Rocket Docket

UT football picks up first 2013 recruit

Findlay junior linebacker Austin Niswander is the first member of University of Toledo’s 2013 recruiting class.

Niswander committed to Rockets coach Matt Campbell on Tuesday evening, just one day after UT extended him a scholarship offer.

A second team Three Rivers Athletic Conference selection at wide receiver, Niswander is expected to play linebacker for the Rockets. Niswander (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) was drawn to UT because of its facilities and its coaches.

“They’re young, they’re energetic,” Niswander said of the staff. “I feel like they can bring a MAC championship very soon to Toledo.”

Niswander met the coaches for the first time last weekend at UT’s junior recruiting day.

Campbell can’t comment on unsigned recruits, per NCAA rules.

UT is Niswander’s only scholarship offer to date. He doesn’t expect to waver on his commitment if other suitors come along. 

“I don’t feel like there’s a need to anymore,” he said. “I’m committed to Toledo and I’m happy where I’m at.”

 

MAC men's power rankings - Feb. 29

MAC men's power rankings - Feb. 29

The final week of the regular season is upon us, so there is no more projecting where a team will be at the end of the season. This is the end of the season. If Miami, Ball State or Central Michigan were going to make a push they would have done it by now. If Akron, Ohio or Kent State were going to take a nosedive, it would have happened. And in the case of Kent State, it might have. 

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 (20-9, 12-2 MAC) (LW #1): Hard to believe any team in this league is capable of beating Akron by 24 points, but that's exactly what happened Sunday at Ohio. That result might weigh heavily when we make our tournament predictions, but for now, not enough has changed for us to strip the Zips of their top ranking. As an aside, every good team with the exception of Akron seems to have a MAC player of the year candidate. No Zip plays more than 25 minutes a night, which is just as odd to write now as it was the first time. RPI: 58.

Tournament road: vs. Buffalo, at Kent State

 2. OHIO (23-6, 10-4 MAC) (LW #4). We were ready to sell OU earlier this month when they traveled to this area and lost back to back games at Toledo and Eastern Michigan. In fact, we dropped them to fifth in the rankings. Since then, the Bobcats have rolled off four straight wins, three of them against MAC contenders Bowling Green, Buffalo and Akron. Take your pick which is more impressive, an 11-point road win at Buffalo or a 24-point home win over Akron. RPI: 78

Tournament road: at Kent State, at Miami

 

 3. BUFFALO (17-9, 10-4 MAC) (LW #2): When Buffalo lost at home to Ohio last week, it also lost the seeding tiebreaker to the Bobcats. That's big because the Bulls no longer control their own destiny to secure an automatic semifinal berth. If a road match up Wednesday at Akron goes bad, and Ohio wins at Kent State, the Bulls won't be getting three byes. I think so, anyway. RPI: 93

 Tournament road: at Akron, vs Bowling Green

 4. KENT STATE (19-9, 9-5 MAC) (LW #3): We're hearing rumblings Kent State is an internal mess right now in the wake of three straight losses. We considered dropping them down further, but one spot is enough for now. With two home games left, the Flashes have a chance to get untracked. Having said that, they also have a chance of falling below the 4th seed in the league tournament and not getting a first round bye. Which way will they go? RPI: 107

Tournament road: vs. Ohio, vs. Akron

5. BOWLING GREEN (15-13, 8-6 MAC) (LW #5): Was the win over a Kent State a reflection of the Golden Flashes being in a state of disarray or a reflection of BG tightening up for a postseason push? Maybe somewhere in the middle. BG can still get a top 4 seed, thus securing two byes to the quarterfinals. If that happens, this is a team that could make noise. RPI: 142

Tournament road: vs Miami, at Buffalo

 6. EASTERN MICHIGAN (13-16, 8-6 MAC) (LW #7): It's time to start giving the MAC West champions some credit. The Eagles have put together an impressive season despite lacking much talent. Winning an outright West championship is possible, with the Eagles needing to win one of two remaining games. RPI: 227

