Ball State

Saturday Recap: Watford's Shot Lifts Indiana Past Kentucky

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:42:37 -0800

In the days leading up to Indiana's game against#1 Kentucky at Assembly Hall there weren't too many people who thought that the Hoosiers could knock off the Wildcats. There were a few outside of the Indiana fan base who picked Tom Crean's team to win, but the majority of the predictions ranged anywhere from a close loss to a Kentucky blowout with IU's schedule to date being the main reason why. But what didn't seem realistic in the days leading up to the game became reality thanks to Christian Watford, who knocked down a three from the left elbow as time expired to give Indiana the 73-72 win.

Watford led five Hoosiers in double figures with 20 points in his best performance of the season, with Victor Oladipo (13 points, seven rebounds) and Cody Zeller (11 points, seven rebounds) chipping in as well. Zeller was also the focal point of what plagued Indiana as they watched a ten-point lead slip away, as the Hoosiers threw up wild shots instead of getting their freshman the ball.

Kentucky's Anthony Davis was either out of the game or playing with four fouls for a good portion of that stretch, which should have lent itself to getting Zeller the ball. But the Hoosiers survived and won a game that in recent years they'd either lose late or not be in to begin with, so this is a big step in the return to national prominence.

"It's a great moment for us.," said Crean. "It's a great victory because it's just such an outstanding team and a team, you can see it, the explosiveness, the athleticism, the skill level, the coaching, it's top notch and to get a win like that is huge and to have it be at home where our fans had so much to do with it is the biggest part of the day."

Doron Lamb (19 points) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (18 points, nine rebounds) led the way for the Wildcats while Marquis Teague scored the majority of his 15 points in a solid second half, but they needed more from sophomore forward Terrence Jones. Jones didn't look to be himself from an activity standpoint, finishing with four points and one rebound in 28 minutes of action.

But in spite of his struggles and Davis' foul trouble Kentucky still had a chance to get out of Bloomington with the win. Lamb made one of two free throws with 5.6 seconds remaining to give UK a 72-70 lead, setting the stage for Kentucky to give a foul since they had two to give. But whether it was a matter of the Kentucky defender (Teague) not being convincing enough in his attempt to foul or the official failing to make the call, that didn't happen. And as a result, Kentucky likely won't be ranked number one on Monday.

"We were going to foul them," said Calipari. "We had two fouls to use. So, the whole timeout was about fouling. Marquis tried to foul and they didn't call it. No one fouled."

Kentucky made 55.6% of their shots on the afternoon, but Indiana outscored the Wildcats 27-6 in points from beyond the arc. That discrepancy made up for Indiana shooting just 43.1% overall and 37.2% on two-point baskets, the latter number partially reflecting the effects of the wingspan of Kentucky's front line. But Indiana hung in there and ultimately won, and it has to be considered the watershed moment of the Crean era. But there's still plenty of work to be done and games to be won, so it may be wise to hold off on declaring Indiana to be all the way "back".

Other Notable Happenings

1. Key figures step up in Kansas' win over a Jared Sullinger-less Ohio State.
Unfortunately for Thad Matta the All-American power forward was unable to go due to back spasms, and this development opened the door for Kansas to knock off the #2 team in the country. The Jayhawks took full advantage, with Thomas Robinson scoring 21 points and Tyshawn Taylor (playing with a torn meniscus, which will sideline him for the next three weeks) dishing out 13 assists in Kansas' 78-67 win in Lawrence. Ohio State fell behind by double figures in the first half and couldn't get over the hump despite nunerous attempts to take the lead.

William Buford scored 21 points to lead the Buckeyes and Deshaun Thomas added 19, but shooting 39% from the field led to their first loss of the season. The question for Ohio State with Sullinger out is a simple one: who steps up to create offense for this team. Aaron Craft scored 11 points and dished out six assists, but Ohio State will need to do more in 1-on-1 situations while the big man is out. But the Buckeyes will be fine due to the remaining talent and experience.

2. Xavier's emphatic win over Cincinnati sullied by both teams embarrassing their institutions.
It would be nice to be able to focus on the Musketeers' 76-53 win over city rival Cincinnati for the play on the floor, as Chris Mack's team pulled away late in the first half and added to their lead throughout the final 20 minutes. However thanks to a bench-clearing brawl that resulted in the game being ended with 9.3 seconds remaining the actual game takes a back seat to one of the ugliest sights in recent memory. Whether citing the statement made by Cincinnati's Sean Kilpatrick earlier in the week or the chirping going on before the national anthem, it was pretty clear that the Bearcats and Musketeers were going to have some issues throughout the course of the game.

But a brawl? There were so many things to point out during the fracas that have no place in sports, from Tu Holloway talking to the Cincinnati bench to the standoff between he and Ge'Lawn Guyn (with Dezmine Wells entering himself with a shove) to Yancy Gates decking Kenny Frease and Cheikh Mbodj following up with an Ndamukong Suh-esque stomp to Frease's head. There was also the bright idea to allow Holloway and Mark Lyons to speak to the media in the aftermath of the fight, and that clearly didn't go well. Per NCAA rules the three players ejected for fighting (Gates and Mbodj for Cincinnati, Wells for Xavier) will sit out their team's next game but it's clear that one game won't be enough for many of the players involved. It will be interesting to see how the schools and their respective conferences hand out discipline for this disgraceful showing.

