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We're heading into the fourth week of MAC play and things are still really confusing. Not sure how much a game between two teams with 3-3 and 2-4 records will shed light on the state of the conference, but we may see a few things.
Ohio Bobcats
One thing that might be determined from this Tuesday night matchup is whether Ohio will even compete around the top of the MAC East. At 2-4 and behind four other East squads, Ohio comes in hurting after a listless performance in a 72-49 loss to Central Michigan. The Chippewas, who have struggled in their own right, made easy work of the Bobcats, holding the 'Cats to just 21 second half points.
Antonio Campbell was the lone Bobcat to have a not-too-terrible game with 17 points and 12 rebounds on a day where Ohio shot a paltry 36.5 percent from the floor and a kinda-gross 3-16 from beyond the arc.
Ohio needs Jaaron Simmons to respond after a bad performance last time out.
Gavin Block has played with energy since coming back from a hamstring industry, but the 'Cats will need Block's fellow freshman Jordan Dartis to reemerge as a scoring threat after sitting out with an injury of his own.
Toledo Rockets
Toledo comes off a loss too, a 58-49 setback to Northern Illinois, a team that has actually set its foot to and proven it's here to challenge for an NCAA tournament birth. So it's arguably a bit more understandable that Ohio failing to cross the 50 threshold against arguably the MAC's worst defense in CMU.
The Rockets shot a season-low 31.1 against the Huskies and were all kinds of clunky on offense and struggled to maintain possession of the basketball, turning it over 18 times.
With Nathan Boothe (19.5 ppg) and Jonathan Williams (17.5) likely rearing to respond after Saturday's loss, look for one of these two to have a good game. Does Boothe have the type of game that puts him at the front of the MAC West POTW award once more? If Boothe can get going early against Campbell, his influence could be big.
Where: Toledo, Ohio. Savage Arena
When: Tuesday, 7:00pm