Tournament road: at Western Michigan, at Toledo

 7. TOLEDO (15-14, 6-8 MAC) (LW #8): The Rockets have avenged three earlier losses to West foes and can make it four on Saturday against Eastern Michigan. That match up could be for a share of the West championship. At any rate, UT is not a team anyone will look forward to playing in the MAC tournament. The Rockets have improved more than anyone in the league and are playing with a lot of confidence. RPI: 244

Tournament road: at Northern Illinois, vs Eastern Michigan

8. WESTERN MICHIGAN (12-17, 6-8 MAC) (LW #6): The Broncos haven't been able to build any kind of steam this conference season. It's a shame for them, because they're as talented as anyone in the West. Their best league win is at home against Toledo and their best road win is at, well, they only have one and it's at Northern Illinois. Expect an early exit in the tournament. RPI: 189

Tournament road: vs Eastern Michigan, at Central Michigan

 

 9. MIAMI (9-18, 5-9 MAC) (LW #9): The RedHawks are assured of finishing last in the East division. Now the question becomes whether they will even achieve double digit wins. On a better team Julian Mavunga might win MAC player of the year, but it's hard to foresee that happening given Miami's state. RPI: 232

Tournament road: at Bowling Green, vs Ohio

 10. BALL STATE (13-14, 4-10 MAC) (LW #10): The number of consecutive league losses has reached nine for the Cardinals, who were once 4-1 in the MAC. This might be the MAC's worst team, and we'll find out soon if that's the case when they play teams ranked 11 and 12. RPI: 249

Tournament road: vs Central Michigan, vs Northern Illinois

11. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (9-19, 4-10 MAC) (LW #11): The Chippewas avoided dropping to the bottom of the power rankings with a 10-point win over Northern Illinois. Trey Zeigler is a fine sophomore, and Derek Jackson and Austin McBroom are solid. There's no good reason CMU should be this bad.  RPI: 285

Tournament road: at Ball State, vs Western Michigan

12. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (3-24, 2-12 MAC) (LW #12): The Huskies are still playing hard, but this is by far the least talented team in the league. Unless they win another game, they'll finish with a worst record than the Toledo teams of the past two seasons.  RPI: 339

Tournament road: vs Toledo, at Ball State

 

MAC Power Rankings -- Feb. 28

Written by Bowling Green beat writer John Wagner

As the Mid-American Conference regular season comes to a close, there still are some seeding questions to answer. But it looks as if this season has split the MAC’s 12 teams up neatly into three groups of four teams –- the “bye” teams, the first-round hosts and the road warriors.

This final regular-season set of MAC Power Rankings for women’s basketball will look to set the stage for the league tournament, including teams to watch as the action unfolds starting Saturday.

Here is our look at how the league has shaped up entering Tuesday’s final set of games. …

1. BOWLING GREEN (23-5, 13-2 MAC) (LW #1): Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, especially after a disappointing loss at Ohio Wednesday in a situation where a win could have made the Falcons’ lives much easier. BG did bounce back with a solid victory over Miami that clinched the East Division title, but the Falcons still need to sweat out a contest at Kent State Tuesday to assure they will receive the top seed. If Bowling Green doesn’t win, they probably will topple all the way to third in the seedings -– and the road to a potential title will get much tougher. RPI: 60.

Tournament road: At Kent State.

2. EASTERN MICHIGAN (21-7, 13-2 MAC) (LW #2): The Eagles’ dominating win over Toledo last week solidified their hold on second – and EMU could easily make the case for being the league’s best team heading into the tournament. Not only has Eastern Michigan won nine in a row, the Eagles’ closest game –- closest game! –- is a 10-point win, with six of those victories by 20 points or more. Notice that EMU’s RPI now is better than BG’s –- a development that makes the Eagles’ loss at Ball State in the MAC opener the blemish that may cost EMU an outright league title. RPI: 57.

Tournament road: At Central Michigan.