3. UNLV can't get their tempo going in a loss at Wisconsin.
Few people expected Dave Rice's Runnin' Rebels to be able to go into the Kohl Center and play the fast tempo that they prefer. Wisconsin's just that good at controlling the flow of the game thanks to Bo Ryan's system, and that ultimately resulted in a 62-51 Badger victory. Jordan Taylor scored just four points and missed all ten of his shots from the field, but the Rebels couldn't take advantage due to their own poor shooting. Removing Chace Stanback (5-9 FG, 16 points), UNLV's starters made just seven of twenty-four shots from the field and as a team the Rebels were outscored by 15 points (30-15) from beyond the arc.

On the season Wisconsin scores 41% of their points from deep but on Saturday that number was up to 48%, and that's a number that can be tough to overcome when a team makes just 38% of their two-point shots as UNLV did. Ben Brust was outstanding off the bench as he made all seven of his three-point attempts in scoring a game-high 25 points. Brust gives the Badgers a scoring punch off the bench that they haven't had especially in the backcourt, and if he can continue to provide that Wisconsin has a weapon that teams will find difficult to match. But even with Brust's play UNLV has to assign more blame to their own offensive performance for the defeat.

4. Draymond Green leads Michigan State to a good road win at Gonxaga.
One thing that's been quite apparent over the last year plus is just how good of a leader Michigan State senior forward Draymond Green is. And with the young team that Tom Izzo has this season it's imperative that Green continue to carry the load in that area, which he's done all season long. The Spartans' leader in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals was outstanding in their 74-67 win at Gonzaga, scoring 34 points while providing great on-court leadership. As a team Michigan State shot 54.2% from the field and assisted on 18 of their 26 made baskets while Gonzaga's assist/turnover split (nine assists, 20 turnovers) played a big role in their demise. Also of import was the defense that Michigan State played in slowing down Elias Harris and Kevin Pangos, who shot a combined 5-for-19 from the field. But all that together and you end up with one of the more impressive road victories of the season to date.

5. Saint Joseph's hands #17 Creighton their first loss of the season.
There was no doubting the fact that Phil Martelli's improved Hawks had a shot to knock off undefeated Creighton going into Saturday's matinee. And thanks to Carl Jones, who scored a game-high 29 points, the Hawks got the job done by the final score of 80-71. Doug McDermott led Creighton with yet another double-double as he finished with 26 points and ten rebounds, but the Bluejay reserves were outscored 20-6 by the Saint Joseph's tandem of Ronald Roberts Jr. (12 points) and Chris Wilson (eight). Add in the fact that the Hawks attempted 23 more free throws (making 19 to Creighton's six) and it's pretty easy to see why the home team won. The Hawks' offensive numbers were significantly better than what the Bluejays allow on the average this season, and they've played much improved basketball when compared to 2010-11. Just another good non-conference win for the Atlantic 10, one of the leagues likely to profit from a down Pac-12 come March.

Quick Hitters

1. Duke had the look of a marathoner who got off to a fast start only to hold on for dear life towards the end as cramping set in with their 86-80 win over Washington. Austin Rivers scored 18 points and Andre Dawkins added 17 off the bench, but Washington's Tony Wroten was a major player in the Huskies' comeback with 23 points.

2. Don't look now but Columbia has now won seven straight thanks to their 63-53 win over NEC favorite LIU. Mark Cisco and John Daniels scored 12 points apiece and defensively the Lions limited LIU to 36.4% shooting from the field. And this has happened with Norwua Agho missing the last nine games with a torn patellar tendon.

3. Nick Johnson scored 14 points and Solomon Hill 13 in Arizona's 63-47 win over Clemson in a game that also featured the return of point guard Josiah Turner. Turner finished with six points and five turnovers in 17 minutes of action, but if Sean Miller can get him to buy in the Wildcats will be one of the favorites in the Pac-12.

4. Ramone Moore scored 32 points and grabbed six rebounds in Temple's 78-67 win over Villanova. Maalik Wayns, Dominic Cheek and Mouphtaou Yarou scored 47 of the Wildcats' 67 points on the afternoon, and to be frank if they don't get contributions from the supporting cast it could be tough for Jay Wright's team to grab an 8th straight NCAA Tournament bid.

5. Lazeric Jones led four UCLA players in double figures with 21 points as the Bruins beat Penn 77-73 in their first game post-Reeves Nelson. Penn's field goal (44.8%) and effective field goal (55.2%) percentages were actually improvements for UCLA defensively when looking at their season averages. The chemistry may be better without Nelson but talent-wise there's still a long way to go for Ben Howland's team.

