 MAC) (LW #6): The Zips are in the middle of the most promising part of their schedule, and to this point they have taken care of business with home wins over Central Michigan and Western Michigan. This week the home games are against Ohio and Bowling Green … and believe it or not, the game against the Bobcats is the key. Why? A loss to OU really hampers any momentum Akron has gained recently. A win helps energize the Zips to spring an upset on the Falcons Saturday. RPI: 196.

Tournament road: Home vs. Ohio, home vs. Bowling Green, at Miami, at Kent State, home vs. Buffalo.

7. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (11-12, 5-6 MAC) (LW #7): Last week I thought the decision to move this squad all the way to seventh might be seen as “silly.” Now who looks silly? The Huskies have won four of their last five, including a win at Miami that probably is the biggest upset in the MAC this season. Beating Ball State at home Wednesday is critical for NIU, since the next three games are EMU followed by road games at CMU and Toledo. A win over the Cardinals helps give the Huskies the confidence they would need to pull another upset in those three games that follow. RPI: 173.

Tournament road: Home vs. Ball State, home vs. Eastern Michigan, at Central Michigan, at Toledo, home vs. Western Michigan.

8. OHIO (11-14, 4-7 MAC) (LW #8): The Bobcats slowed the tide of losses with a solid home win over Ball State, but this week is a make-or-break proposition for Ohio. Winning at Akron and home against Kent State is doable, and it’s almost a “must” since the rest of the schedule includes loseable games against Bowling Green and Miami sandwiched around a road trip to Buffalo. Winning the contest at home against Kent State is a must, since the two teams are tied for the eighth spot in the MAC tournament – and the last available first-round home game that goes with it. RPI: 254.

Tournament road: At Akron, home vs. Kent State, home vs. Bowling Green, at Buffalo, at Miami.

9. KENT STATE (5-16, 4-7 MAC) (LW #9): I admitted last week that I was hoodwinked by the Golden Flashes’ three-game win streak a few weeks back. Since that time KSU has lost four in a row, including a bad home loss to Ball State. As things stand now the Flashes hold the eighth spot in the standings, meaning they would host a first-round tournament game. Kent State is tied with Ohio for that eighth spot, so winning in Athens on Saturday would go a long way towards solidifying that seed. RPI: 299.

Tournament road: Home vs. Miami, at Ohio, at Buffalo, home vs. Akron, home vs. Bowling Green.

10. WESTERN MICHIGAN (6-18, 3-8 MAC) (LW #10): And talk about hoodwinked: The Broncos’ 2-0 start in MAC play, which included a home win over Toledo, has given way to eight losses in the last nine games, including the last two in a row. Things certainly don’t get any easier for WMU this week as the Broncos host Eastern Michigan before traveling to Toledo. The big question facing Western Michigan is this: Can this team win another game on its schedule? The best chance comes Feb. 22 when the Broncos are at Ball State. RPI: 313.

Tournament road: Home vs. Eastern Michigan, at Toledo, at Ball State, home vs. Central Michigan, at Northern Illinois.

11. BUFFALO (7-18, 2-9) (LW #11): The good news for the Bulls is that there is light at the end of the tunnel: After a road game Wednesday, the next three contests are at home. But that light could be an oncoming train: Buffalo’s road game is against MAC leader Bowling Green, and the first home contest is against second-place Miami. A win against either of those two teams could light a spark to the finish, which includes winnable home games against Kent State and Ohio. RPI: 211.

Tournament road: At Bowling Green, home vs. Miami, home vs. Kent State, home vs. Ohio, at Akron.

12. BALL STATE (8-15, 3-8 MAC) (LW #12): I thought this team might struggle to win at Ohio … but I never imagined a 19-point loss. Suddenly, a road game at Northern Illinois looms large for the Cardinals. That’s because there aren’t many wins left on the schedule, even though three of the final four games are at home. Beating Western Michigan at home Feb. 22 becomes critical for seeding purposes, and losing two in a row and seven of the last nine will force this team to pull an upset if it wants to host a first-round home game in the MAC tournament. RPI: 259.

Tournament road: At Northern Illinois, home vs. Central Michigan, home vs. Western Michigan, at Eastern Michigan, home vs. Toledo.

MAC men power rankings - Feb. 14

MAC Power Rankings – Feb. 14  

With the cross-divisional schedule completed, what did we learn? Frankly, not a lot. The East is the vastly superior conference, which has been evident since November. No one should be terribly surprised that the West managed to score just six wins, posting a combined record of 6-30. Ohio and Ball State look worse than they did entering cross-divisional player, while Bowling Green and Toledo look better. Everyone else? To quote a former NFL coach who now appears in beer commercials, they are who we thought they were.

So here is a look at the league’s 12 teams, with rankings based on performance – and projected development – during the coming season. Here we go. …

1. AKRON (18-7, 10-1 MAC) (LW #1): Akron maintains the top spot and has begun to distance itself from the field of other contenders --- save for Buffalo --- after winning in overtime at Western Michigan and stomping Northern Illinois at home. In its foray against the West, the Zips won five games by double digits, with Western being the lone exception. It's hard to imagine Akron won't win comfortably at home Wednesday against Miami. A road game Saturday at 23-win Oral Roberts is an intriguing match up, but regardless of its outcome, expect the Zips to be sitting on this same perch a week from now. As a side note, Akron jumped a staggering 18 spots in the RPI from last week.  RPI: 60.

