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MAC Basketball Week In Review: Eight Games? That's All?

Final exam week is always a light schedule, but the MAC came out on top in five of the eight scheduled contests — six if you want to count UMass over Northern Illinois. Teams are sorted by win-loss record.

Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Toledo 9-0 RPI: 63 BBState: 8
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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