6. While Tennessee won't be a national contender, Austin Peay picked up an important 74-70 win in Knoxville. Josh Terry scored 20 points and TyShawn Edmondson added 19 off the bench as the Governors picked up their second win of the season. Dave Loos' team can still be a factor in the OVC despite the slow start.

7. Jarrod Jones scored 21 points and his jumper with 48 seconds remaining proved to be the difference in Ball State's 58-55 home win over Butler. As for the Bulldogs, outside of Khyle Marshall (9-15 FG, 21 points) the team shot 11-for-40 from the field. Brad Stevens needs guys to step up as consistent offensive options if Butler is to be a contender in the Horizon League.

Five Notable Performances

1. G/F Alex Young (IUPUI)
43 points (14-20 FG), nine rebounds and three steals in the Jaguars' 84-76 win over Western Kentucky.

2. F Javon McCrea (Buffalo)
29 points (14-17 FG), 13 rebounds and three steals in the Bulls' 80-72 win over Youngstown State.

3. F Draymond Green (Michigan State)
34 points (11-13 FG), three assists and three steals in Michigan State's 74-67 win over Gonzaga.

4. G Damian Lillard (Weber State)
Lillard bounced back from an off night at BYU with 31 points (9-15 FG), nine assists and three rebounds in the Wildcats' 84-66 win over Southern Utah.

5. G Bryce Cotton (Providence)
34 points (11-16 FG) and three rebounds inthe Friars' 72-61 win over Brown.

MAC Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:33:55 -0800

Akron is the favorite after winning 23 games last year, but just about everyone in the dominant East Division has a chance to make some noise.

Conference Rank: 17th

10 year average: 13th

MAC Conference Page

All-MAC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Rodney Pierce	Buffalo	Sr
G	Darion Anderson	Northern Illinois	Jr
G/F	David Kool	Western Mich.	Jr
F	Brandon Bowdry	Eastern Mich.	Jr
F	Jarrod Jones	Ball State	So

Player of the Year - Rodney Pierce
CHN Award Winners		Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Darion Anderson Rodney Pierce		Best Scorer: David Kool Best Rebounder: Brandon Bowdry Best Passer: Joe Jakubowski

MAC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

68	Akron	MAC	1	NCAA
82	Buffalo	MAC	2	NIT
104	Kent State	MAC	3	CBI/CIT
128	Bowling Green	MAC	4
184	Ohio	MAC	5
199	Miami (OH)	MAC	6
232	Central Michigan	MAC	7
266	Ball State	MAC	8
289	Northern Illinois	MAC	9
311	Eastern Michigan	MAC	10
318	Western Michigan	MAC	11
341	Toledo	MAC	12

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the MAC?

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

MAC Preseason Poll & Awards

Press Release — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:54:36 -0700

CLEVELAND - Akron was predicted to finish first in the Mid-American Conference East Division in a poll of the league's media, the conference office announced on Oct 28.

Central Michigan was predicted to win the West Division, amassing 113 points and 10 first-place votes. Northern Illinois was picked to finish second with 102 points, while Eastern Michigan was forecast to finish third with 94 points. Ball State, Western Michigan and Toledo were picked to finish fourth, fifth and sixth in the West Division, respectively.

Five schools earned votes to win the MAC Tournament with Akron being the favorite with 19 votes. Buffalo received two votes, while Northern Illinois, Kent State and Bowling Green each received one.

MAC East Division Preseason Media Poll

1.       Akron – 190 points (19)

2.       Kent State – 108 points (3)

3.       Buffalo – 97 points (1)

4.       Miami – 78 points

5.       Bowling Green – 54 points (1)

6.       Ohio – 32 points

MAC West Division Preseason Media Poll

1.       Central Michigan – 113 points (10)

2.       Northern Illinois – 102 points (4)

3.       Eastern Michigan – 94 points (3)

4.       Ball State – 87 points (3)

5.       Western Michigan – 79 points (4)

6.       Toledo – 29 points

(1st place votes in parentheses)

Tournament Winner: Akron (19), Buffalo (2), Northern Illinois (1), Kent State (1), Bowling Green (1)

East Division All-MAC Preseason Team

Kenny Hayes, G, Miami

Brett McKnight, F, Akron

Rodney Pierce, G, Buffalo

Chris Singletary, G, Kent State

Anthony “Humpty” Hitches, G, Akron

West Division All-MAC Preseason Team

David Kool, G, Western Michigan

Jarrod Jones, F/C, Ball State

Brandon Bowdry, F, Eastern Michigan

Darion “Jake” Anderson, G, Northern Illinois

Carlos Medlock, G, Eastern Michigan

Poll: Who Will Win the MAC?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:49:07 -0700

The Ultimate Schedule: MAC West

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:09:02 -0700

MAC Scheduling “Rules”:

- Four non-conference games

- Eight conference games (five within the division)

- Marathon MAC Football Championship Game (December 4^th in Detroit)

Week 1: Western Michigan @ Michigan (September 5^th)

The Wolverines have made news in advance of the season opener due to head coach Rich Rodriguez’s proclamation that three quarterbacks will see time. If that’s for game plan reasons or the fact that none of the three (Tate Forcier, Nick Sheridan and Denard Robinson) has separated from the others then OK. But if it’s a case of overconfidence, thinking that the visit from the Broncos is nothing more than a formality they’d better talk to their conference brethren in Champaign. Bill Cubit’s team should not be overlooked, especially with QB Tim Hiller throwing and RB Brandon West throwing the football. If the Broncos can find ample replacements for the eight departed starters on defense look out.

