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| Toledo | 9-0 | RPI: 63 | BBState: 8 |
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LAST WEEK (W) Sam Houston State, 77-61 THIS WEEK Tuesday: vs. Arkansas State Saturday: vs. Cleveland State |
SHSU was just their third true home game, not counting non-D1 contests, and they've won by margins of 16, 16 and 10 points. They're looking like an undefeated team headed to Kansas at the end of the season. | ||
| Kent State | 8-2 | RPI: 125 | BBState: 74 |
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LAST WEEK None THIS WEEK Saturday: at Charleston |
Based on their success so far this year, they look like another team that should hit the 20-win mark. Just once, it would be nice for the rest of the MAC if they just had a dismal season. We would all be in shock. | ||
| Ohio | 7-2 | RPI: 82 | BBState: 64 |
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LAST WEEK (W) Alabama A&M, 72-47 THIS WEEK Wednesday: vs. UMass |
I really hope too many Ohio fans haven't deluded themselves into thinking they, of all teams, are going to hand UMass their first loss. Bless them for believing, though. | ||
| Eastern Michigan | 6-3 | RPI: 95 | BBState: 71 |
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LAST WEEK (W) Green Bay, 67-58 THIS WEEK Saturday: at Oakland |
The Green Bay game was a solid victory, and one that probably gauges how good they probably are. They're at the top of the MAC. After this Oakland game that they oughta win, they torture themselves with trips to Duke and Syracuse, because sometimes Rob Murphy never learns. | ||
| Western Michigan | 5-3 | RPI: 237 | BBState: 212 |
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LAST WEEK None THIS WEEK Sunday: at Missouri (ESPNU) Wednesday: at Drake Saturday: vs. Prairie View A&M |
Missouri: because someone has to show up to big schools and pad their undefeated records. I'm not saying WMU will win, but they're the kind of gutty team that can at least make it close. The stopover to Drake won't be kind to them either. The Prairie View game will be their last of the 2013 calendar year. | ||
| Central Michigan | 6-4 | RPI: 286 | BBState: 169 |
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LAST WEEK (L) Dayton, 84-58 THIS WEEK Tuesday: at Jacksonville State |
Outmatched against Dayton, sure. But if the fans aren't at least a little optimistic about sophomore Chris Fowler, then they're not paying attention. (They're probably not paying attention.) | ||
| Akron | 3-2 | RPI: 42 | BBState: 103 |
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LAST WEEK (W) Bethune-Cookman, 84-56 THIS WEEK Monday: vs. Oral Roberts Wednesday: vs. Detroit |
They are finally back on a pace of playing about one game per week. They have six games in the next three weeks. How are they even going to manage? | ||
| Buffalo | 4-3 | RPI: 233 | BBState: 170 |
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LAST WEEK (L) Canisius, 69-55 THIS WEEK Saturday: vs. Manhattan |
Jarryn Skeete went 0-for-8, 0-for-6 on three-pointers and had zero points against crosstown Canisius. Sometimes it's better to pass. (And he did have four assists!) | ||
| Bowling Green | 4-5 | RPI: 162 | BBState: 164 |
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LAST WEEK (W) North Dakota, 79-69 THIS WEEK Sunday: at Morehead State |
BGSU is also now an impressive 1-0 against basketball teams without official team nicknames. Morehead State also doesn't really need a nickname, but it's not what you think so the kids can watch. (Aside: 13 team blocks vs. North Dakota. Jiminy Christmas.) | ||
| Northern Illinois | 3-5 | RPI: 314 | BBState: 307 |
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LAST WEEK (L) UMass, 80-54 THIS WEEK Wednesday: at Loyola-Illinois |
The silver lining in the UMass game: it was a regulation basketball game and after its conclusion they didn't have to keep playing UMass. This Loyola game is more up their alley. | ||
| Ball State | 2-5 | RPI: 236 | BBState: 295 |
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LAST WEEK None THIS WEEK Tuesday: at Marquette (FS1) Saturday: at Southern Illinois |
Look, a national game! Just don't fold like a rusty card table against the Big East. Actually, rusty card tables can be tough to fold. New sports advice: be like a rusty card table. | ||
| Miami | 1-5 | RPI: 177 | BBState: 256 |
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LAST WEEK None THIS WEEK Sunday: vs. Wright State Wednesday: at UMKC Saturday: at Tennessee State |
The record's pretty shoddy, but it's been a tough schedule and their next four games are within the realm of winnable. Tennessee State — John Cooper's former school before coaching here — is currently 0-10. Time to see if this team's matured. | ||
| Massachusetts (Atlantic 10) | 9-0 | RPI: 1 | BBState: 4 |
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LAST WEEK (W) NIU, 80-54 THIS WEEK Wednesday at Ohio Saturday vs. Florida State |
The MAC portion of their schedule might start bringing them down, which is a shame. The Ohio game is a little tempting but in all reality they should have no problem with that one. | ||
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TOP MAC PERFORMANCES Richaun Holmes (BGSU): 21 points (7-10 FG, 7-8 FT), 14 rebounds, 7 blocks, 4 assists vs. North Dakota Demetrius Treadwell (Akron): 19 points (7-7 FG, 4-6 FT, 1-1 3PT), 4 rebounds, 2 steals vs. Bethune-Cookman Justin Drummond (Toledo): 18 points (7-10 FG, 3-6 FT, 1-2 3PT), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks vs. Sam Houston State Chris Fowler (CMU): 20 points (7-11 FG, 6-7 FT, 0-1 3PT), 5 assists, 2 rebounds vs. Dayton J.D. Weatherspoon (Toledo): 16 points (7-10 FG, 2-4 FT, 0-1 3PT), 6 rebounds, 3 assists vs. Sam Houston State Cameron Black (BGSU): 13 points (6-6 FG, 1-3 FT), 7 rebounds, 4 blocks vs. North Dakota Maurice Ndour (Ohio): 12 points (3-5 FG, 6-8 FT, 3-5 3PT), 6 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists, 2 steals vs. Alabama A&M |
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