After taking a brief break for the holidays, the most exciting and meaningful part of the Mid-American Conference basketball season is here.
For weeks, teams have tried to prove their prowess in games against non-conference opponents — but now comes the true test. Conference play is here, and some MAC teams are still hungry to prove themselves.
Before the season, Kent State and Western Michigan sat atop their respective divisions in the MAC preseason poll. At least for one of those teams, the task of living up to its projection has been too tough to handle.
Heading into conference play, Western Michigan is third in the MAC West. The Broncos lost their first six games, but they finally seem to have straightened out their game. For better or for worse, Western Michigan will be tested early when the conference schedule opens against Ball State, first in the division.
Aside from Duke, the Cardinals could be the Broncos’ toughest challenge yet. Ball State, picked to finish second in the MAC West, has had no trouble getting into the win column. Forward Jarrod Jones, selected to the preseason All-MAC team, leads the Cardinals with an average of 18.1 points per game.
Toledo is another MAC West team off to a surprising start. The Rockets, third in the MAC West, take on the Cardinals and the Broncos in their second and third conference games. Toledo was not considered a top contender in the preseason poll but ranks first in the MAC in scoring offense and second in scoring margin.
In the MAC East, Kent State and Buffalo are chasing Ohio for the division lead. Kent State boasts the second-highest scoring defense in the conference. Whether the Golden Flashes retain that position depends heavily on how they fare against the Bulls.
Buffalo, first in field-goal percentage and rebounds, has found offensive success despite a young roster. Of 14 players, eight Bulls are freshmen or sophomores.
Sophomore forward Javon McCrea leads the conference in field-goal percentage at 62.9 percent. Buffalo’s Mitchell Watt has used his 6-foot-10-inch frame to dominate the paint. He averages 7.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots per game.
Another offensive team eager to stir up the MAC East is the Akron Zips. The Zips have won games through their ability to sink jumpers and drain shots from the perimeter. After two conference games against last-place Miami and Bowling Green, Akron takes on the top three teams in the East.
mm938910@ohiou.edu