Other Games Considered: Central Michigan @ Arizona (9/5), Toledo @ Purdue (9/5)

Week 2: Central Michigan @ Michigan State (September 12^th)

Another matchup between Michigan schools, with the task being far tougher for the Chippewas. Michigan State is picked by many to finish third in the Big Ten despite the loss of RB Javon Ringer. The Spartans have one of the better defenses in the conference with LB Greg Jones leading the way, and Mark Dantonio’s team doesn’t shy away from physical football. How well Butch Jones’ team deals with the hard-nosed style of play will dictate the flow of the game. If the Chippewas can keep the ball in the hands of Dan LeFevour and control the tempo they can win. If they allow the Spartans to slug away at will, it will be a long day in East Lansing.

Other Game Considered: Western Michigan @ Indiana (9/12)

Week 3: Northern Illinois @ Purdue (September 19^th)

Another Big Ten matchup, and just like Western’s opener at Michigan the visiting team has more than a puncher’s chance to leave with the victory. The Boilermakers, in their first season under Danny Hope, lost quite a bit on both sides of the football and were picked to finish tenth in the Big Ten this season. Jerry Kill’s Huskies have more than enough defense to compete for the division crown; whether or not they’re truly a part of the race with CMU and WMU will depend largely upon the improvements made on offense. Can NIU keep up with a team that likes to put the ball in the air like Purdue? It’s a pretty good test considering what they’ll go up against in conference play.

Other Games Considered: Ball State @ Army (9/19), Toledo vs. Ohio State (9/19 in Cleveland), Miami @ Western Michigan (9/19)

Week 4: Ball State @ Auburn (September 26^th)

The final Saturday in September sends Stan Parrish’s Cardinals to The Plains to take on an Auburn program in transition. Gene Chizik replaced the resigned Tommy Tuberville, and it too a little while for some natives to accept the fact that Auburn hired a man who was 5-19 in two years at Iowa State. Better athletes and a better recruiting base should help his cause in getting the Tigers back to competing for SEC championships. As for Parrish, who was the offensive coordinator last season, he’ll have to break in a new quarterback in Kelly Page but RB MiQuale Lewis does return. It’ll be too much to ask of the Cardinals to win at Auburn, but they could hang around for a bit.

Other Games Considered: Akron @ Central Michigan (9/26), Toledo @ FIU (9/26)

Week 5: Western Michigan @ Northern Illinois (October 3^rd)

If the Huskies want to entertain any thoughts of winning the division they’ll need to defend their home turf when the Broncos roll into DeKalb. WMU won last year’s meeting by just three points despite the fact that the Huskies were breaking in a new quarterback and getting used to a new head coach. Now Jerry Kill can look at QB Chandler Harnish and know that he’s got enough experience to take the next step in his development. The Broncos have won the last three meetings, but each game has been tight and they were outgained by NIU in the last meeting. The winner takes a big step towards competing for a MAC title while the loser falls behind the 8-ball early.

Other Games Considered: Central Michigan @ Buffalo (10/3), Toledo @ Ball State (10/3)

Week 6: Ball State @ Temple (October 10^th)

This is a crossover game that has the chance to be a pretty good one. The two have never met, with Temple just joining the conference in 2007. Ball State has been the best road team in the conference over the past couple of seasons, winning nine straight MAC road contests. If the Owls are to win they’ll have to get more from an offense that ranked dead last in the MAC in total offense in 2008 while Ball State will hope for good play from a defense that returns seven starters. While Temple has hopes of possibly winning the East the Cardinals will hope to reach bowl eligibility.

Other Games Considered: Western Michigan @ Toledo (10/10), Eastern Michigan @ Central Michigan (10/10)

Week 7: Central Michigan @ Western Michigan (October 17^th)

As soon as the media picks for the conference were released this game became the “Game of the Year” within the West Division. The Chippewas won last year’s meeting by ten (38-28) despite Tim Hiller throwing for nearly 500 yards. Western really has no problem putting the ball in the air, but if they can’t get anything out of Brandon West and the running game they become a little too one-dimensional (49 yards rushing against CMU in 2008). If the Broncos can get some balance they’ve got a chance to end their three-game skid in the series. If not, look for the Chippewas to cement themselves as the favorite in the division.

