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Open Chat: NIU-Akron highlights the day

Akron hosts Northern Illinois tonight. That should be fun, so why not join us and chat about it?

Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

The Mid-American Conference presents some super great shooty hoops tonight. Northern Illinois travels to the J.A.R. for what will surely be the night's best game when the Huskies face off with the Akron Zips.

Away Home Time Streaming
Ohio Toledo 7:00 ESPN3
Ball State Buffalo 7:00 ESPN3
Bowling Green Western Michigan 7:00 ESPN3
Eastern Michigan Kent State 7:00 Kent State All-Access
Central Michigan Miami 7:00

ESPN3

Northern Illinois Akron 7:00 GoZips.com

Akron has yet to lose a home game this season, going 9-0 in the J.A.R. in 2015-2016. The Zips sit at 4-2 in the MAC while NIU is riding a two-game winning streak, has won nine of its last 10, and has only fallen to Western in conference-play. We're going to be treated to Akron's well-rounded bunch against quite a fine defensive team in the Huskies. Good times await.

Ohio heads into Toledo where both teams are coming off losses. Both squads scored just 49 points in their Saturday game. Sitting in fifth place in the East, Ohio needs a win if it is to jump up in the standings. This is the type of loss that could spell disaster for Ohio, where a loss could set them further back in MAC tourney seeding.

Ball State has been just dandy since a loss to Ohio, and pulled out a remarkable (and surely controversial) win against Eastern. If Kiapway can carry some of the magic he had against the Eagles into this one, this could be fun. As far as Buffalo goes, they're a confusing bunch. The Bulls are coming off a mediocre performance in a loss to Western.

One week Bowling Green looks like it is among the three best teams in the conference. The next? Not so much. BG heads to Kalamazoo, where it'll be hard to win games for any MAC team this year, regardless of who it is.

Eastern Michigan has the chance to play spoiler a few days after a heartbreaking home loss. What's left to be seen is just how deep Raven Lee is into coach Rob Murphy's doghouse. If Lee can't get it done, look for James Thompson to really up his game to deal with a powerful group of Kent bigs. The Flashes are riding a win streak of four games. The upset is unlikely, but nuttier things are happening as this is written.

Central Michigan has the opportunity to surge after a dominant win over Ohio. Miami just wants its first win. Haven't RedHawks fans suffered enough?