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MAC East Basketball Report

MAC basketball mid-week recap from February 13, 2009

It’s the Friday the 13 th edition of the MAC East Report. No reason to be superstitious…read on about the week that was for the MAC East contingent.

Kent State

This Week: 2-0

Overall: 13-11, MAC: 6-4

The perennial MAC contender may have regained its moxie. After a slow start and only one win against MAC East foes, Kent State has turned the page and with 2 wins this week has won five in a row. This week’s wins both came on the road, the first in Muncie, a 63-56 victory over Ball State. Both teams shot over 50 percent from the field and Kent State’s 52.1 percent shooting was well over its season average of 44.7. The leader was Chris Singletary, who coach Geno Ford has said needs to be a centerpiece of the offense. He scored 19 and was the Flashes’ leading scorer. Al Fisher had an off night, scoring just 2 points but Julian Sullinger contributed 13 and Tyree Evans put up 11 off the bench.

Tuesday night, the Flashes took away a 86-83 win over Northern Illinois in double overtime. Against a Northern Illinois team that only has six wins, this was a little close for comfort. It was a tight game but a real struggle with both teams, trading fouls and not getting many field goals through the overtimes. Big nights points-wise for Chris Singletary (19 pts) and Al Fisher (21 pts), however, each committed 6 turnovers adding to Kent State’s total of 23. Kent State’s shooting was below average after being above average the game before. Mike McKee had only two points but they were two big ones, as his made free throws with 14 seconds left in regulation sent the game to overtime. The real catalyst for Kent State was Anthony Simpson, who scored 16 points to go along with 14 rebounds, earning him his second double-double of the season.

Simpson is going to be an integral piece if Kent State hopes to continue its run. Of Simpson, Geno Ford has said, “He is the most dynamic front court player that we have and our best athlete.” Just a freshman, Simpson has a lot of promise and he is beginning to realize it. Credit has to go to Ford for righting a ship that looked headed in the wrong direction. He went through a bunch of lineups but the starting five of Fisher, Singletary, Mincy, Simpson and Sullinger is working. Tyree Evans has performed much better as a sixth man off the bench. Racking up wins against the MAC West is good but Kent State needs to reel off wins against the East to make up for the first section of conference play.

Miami

This Week: 1-1

Overall: 15-8, MAC: 7-3

Ohio is no longer the only MAC East team to lose a game against the West. Like the Bobcats, the Redhawks traveled to Mt. Pleasant and did not come away with a win, falling 57-55 to Central Michigan Tuesday. A tough loss, as Miami shot 57.9 percent, more than 14 percent higher than its season average. Michael Bramos was stellar, netting 24 points on 9-13 shooting. In a closely contested game, mental mistakes will do you in. Miami finished the night with five more turnovers than the Chippewas and shot only 53.3 percent from the line as opposed to Central’s 81.3 percent free throw shooting. A game Miami probably should have won but will have to learn from in terms of better execution.

Over the weekend, Miami was a road winner, 53-40 over Toledo. Tight defense held Toledo to just 22 percent shooting in the first half. Bramos was the game’s leading scorer with 15 points. Tyler Dierkers has been playing really well of late and added a double-double.

The loss on Tuesday is nothing to get overly concerned about. The Redhawks are still in very good position to get a first round bye in the MAC Tournament. Charlie Coles will have this team ready for its next game at home against Western Michigan. Expect a much better performance against the Broncos.

Akron

This Week: 2-0

Overall: 16-8, MAC: 7-3

The Zips are coming. After losing three of their first four MAC games, the Zips have won seven straight games (six straight in conference plus a win at Youngstown State). McKnight, McKnight and McClanahan led the way in Saturday’s 87-63 win over Western Michigan. But with a trio of the “Mcs” doing well it was not just luck that propelled Akron to victory. Nate Linhart and Daryl Roberts contributed four and two points respectively, however, four Zips scored in double digits.

Usual suspects Brett and Chris McKnight achieved the figure but were accompanied by two freshmen that achieved career-highs. Nikola Cvetinovic, born in Serbia, averages 3.7 a game but scored 12 points. Brett McClanahan put up 13. Coach Keith Dambrot pulled the redshirt off McClanahan, first playing him January 17 th vs, Bowling Green, and it’s looking like a good decision. McClanhan can be a good role player and provides a spark when hitting his threes.

Again at home Wednesday night, Akron defeated Ball State 63-55. The key stat from this one comes from Anthony ‘Humpty’ Hitchens. The freshman point guard turned it over only once against the Cardinals, a far departure from his high numbers early on. In the last three games, he has turned it over only once in each. Can a team win the MAC Tournament with a freshman point guard? Yes, if said point guard is smart with the ball.

I said it last week but will say it again. Watch out for Akron. At 7-3 in the conference, the Zips are now tied with Miami for second in the MAC standings. This team can beat you with a bunch of different guys on any given night and Keith Dambrot is one of the best coaches in the MAC, producing consistently good squads.