Other Games Considered: Northern Illinois @ Toledo (10/17), Bowling Green @ Ball State (10/17)

Week 8: Buffalo @ Western Michigan (October 24^th)

Depending on what happens in their respective big divisional games (Buffalo at Temple, WMU at Central Michigan) this could be a preview of the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game in December. Of the four teams that received votes to win the MAC only the Bulls play all three (Temple, Central Michigan and Western Michigan), and by this point in the season Turner Gill’s team will have seen them all. The Broncos won last season’s meeting in overtime thanks to 345 yards through the air and a defense that limited Buffalo to just 164 yards through the air. WMU will look to control things through the air; if Buffalo can limit that they’ll have a chance to win at Waldo Stadium.

Week 9: Bye Week (October 31^st)

While there are a few intriguing games on the schedule for this weekend it’s a good time to take a week off to prepare for the stretch run. The best conference games look to be Western Michigan visiting Kent State and Ball State hosting Ohio, while Central Michigan gets an upset opportunity at Boston College.

Week 10: Eastern Michigan @ Northern Illinois (November 5^th)

The Eagles are the one team we haven’t seen to this point in the season so it’s a good opportunity to check out Ron English’s program on a Thursday night in DeKalb. EMU was embarrassed at home in last season’s meeting, losing 37-0 while allowing the Huskies to rush for 235 yards. Of the three teams picked in the top half of the division the Huskies may be the team that the Eagles can hang with longer than anticipated. When the Huskies win in this series they tend to blow out EMU; the Eagles won 21-19 in 2007 and with seventeen starters back they could very well make things interesting.

Other Game Considered: Western Michigan @ Michigan State (11/7)

Week 11: Toledo @ Central Michigan (November 11^th)

The Chippewas escaped Toledo last season with a 24-23 win, a departure from the 2007 meeting that saw the Rockets get their doors blown off in the fourth quarter. Rover Barry Church, who seems to have been around for about ten years, will lead a defense for new head coach Tim Beckman that returns seven starters. In regards to the series the Chips have won four straight after losing ten straight to the Rockets, a streak that coincided with the year (2005) in which Brian Kelly got things headed in the right direction in Mount Pleasant. Hopefully for CMU Dan LeFevour will be healthy; last year’s meeting came in between games the senior missed due to injury. The Rockets have a senior quarterback of their own in Aaron Opelt, and while he isn’t considered to be the caliber of LeFevour, he is a capable decision-maker.

Other Games Considered: Ball State @ Northern Illinois (12/12), Western Michigan @ Eastern Michigan (12/14)

Week 12: Northern Illinois @ Ohio (November 21^st)

We’ve got one more attractive crossover game…that is if you’re a fan of strong running games and solid defense. The last meeting was actually a high-scoring affair, but it’s hard to expect both teams to light up the scoreboard this time around. Ohio QB Theo Scott missed most of 2008 due to a broken collarbone suffered in the season opener, giving Boo Jackson the keys to the offense. There still hasn’t been a decision on who the starter will be but Frank Solich does have two players with experience from which to choose. NIU QB Chandler Harnish should also perform better with a season under his belt, a development that should increase the production of the Husky offense. Not sure how many points will be scored, but expect nothing to be decided until the fourth quarter.

Other Games Considered: Central Michigan @ Ball State (11/18), Eastern Michigan @ Toledo (11/20)

Week 13: Northern Illinois @ Central Michigan (November 27^th)

Just like the meeting between the Chippewas and Western Michigan in October, the season finale between CMU and the Huskies will go a long way in deciding who makes the voyage to Detroit. Central Michigan won last season’s meeting 33-30 in overtime, spoiling a furious NIU rally to tie the game at 30 with nineteen seconds remaining in regulation. CMU led 30-6 with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter yet needed a field goal from Andrew Aguila to seal the win. Dan LeFevour accounted for more than three hundred yards and four total touchdowns in the win, but it isn’t as if he wasn’t going to be the first line of the NIU scouting report anyway. Expect another entertaining contest, and this time there may be a lot more on the line.

Other Games Considered: Ball State @ Western Michigan (11/24), Toledo @ Bowling Green (11/27)

Week 14: Marathon MAC Football Championship Game (December 4^th in Detroit)

The conference gets the Friday night spotlight to itself on Championship Weekend, and the pick here is for Central Michigan to close out Dan LeFevour’s career with a conference title. Look for the Chippewas to dethrone reigning champion Buffalo at Ford Field.

MAC Football Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:50:19 -0700

Can the Bulls repeat as champions?

By Raphielle Johnson

2008 saw the completion to one of the biggest turnarounds in recent college football history, with Turner Gill leading the Buffalo Bulls from the dregs of college football to the top of the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls knocked off Ball State in the conference championship game, earning a trip to the International Bowl. They may have lost that game and starting quarterback Drew Willy (graduation), but most importantly they did not lose Coach Gill.

Despite a few interview opportunities he’ll be right back on the sidelines, hoping that players such as WR Naaman Roosevelt and RB Brandon Thermilus (James Starks will likely miss the entire season due to a torn labrum in his shoulder) can lead the Bulls to another title. Zack Maynard takes over for Willy under center, and while he’s got many options to go to with the football he’ll also have to deal with three new starters on the offensive line. Defensively, look for the Bulls to be one of the conference’s stronger units with nine starters returning. The key for Buffalo: avoiding a “hangover” following a season of success the likes of which hadn’t been seen at UB for a very long time.

