MAC Basketball: Bowling Green vs. Eastern Michigan Open Thread

Let the #MACsketball begin! The 2014 Mid-American Conference basketball season tips off tonight with a full slate of six games, and we're live at the Stroh Center in Bowling Green, Ohio as the Eastern Michigan Eagles and Bowling Green Falcons help get the party started.

Eastern Michigan comes into the MAC opener with a record of 8-5. Their losses have come to some of the best teams in the country, though. They have road losses under their belt against Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse and Purdue. They also lost to Massachusetts. Of the Eagles' eight wins, three have come against non-Division I opponents: Albion, Concordia and Rochester College. The latter was their most recent game, as EMU won 92-54. However, the Eagles also have some very good wins, including three over Horizon League teams (Cleveland State, Green Bay, Oakland). Karrington Ward leads the team in scoring with 14.2 points per game; he also leads with 5.9 rebounds per game. DaShonte Riley is one of the best shot blockers in the country, as he averages three blocks per game.

Bowling Green started the season 1-3 but then won four of their next six games, including three in a row over North Dakota, Morehead State and Detroit. However, the Falcons have since lost two in a row by a combined eight points (46-43 at Wright State, 65-60 versus IPFW) and are now 6-7 for the season. Richaun Holmes (14.2 ppg) and Spencer Parker (13.0 ppg) lead the Falcons in scoring. Holmes adds 7.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game. Like Riley, Holmes is one of the top shot blockers in the country. Cameron Black provides 7.7 rebounds per game for good measure.

Here's our official preview for tonight's action.