Bowling Green

This Week: 2-0

Overall: 14-9, MAC: 7-3

If you like patterns, you’ll like Bowling Green’s span of three wins. The Falcons won 69-61, 68-61, then 67-61 Saturday at Central Michigan. Pretty consistent, huh? Brian Moten had his first real big game since the Buffalo win, scoring 19 points on five of eight three-point shooting. The Falcons were down at the half but a three from Scott Thomas with just over five to play gave them a lead they would not relinquish. Bowling Green shot a very high 61.5 percent from downtown.

Bowling Green’s Wednesday victory over Toledo broke its streak of allowing 61 points, as it held the Rockets under that, winning 59-54. It had to be a good feeling for the Falcons to win in rival Toledo’s gym after going nine affairs without doing so. Daryl Clements and Nate Miller lit up 15 and 14 points respectively. Despite being outrebounded, Bowling Green shot better than Toledo, who was only 1-11 from three.

Like Akron, Bowling Green is another team on which not to sleep. Although I’m not quite as high on the Falcons, they have also won six straight conference games. They have not put up the big point totals but that is not their style. Louis Orr’s team is about defense and has given up 61 or less during the win streak.

Buffalo

This Week: 2-0

Overall: 17-5, MAC: 9-1

Why is Buffalo so good? Because of its ability to play a team game. The Bulls shared the wealth in both of their contests this week, with eleven players putting up points. Saturday at Alumni Arena, Buffalo crushed Northern Illinois 68-46. Rodney Pierce was the top scorer with 15 but Andy Robinson had 12 and Vadim Fedotov 11. Strong defense once again, holding the Huskies to 37.5 percent shooting and forcing 20 turnovers. Another advantage for the Bulls was on the boards, pulling down 16 more than the Huskies.

It was more of the same Thursday night on the road against Eastern Michigan, as Buffalo won 58-49, again holding its opponent under 50 points. 12 Bulls saw minutes and only one failed to score. Only Rodney Pierce (16 points) scored in double digits but Fedotov and Robinson each scored nine with Greg Gamble contributing eight.

Buffalo is the best team in the MAC right now and on a real run. Many prognosticators thought they would be near the bottom of the standing but the Bulls have proven them wrong. Much credit has to be given to coach Reggie Witherspoon. Nine straight wins in conference is very impressive and they have done it with a team first mentality that is an enduring strategy. Buffalo is not a team carried by one star but rather four or five guys, any of who could rise up and beat you.

Ohio

This Week: 1-1

Overall: 12-11, MAC: 5-5

Just one month ago, Ohio went on the road to Oxford and beat the Redhawks. The Bobcats looked like a contender. Ever since, they’ve been nothing more than average, as their record shows.

Saturday night produced a 57-45 win but it was not pretty. Jerome Tillman put in 14 points and Stephen Coleman 10. But the Bobcats once again failed at getting to the line. Despite making less than half of its free throws, Eastern Michigan at least got 19 chances and their eight conversions were more than the Bobcats attempted.

At Western Michigan Wednesday, the Bobcats were back to their inconsistent ways. They gave up 76 points to a team that averages 62.5 a game on the season, just like they gave up 76 to a Central Michigan team that averages 63 points per game. Ohio has lost all three of its road games against the MAC West; only one other time has an East team lost to one from the West. The inexplicable part is that Ohio goes back and forth between good defense and breakdowns. In the loss to Ball State, the D was good but the shooting was way off. On the other hand, the losses to Central and Western have exhibited weak defensive performances. A positive from the loss was the hot shooting of Tommy Freeman. He shot 6-8 from the field (all threes) scoring a career-high 20 points. Ohio shot 50 percent from the field but Western was at 54.5 percent. And once again, the Bobcats went to the line 13 times less than the Broncos.

Two games back of Miami and Bowling Green, Ohio’s hopes of getting a bye are fading fast. It will have to win almost all of the rest of its MAC East games to earn one. Any time you have Jerome Tillman on your team you have a chance, however, Ohio is going to need to find a consistent stride and do it quickly.

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MAC East Beast of the Week: Chris Singletary, Kent State

Two 19-point performances for the week that was. Against Ball State, Singletary shot 8-11 from the field and pulled down seven rebounds. He was big from the line, going 10-14, helping Kent State to the 2OT win over Northern Illinois.

East vs. West: 26-4

Wait, Really?!: Funny tidbit…Akron’s roster includes four players with the last name prefix ‘Mc,’ Brett McKnight, Chris McKnight, Brett McClanahan and Steve McNees. And just for good measure the Zips’ director of basketball operations is Rick McFadden. The Zips would surely like to be preparing for a game with some luck on their side come St. Patrick’s Day March 17 th. That would mean they’re in the NCAA Tournament.

MAC East Weekend Forecast

It’s Valentine’s Day weekend and each MAC East team would love to finish off the MAC West with a sweet victory.

• Ohio will continue its consistently inconsistent play with a home win
• Miami will hold Western under 50 points
• Kent State keeps up the win streak at home
• After the tough 2OT loss to Kent, I don’t see Northern Illinois getting that close in back-to-back games, so Akron will again be a winner
• For some reason, I could see Ball State eeking out a close, defensive battle against Buffalo. I think the Bulls are quite good but it’s back-to-back road games and Ball State can be a challenge.
• Bowling Green will stifle Eastern Michigan, who also will not score 50 points

By Connor Kiesel
VanDelay Sports Staff Writer