Their biggest challenger in the East could very well be Temple, another program looking to drag itself up from the bottom of college football. Al Golden’s team went 5-7 in his first year in Philadelphia, but they did win four league games. Adam DiMichele has graduated, but the Owls do have quarterbacks with starting experience in Vaughn Charlton and Chester Stewart. Outside of quarterback the Owls are a solid football team featuring a number of young yet talented options on both sided of the football. Far more competitive than people expected them to be last season, Temple has the talent to challenge the Bulls and possibly win the conference.

Ohio, Akron and Bowling Green could slot in behind those two in any given order, but good luck figuring out which of the three would have the best chance to shove their way into the top two. Ohio will always run the ball and play sound football under Frank Solich, but the growth of the passing game will determine whether or not the Bobcats can win the division. JD Brookhart’s Akron Zips return nine starters on offense with QB Chris Jacquemain leading the way. But in order for Akron to put together their first winning season since 2005 a defense that finished tenth in the MAC in total defense must improve.

Bowling Green welcomes a new head coach in Dave Clawson, who was extremely successful at Richmond before taking over as offensive coordinator at Tennessee in 2008. He will have some dependable options on offense in QB Tyler Sheehan and WR Freddie Barnes to work with, but there will be some work to do defensively. A unit that ranked second in the conference in total defense returns just three starters and have to replace all-conference DE Diyral Briggs.

Kent State is another team to keep an eye on, with the Golden Flashes returning fifteen starters, led by the diminutive yet productive RB Eugene Jarvis. Jarvis rushed for just over eight hundred yards in 2008, missing three games due to injury. His health becomes even more important due to the graduation of QB Julian Edelman. Four starters are back on the offensive line, and the defense returns starters at all three levels. The wildcard in regards to their contention for a division crown will be the play of sophomore QB Giorgio Morgan; if he can play mistake-free football the Golden Flashes have a chance to earn their first winning season since 2001.

Miami of Ohio also has a new head coach in Mike Haywood, and he’ll have quite the rebuilding job to do in Oxford. The Redhawks have a proud football history but they’ve finished 2-10 in two of the last three seasons. Senior Daniel Raudabaugh returns to lead the offense, and that unit ranked ahead of only Temple in total offense. The Redhawks weren’t much better defensively, ranking ninth in the conference in total defense. Just five starters return to that unit, led by three returnees in the secondary.

In the West, it’ll most likely be a two-horse race between Central Michigan and Western Michigan. The Chippewas return the conference’s best quarterback in Dan LeFevour, and head coach Butch Jones also has receivers Kito Poblah, Bryan Anderson and Antonio Brown back in the fold. But the Chips have just one starter back on the offensive line, and the fact that they have ten starters back on defense is undermined by the fact that CMU was dead last in the conference in total defense last season. If the defense can round into shape they’ve got a chance to get through a tough early-season schedule and get back to the top of the MAC.

As for the Broncos, they’ve got some holes to fill defensively but the offense is in good hands thanks to the return of all five starters on the offensive line and QB Tim Hiller. Hiller threw for 286.5 yards per game in 2008, tops in the conference by thirty yards per game. Brandon West will be back for one more run as well, hoping to improve upon numbers that ranked him sixth in the conference in rushing yards a season ago. The Broncos were fourth in the MAC in total offense but just eighth in total defense. That number has to improve if they’re to win the conference this season.

Northern Illinois was the worst offensive team in the conference yet still reached a bowl game in the first season under Jerry Kill due to a defense that finished tops in the conference by nearly fifty yards per game. Defensive end Larry English is now in the NFL and just four starters return on defense, but things may be looking up for the offense. QB Chandler Harnish started ten games as a freshman and is one of seven starters back on that side of the football. If the NIU offense can make some strides they’ll be in the running for third place in the West.

Toledo, Ball State and Eastern Michigan all welcome new head coaches in 2009, with the Rockets having the best chance of finishing in the top half the of the division. New head coach Tim Beckman takes over a team that returns sixteen starters, including QB Aaron Opelt and running backs Morgan Williams and DaJuane Collins. Growing pains could be more plentiful for Ball State’s Stan Parrish and Eastern Michigan’s Ron English. The Cardinals have just four starters back on an offense that led the MAC in total offense a season ago. The load will become heavier for RB MiQuale Lewis with the loss of QB Nate Davis and four starters on the offensive line.

As for EMU the program has won four games in a season three times this decade. That’s the high-water mark for the perennial MAC doormat, something the former defensive coordinator at Louisville hopes to change. Seventeen starters return to Ypsilanti, including nine to an offense that ranked third in the MAC last season. But no matter how many yards Andy Schmitt threw for the Eagles struggled to win games due to a porous defense. Schmitt did lead the Eagles to an upset win over the Chippewas in the season finale, throwing for 516 yards and five touchdowns in the 56-52 stunner. In the final two games of the season Schmitt attempted 76 (Temple) and 80 (CMU) passes; if he has to do that this year the Eagles will more than likely fail to surpass their three-win total of 2008.