2. BUFFALO (16-6, 9-2 MAC) (LW #3): The only team to have beaten Akron, Buffalo has ripped off six straight wins but was slightly unimpressive last week in lackluster victories over Central Michigan (66-62) and Western Michigan (59-57 at home). The Bulls move up one spot this week based on the combination of their steadiness and Ohio's downturn. UB's win streak will be tested Tuesday night in a game at Kent State that will likely determine which team arrives at the No. 2 spot next week  RPI: 81

3. KENT STATE (18-6, 8-3 MAC) (LW #4): The Golden Flashes reeled off six wins against the West, including a must have at Eastern Michigan last week. When you look at Kent State's MAC season, none of its results stand out as being abnormal. It has beaten the teams it should beat and has lost to Akron, Buffalo, and Ohio. A home win Tuesday against Buffalo would signify that the Golden Flashes are serious about making a push for the regular season crown. RPI: 91

4. BOWLING GREEN (13-11, 7-4 MAC) (LW #7): If you want to argue this pick, go ahead. You might be right. Should BG really have jumped three spots based on wins at Ball State and at home over Toledo? Maybe not. But based on a gut feeling, BG is better than any team it's ranked ahead of. Upcoming road games at Ohio, Akron and Buffalo will show whether we were right on this call. RPI: 155

5. OHIO (19-6, 7-4 MAC) (LW #2). Ohio boarded a team bus last Tuesday to spend five days in the sunshine of northwest Ohio and southern Michigan. The Bobcats played like they weren't excited, losing games at Toledo and Eastern Michigan. One of those losses is forgiveable. Losing twice, frankly, is disturbing for a team that failed twice to notch its 20th win. We're not ready to bury the Bobcats, but another loss at home Wednesday to Bowling Green would be reason to panic for a team with designs of winning a MAC title. RPI: 104

6. EASTERN MICHIGAN (11-14, 6-5 MAC) (LW #5): Finally, a team from the West pops into the rankings. The Eagles scored wins over Bowling Green and Ohio in cross-divisional play, and frankly, I'm unconvinced they're as good as either of those teams. But give credit where it is due. First-year coach Rob Murphy has sucked every last ounce of production out of his team and has put them in great position to win a conference title. EMU's next three league games are against Central Michigan (road), Northern Illinois and Ball State. Sounds like three wins to us. That should be enough to get Murphy some votes as MAC coach of the year. RPI: 210

7. WESTERN MICHIGAN (10-15, 4-7 MAC) (LW #8): Based on wins and losses, WMU's 1-5 mark against the West is disappointing for a team we expected to develop into the best team in the West. When you look a little deeper, it's not all that bad. Two of the Broncos' last three losses came in overtime, at Kent and at home to Akron, and a two-point setback at Buffalo doesn't look bad either. That might be a sign that progress is being made but without a strong finish to the regular season it won't mean much. RPI: 182

8. TOLEDO (11-14, 3-8 MAC) (LW #9): The Rockets could have gone 4-2 in the East had they not blown 13-point leads to Buffalo and Bowling Green. As it is, they finished 2-4, which actually signifies progress from their 1-4 mark against the West. UT's remaining schedule is perhaps as favorable as anyone's in the league. A win Wednesday at Ball State would set the Rockets up nicely heading into home games against Central Michigan and Western Michigan. If UT can finish 4-1, or maybe even 3-2, sophomore guard Rian Pearson might win league player of the year. RPI: 268

9. MIAMI (8-15, 4-7 MAC) (LW #10): One step forward, one step back. That's how we view what Miami did against the West. After knocking off Eastern Michigan and Ball State for its first winning streak of the season, Miami was surely to pick up another victory at lowly Northern Illinois. It didn't happen. With road games left at Akron, Buffalo and Bowling Green, it's hard to envision Miami will finish in the top eight of the MAC and secure a first-round home game. RPI: 244

10. BALL STATE (12-11, 4-7 MAC) (LW #6): The Cardinals lost all six games against the East for the first time since the MAC went to split divisions in 1997-98. Also troubling is the fact BSU failed to crack 60 points in any of those losses. This team no longer resembles the one that began the season 12-5 and 4-1 in the MAC. Can they reclaim their early season ways? Maybe. But even a 5-0 finish might not conceal that unsightly blemish against the East. RPI: 235

11. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (7-17, 2-9 MAC) (LW #11): Forget for a moment that CMU went 0-6 against the East. The Chippewas actually have lost nine straight and haven't won a game since Jan. 11.They'll face the team they beat last, Eastern Michigan, on Tuesday in Mount Pleasant but there's no good reason to expect the same result. We were tempted to move the Chippewas down a rung, and perhaps we should've. RPI: 265

12. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (3-20, 2-9 MAC) (LW #12): When I saw the Huskies throw up brick after brick, dribble into defenders, and play zero defense last month at Savage Arena, I assumed they were the worst team in Division I. And that was before coach Mark Montgomery dismissed leading scorer Tim Toler. NIU managed to defeat Miami, which is a sign of progress, I suppose. You might like the Huskies chances against Ball State and Central Michigan if those games were at home, but they're not. NIU is staring down the barrel at a three-win season. RPI: 328

 

Pearson collects another player of the week honor

UT sophomore guard Rian Pearson was named MAC West player of the week on Monday for the third straight week. This certainly bolsters his case to win MAC player of the year at season's end.

Here were Pearson's stat lines last week in a win over Ohio and a loss at Bowling Green.

Ohio: 17 points, 16 boards, three assists, and 6 of 14 shooting from the field.

BG: 13 points, nine boards, three assists, and 5 of 11 shooting from the field.