3. TOLEDO (19-8, 12-3 MAC) (LW #3): The Rockets were squashed in their rematch with Eastern Michigan, and their two losses to the Eagles –- combined with a head-scratching loss in their MAC opener at Western Michigan –- likely will cost UT a spot as one of the top two seeds in the MAC tournament. If that’s the case, Toledo is going to have to figure out a way to beat Eastern Michigan if it wants to win the league, because it will be impossible for them to avoid the Eagles in the tournament semifinals. RPI: 80.

Tournament road: At Ball State.

4. MIAMI (20-8, 10-5 MAC) (LW #4): The RedHawks have clinched the fourth seed in the MAC tournament, meaning they have a bye into the quarterfinals. Assuming that Central Michigan earns the fifth seed, Miami would have no cake-walk in its first tournament contest, and a win is likely to set up a third confrontation with Bowling Green. That means the RedHawks need to start working now to find something to overcome their recent jinx against the Falcons, since that’s the only route to the title game. RPI: 91.

Tournament road: Home vs. Ohio.

5. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (15-14, 7-8 MAC) (LW #7): The Chippewas won twice last week, including a solid victory at home over Northern Illinois and a road win at Western Michigan. While the NIU win helps more in the standings, the victory at WMU may prove more valuable because of this team’s recent road struggles. Is CMU pulling things together after a tumultuous league season? Or did it just take advantage of two inferior teams last week? We should get at least a clue as to which of those statements is correct on Tuesday, when the Chips host Eastern Michigan. RPI: 167.

Tournament road: Home vs. Eastern Michigan.

6. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (12-15, 6-9 MAC) (LW #5): Three weeks ago I jumped this team up in the standings, and I still don’t regret the decision –- even though the Huskies lost twice last week. Both losses were on the road, and NIU didn’t exactly get blown out by Toledo. In fact, this team has a way of making other teams look bad, which leads me to believe it will be tough to knock off the Huskies once the tournament begins. RPI: 188.

Tournament road: Home vs. Western Michigan.

7. OHIO (13-16, 6-9 MAC) (LW #8): The Bobcats had another puzzling week last week, knocking off Bowling Green -– a huge win for seeding purposes -– before losing to Buffalo -– a very negative loss. Or perhaps it isn’t so puzzling after all: Ohio has won three in a row at home and lost three straight on the road. That makes earning a first-round home game essential to the Bobcats, who still have one more game to play: At Miami. Uh-oh. RPI: 251.

Tournament road: At Miami.

8. AKRON (12-17, 6-9 MAC) (LW #6): The Zips lost twice last week, including a one-point setback at Kent State that could prove costly. Yes, Akron made a bold comeback late; but the Zips needed to be good enough earlier in the game, so that the comeback wasn’t necessary. Akron finishes with a tricky contest at Buffalo, and while a win isn’t essential to claim a first-round home game, it likely is essential to get the Zips into the right frame of mind entering tournament play. RPI: 203.

Tournament road: Home vs. Buffalo.

9. KENT STATE (6-19, 5-10 MAC) (LW #10): Just when it seemed the Golden Flashes were about to hit rock-bottom, they claimed a win over Akron Saturday. That win did more than snap a seven-game losing streak: It kept alive KSU’s hopes of earning a first-round home game in the MAC tournament. Of course, the next step towards realizing those dreams will be a game against Bowling Green, so it won’t be easy. RPI: 296.

Tournament road: Home vs. Bowling Green.

10. WESTERN MICHIGAN (7-21, 4-11 MAC) (LW #11): The Broncos were able to stop the flow of blood with a win at Ball State, which was important in that it stopped a four-game losing streak. WMU finishes with a game at Northern Illinois, which may prove interesting in that it could be repeated Saturday in the first round of the MAC tournament. If the Broncos wish to do some damage in that event, they will have to find the group that scored 102 points against Buffalo –- or, better still, the squad that opened the MAC season with a win over Toledo. RPI: 298.

