Entering the third week of Mid-American Conference basketball, the season has started to unravel in its usual fashion. Projected division leaders are striving for the top spot while overlooked teams are vying to prove their worth.
As MAC teams have begun to settle into the rhythm of conference play, some have fared better than others.
Kent State 92, Bowling Green 87
Coming off a close victory against Miami, the Golden Flashes returned to their home court hungry for a victory against the Falcons.
After mounting an 18-point advantage at halftime, it seemed Kent State was on track for its second conference win. However, the Golden Flashes’ hopes of their sixth consecutive home victory were jeopardized when Bowling Green staged a 60-point second half.
The Falcons drew close in the final minutes of the game, but Kent State’s halftime cushion was enough to hold off the comeback.
Seniors Michael Porrini and Justin Greene led Kent State as the pair combined for 42 points and 10 boards.
“We have some senior leadership that I think has helped us in close games,” said Golden Flashes’ coach Rob Senderoff. “We have some veterans that have been through this before. Our kids seem to be grasping their roles and understanding what it takes to win.”
Miami 52, Buffalo 51
In an exciting back-and-forth game, the RedHawks scooped up their first MAC win of the season against the Bulls.
Neither team led by more than three points in the first half, and the Bulls took a three-point lead into the break.
The theme of the tight game continued after the break as Miami and Buffalo traded the advantage throughout the second half.
With the RedHawks leading 52-49 in the waning seconds of the game, Buffalo’s Dave Barnett missed a game-tying 3-point attempt. Javon McCrea tipped in the rebound on Barnett’s shot, but the basket was insignificant as Miami prevailed with a one-point victory.
Three RedHawks played the entire game. Among the group was MAC leading scorer Julian Mavunga, who was limited to eight points in the contest.
Eastern Michigan 51, Ball State 48
Knotted at 48 with two seconds to play in a tight ballgame, Eastern Michigan’s Antonio Green stepped to the three-point line and knocked down the game-winning basket to give the Eagles the three-point road win over the Cardinals.
Trailing by six heading into halftime, Eastern Michigan kept picked away at the deficit until they tied the game with less than two minutes remaining. Although they scored just 51 points, the Eagles were efficient in their shot selection, shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from behind the arc.
The Cardinals, who ended a four-game winning streak, also struggled offensively. Ball State finished with a 33.3 field goal percentage and shot 18.8 percent from 3-point range.
At 2-1 in conference play, Eastern Michigan looks ahead to an in-state contest with Western Michigan. The Broncos, also 2-1 in the MAC, are coming off a comfortable victory against Toledo.
mm938910@ohiou.edu
