MAC Basketball Review: Holy Heck NIU Almost Won

Milwaukee 59, NIU 57 — We all saw the score against Purdue. Well, most of us did. T'was going to be a long season for Mark Montgomery. And then this happened. After getting pelted by the Panthers in the first half, rummaging up a lead as big as 14, NIU stormed back in the second half to actually take a brief lead. (I know!) For the last 10 minutes it was anyone's game, and Antone Christian's last-gasp 3-point shot fell errant at the buzzer. All you can ask for of a basketball game is to have a shot of winning in the final minute — literal or figurative. They got it, and that's pretty cool. And they'd have done it against, essentially, the Horizon League's Akron.

Tim Toler finished with 11 points but Aksel Bolin and Abdel Nader were the scoring catalysts of the second half. Bolin's nine points were all after halftime, and also provided nine rebounds and four assists. So they remain winless, but maybe that'll show 'em that they can play tough against better competition.

Women's games:

EMU 110, Marygrove 31 — So, no more words about this one please. If you can help it.

Duquesne 90, Buffalo 46 — Okay, maybe they do miss Kourtney Brown. The Duchesses (not their actual nickname, but WHY ISN'T IT?) led 40-10 at halftime, nearly playing EMU to Buffalo's Marygrove. The Bulls turned it over 34 times, or 43 percent of the time, which'll take you out of any game. Ephesia Holmes had 10 points on just four shots to lead UB.

Today's men's games

10 a.m. — Kent State at WVU (ESPN) (ESPN3)
7 p.m. — Charlotte at CMU (MAC Sports Livestream)
7 p.m. — Dayton at Miami (MAC Sports Livestream)
7 p.m. — Lamar at OHIO (MAC Sports Livestream)
8 p.m. — EMU at Texas Southern

Today's women's games

7 p.m. — Kent State at Robert Morris