As for who wins the MAC title look for Central Michigan’s defense to show signs of improvement, winning the conference provided LeFevour stay healthy. If not, the door opens for either Buffalo or Western Michigan to grab the title. But rest assured it will be another season of wild games and surprising results in the Mid-American Conference.

Storyline: Offense vs. defense. The Bulls are pretty solid on both sides of the football, but the other major contenders need to make improvements on either the offensive (Temple) or defensive (CMU, WMU) side of the football.

Players of the Year: QB Tim Hiller (Western Michigan) and LB Nick Bellore (Central Michigan)

How they’ll finish

East 1. Buffalo West 1. Central Michigan

2. Temple 2. Western Michigan

3. Ohio 3. Northern Illinois

4. Akron 4. Toledo

5. Kent State 5. Ball State

6. Bowling Green 6. Eastern Michigan

7. Miami (Ohio)

Next: MAC East and West ultimate schedules

MAC Tournament: Pairings & Schedule

Press Release — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:28:05 -0700

2009 FirstEnergy MAC Men's Basketball Tournament

Tuesday, March 10 - First Round
No. 7 Central Michigan vs. No. 10 Eastern Michigan, Noon
No. 6 Kent State vs. No. 11 Northern Illinois, 2 p.m.*
No. 8 Western Michigan vs. No. 9 Ohio, 4 p.m.*
No. 5 Akron vs. No. 12 Toledo, 6 p.m.*

Thursday, March 12 - Quarters
No. 2 Ball State vs. No. 7/No. 10 Winner, Noon (FS Ohio)
No. 3 Buffalo vs. No. 6/No.11 Winner, 2:30 p.m.* (FS Ohio)
No. 1 Bowling Green vs. No. 8/No. 9 Winner, 7 p.m. (FS Ohio)
No. 4 Miami vs. No. 5/No. 12 Winner, 9:30 p.m.* (FS Ohio)

Friday, March 13 - Semis
No. 2/7/10 vs. No. 3/6/11 Winner,7:30 p.m. (FS Ohio)
No. 1/8/9 vs. No. 4/5/12 Winner, 9:30 p.m.(FS Ohio)

Saturday, March 14
Championship Game (ESPN2), 8 p.m. EST

*or 30 minutes following previous game

Cheerleader of the Day: Ball State

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 11:10:51 -0800

Cheerleader of the Day

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, CHN has access to thousands of great college & NBA basketball photos. Each day, along with our daily Big Picture, we'll be featuring a Cheerleader (or Dancer) of the Day.

BALL STATE

- Check out past Cheerleaders of the Day!

- Also check out the Picture of the Day!

- Watch all of CHN's favorite College Basketball Videos!

College Football: Tostitos Fiesta and GMAC Previews

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:56:34 -0800

Seemed like just another Sunday before the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl within the college football world, with the focus going to the NFL Playoffs and college basketball. Well, the NFL brought college football into the news in a way that has to be a shock to some. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the powers that be at Boston College have thrown a possible deterrent to head coach Jeff Jagodzinski interviewing with the Jets on Monday in regards to their head coach opening: if he goes through with the interview he'll possibly lose his job. Not sure if this has ever been done, although I do recall St. John's letting Fran Fraschilla go instead of giving him a raise to ward off New Mexico some years ago.

The other interesting bit of news in regards to the coaching situation at BC is who's expected to take over should Coach Jags be let go: offensive coordinator Steve Logan. He's got the head coaching experience, having run the program at East Carolina before he was replaced by Skip Holtz. What about defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani, who's been in Chestnut Hill for about a decade? Coach Spaziani could have gone to NC State with Tom O'Brien when he took that job, but he stayed true to BC. Of course more will come out regarding this situation within the next 24-48 hours, but things suddenly don't look so stable for a program that has played in the last two ACC Championship games.

But it's back to the business of finishing off the bowl season, which most recently has seen both USC and Utah make statements as to why they should be considered for the top spot in the AP poll (the Coaches' Poll is obligated to vote the winner of the BCS Championship Game #1), and Connecticut's Donald Brown topped 2,000 yards on a day in which some had to wonder how this guy wasn't a finalist for the Doak Walker Award. Monday night brings a matchup in the desert between two of the game's most storied programs, one that most likely won't be the blowout that many are predicting. The next night's game in Mobile promises to light up the scoreboard with two of college football's most prolific offensive attacks and two of the nation's best quarterbacks. Here's a preview of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and the GMAC Bowl.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #10 Ohio State vs. #3 Texas, Monday 8 PM on Fox

It's rare that you see a program the caliber of Ohio State in the role of underdog, but that's where they find themselves heading into the Fiesta Bowl. Despite yet another Big Ten title (a share this season, with Penn State winning the head-to-head tiebreaker) and another trip to a BCS bowl game, the Buckeye seniors have had to defend their program and their legacy heading into this game. Seems that all anyone wants to bring up are the two straight losses in national title games to SEC opponents and the 35-3 beating they took at USC back in September. So even though they've accomplished many great things and have some trophies to show for it, Ohio State goes into this game having to not only defend what they've done but also change the perceptions of their program and league. Slow, plodding...they can't possibly keep up with the best that the rest of the nation has to offer.