Tournament road: At Northern Illinois.

11. BUFFALO (9-20, 4-11) (LW #12): The Bulls had a big week last week, winning twice. Yes, both games were at home. Yes, both wins were against teams in the lower half of the standings. But when you’re 2-11, any win is a good win. And those are two good wins for the Bulls, who need to find a way to win on the road when they play at Akron Tuesday. Figuring out how to succeed away from home is a must if this team wants to advance in the tournament. RPI: 211.

Tournament road: At Akron.

12. BALL STATE (9-18, 4-11 MAC) (LW #9): Remember that I wrote last week that the Cardinals rose to ninth in the Power Rankings more as an indictment of the three teams below (Buffalo, Kent State and Western Michigan) than any kind of reward for Ball State. The Cards promptly lost a winnable game against Western Michigan, and the rest of the schedule has dumped them back to the bottom of the rankings. I seem to rail on Toledo a lot for having lost to Western Michigan early in the season, and I realize now that Eastern Michigan deserves similar scorn for losing to this team in its season opener. I think it’s safe to say there has never been a more misleading start to the MAC season in this sport that those two games this year. RPI: 269.

Tournament road: Home vs. Toledo.

UT sweeps double header

Because it's fresh on my mind, we'll start with the men ...

They played arguably their most complete game of the season in an 83-74 win over Western Michigan, which I'll address in a minute. But first, a look at the division picture. Eastern Michigan clinched at least a share of the MAC West championship today by beating Ball State coupled with WMU's loss at UT. UT can still win a share but needs help. For that to happen, WMU must beat EMU this Wednesday in Kalamazoo and UT must win that same night at Northern Illinois. Then, should that happen, UT can clinch a share of the title on March 3 when it hosts Eastern Michigan. The picture is still very fluid, but one thing is certain. EMU is MAC West champions.

A few stats, courtesy of UT's athletic department:

-Tonight's attendance of 5,108 is a season high. This is an obvious sign people are excited about the direction this program is headed. UT is exciting to watch, plays hard, and continues to improve. And at 15-14 overall, the Rockets are a winning basketball team. Coach Kowalczyk and his players have done an excellent job resurrecting this program.

-UT's five turnovers are a season low and its 83 points are the most in a MAC game since a 90-83 overtime win at Central Michigan in 2007-08. UT has now won 12 of its last 14 games against Western Michigan at Savage Arena. Julius Brown has scored double figures in eight straight games.

-The biggest play, arguably, was a Reese Holliday lay up on UT's third put back attempt of a possession with 1:42 to go. That bucket pushed UT's lead to five.

-Had I not been working under such a tight deadline, I would have asked WMU coach Steve Hawkins why sat big man Matt Stainbrook for 12 minutes in the second half. Stainbrook killed UT early on, working over Richard Wonnell in the paint to score WMU's first 10 points. Foul trouble forced him to the bench in the first half. As for his absence in the second half, I have no idea. 

Now for the women's 49-39 win over Northern Illinois. ...

-With the win, UT clinched at least a third seed in the MAC tournament. The Rockets will get the second seed if they win Tuesday at Ball State and Bowling Green loses at Kent State. BG won't lose that game, so expect UT to be the No. 3 seed, setting up a potential rematch with No. 2 seed Eastern Michigan in the semifinals.

-Seniors Courtney Ingersoll and Haylie Linn were honored prior to their final regular season games at Savage Arena. Each was given a quilt, made up of UT t-shirts, and highlight videos were played on the scoreboard. Well done. Linn knocked down three 3-pointers and scored a team-high 14 points, and Ingersoll posted seven points, six boards, three steals, and three blocks.

-This was neither a great game or an exciting game, but it was a nice bounce back victory for UT after Tuesday's ugly loss at Eastern Michigan. With one more win UT will have 20, a feat that seemed unlikely in November when Naama Shafir suffered a season-ending ACL tear. This is a team that has really come together and improved

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.