Matt O'Donnell - mo134405@ohiou.edu
Waiting in the wings:
No. 1 Bowling Green (18-12, 11-5 MAC)
Coach: Louis Orr, 31-29, 2nd season
Last title: Bowling Green has not won a MAC title since the tournament began in 1980.
Key wins: Buffalo (twice)
Key losses: Savannah State, Central Arkansas
Player to watch: Nate Miller has only started 14 of his team's 28 games this season, but leads them in scoring (12.7 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg). He was named to the All-MAC First Team.
No. 2 Ball State (13-16, 7-9 MAC)
Coach: Bill Taylor, 19-40, 2nd season
Last title: 2000
Key wins: Buffalo
Key losses: Arkansas State, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo
Player to watch: It's not often a team's go-to player is a freshman but forward Jarrod Jones has played that role for the Cardinals, averaging 11 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
No. 3 Buffalo (19-10, 10-5 MAC)
Coach: Reggie Witherspoon, 124-169, 10th season
Last title: Buffalo has not won a MAC title since the tournament began in 1980.
Key wins: Temple, Colorado
Key losses: Ball State
Player to watch: Guard Rodney Pierce is the only Buffalo scorer in double figures at 14.7 points per game. He has nearly doubled his scoring average from last season and has propelled the Bulls to a breakout season.
No. 4 Miami (17-12, 10-6 MAC)
Coach: Charlie Coles, 224-167, 13th season
Last title: 2007
Key wins: Temple, Weber State, Wright State
Key losses: Ohio (twice)
Player to watch: Michael Bramos may be the best offensive player in the conference. He is averaging 17.7 points per game and can shoot from anywhere on the floor. His 6-foot-5, 221-pound frame makes him a mismatch for most teams defensively.
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Steve Gartner
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