But take a look at that defense, which is one of the country's best and bound to give Texas QB Colt McCoy and company some trouble in Glendale. Linebackers James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, along with Thorpe Award-winning corner Malcolm Jenkins, have the ability and savvy to throw a monkey wrench into the Longhorn plans of showing the nation that they should be number one, not Oklahoma (should the Sooners win on Thursday). There's experience on both sides of the football, including a running back in Beanie Wells who may very well be playing his final game in the Scarlet and Gray and a solid offensive line. The one question mark could be how Terrelle Pryor handles his first bowl game, but the overall experience of this team should keep him under control.

The issue for Ohio State is a simple one: how do they plan to contain Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo, without a doubt the country's best defensive lineman? With him on one end and (in passing downs) Sergio Kindle on the other, their speed on the edge could make things rather difficult for the Buckeyes. The one area of weakness for the Longhorn defense is their incredibly young secondary, who despite defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's group leading the nation in sacks (and the Big 12 in rush defense) ranked just eighth in the Big 12 in pass defense (266.3 yards/game). Ohio State isn't a passing juggernaut, but receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline can get some things done in this game.

The task for the Buckeye defense isn't as simple as shutting down Colt McCoy, who is also the leading rusher for Mack Brown. Receivers Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley are capable of challenging Jenkins in the passing game, something that few teams they've faced have even attempted to do. And it isn't just McCoy on the ground for the Longhorns, with Chris Ogbonnaya, Fozzy Whitaker and Vondrell McGee also contributing to the Big 12's fourth-best rush offense. This game should be closer than Big Ten critics think, but in the end it'll be the Longhorns who get the job done, despite a disadvantage in the stands.

GMAC Bowl: #22 Ball State vs. Tulsa, Tuesday 8 PM on ESPN

This game stands to be an entertaining one, with quarterbacks David Johnson (Tulsa) and Nate Davis (Ball State) poised to put up some big numbers in Mobile. Both teams are coming off of disappointing losses in their respective conference title games, but the Cardinals will have to deal with the added distraction of head coach Brady Hoke accepting the San Diego State job. Turnovers will tell the tale in this game, with the two teams combining for twelve turnovers in their last game (seven for the Golden Hurricane). Tulsa blew out Bowling Green 63-7 in last season's GMAC Bowl, but they should get a test in this one.

But for as good as the quarterbacks are in this game, don't forget about running backs Tarrion Adams (Tulsa) and Miquale Lewis (Ball State), two of the best in their respective leagues. The defenses will be challenged, but the Cardinals may have a slight edge in that department due in large part to a pass defense that has given up just over 206 yards per game. Unfortunately for them, they could give that up by halftime in this one. Look for a win for the Golden Hurricane, a good way to celebrate head coach Todd Graham's recent contract extension.

College Football: Western Michigan @ #15 Ball State Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:44:41 -0800

The undefeated Ball State Cardinals still have a bit of business to take care of in their regular season finale. Brady Hoke's team still hasn't clinched a spot in the MAC Championship Game, which would come with a victory over Western Michigan tonight in Muncie (7 PM ESPN2). The winner heads to Detroit on December 5th, while the loser would be at the mercy of the powers that be in regards to team selection for bowl games. QB Nate Davis has been explosive in leading one of the nation's best passing attacks, and the Broncos will most certainly have their hands full on defense. But Bill Cubit has an outstanding quarterback of his own in Tim Hiller, who a few weeks back lit up Illinois in Detroit to knock off the Illini. Both signal-callers will put up solid numbers, but Coach Hoke has the better team and will clinch the championship game berth.

Navy @ Northern Illinois 7 PM on ESPN Classic

While this game amounts to both an opportunity for a seventh win and a tune-up heading into their battle with rival Army next weekend for Navy, the objective for the Huskies is far more simple: a seventh win gives them a shot at a bowl berth. With NIU in a division with Ball State, Central Michigan and Western Michigan it'll be a tough proposition anyway, but with just six wins they'd essentially have no argument at all in regards to a bowl berth. Jerry Kill's team has struggled on offense, but thanks to the top defense in the MAC they still have six wins on the year. And that unit will have to be at its best to slow down the Midshipmen's high-powered rushing attack, led currently by RB Shun White and QB Ricky Dobbs. In last season's 35-24 win in Annapolis Navy ran for 360 yards. Expect more of the same in a close Midshipmen victory.

Coaching Changes

The following schools have relieved head coaches of their duties in the past few days:

Eastern Michigan (Jeff Genyk), San Diego State (Chuck Long), Utah State (Brent Guy) and Wyoming (Joe Glenn). Bill Snyder will return to Kansas State to replace the recently dismissed Ron Prince.