Final installment of MAC basketball power rankings before the start of conference play!
It’s that time of year again, conference play is getting ready to begin in the Mid-American conference. When Akron and Bowling Green tip off conference play this Friday; keep in mind that the last nine weeks of non-conference play helped gear these teams up for the tough road that is to come. These power rankings serve as a final ranking of how the teams of the Mid-American conference faired in non-conference.
Matchup of the week: Â Miami (OH) vs. Buffalo (Jan. 4 – 1 p.m.)
Sneaky good matchup of the week:Â Ball State vs. Kent State (Jan. 4 – 1 p.m.)Â
All games listed are EST.
1. Kent State Golden Flashes
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 9-3
Last week: W vs. Heidelburg (84-80)
Next week: vs. Ball State (Jan.4 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
Kent State is at the number-one spot in our rankings for the second week in a row. This is despite getting off to a slow start last week against Heidelberg. The Golden Flashes’ trailed 42-36 at halftime to the division three school. The second half was more like the Kent State we have known all season, but they escaped with only a four-point win. Only three Golden Flashes’ were in double figures that game, but don’t push the panic button. Kent State has proven to be the best team in the MAC all season, and they get to prove that in their first conference battle of the season against the red hot Ball State Cardinals.
2. Akron Zips
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-)
Record: 7-4
Last week: N/A
Next week: at Princeton (Dec. 30 – 1 p.m.), at Bowling Green (Jan. 3 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: N/A
The Akron Zips are back in the number two spot for the second week in a row. Akron was just a hair away from getting back to the top of our list had Division Three Heidelberg done the unthinkable and knocked off Kent State. Like many teams in the MAC, the Zips are coming off a week of rest. However, before conference play begins; they’ll have their work cut out for them as they on one of the Ivy league’s best in Princeton. There really are no worries for Akron going into conference play. Tavari Johnson and Nate Johnson are all-mac candidates, and James A Rhodes Arena is one of the toughest places to play in the MAC.
3. Miami (OH) Redhawks
Last week’s ranking: 4 (+1)
Record: 7-4
Last week: N/A
Next week: vs. Defiance (Dec. 30 – 7 p.m.), vs. Buffalo (Jan. 4 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: at App State
Bad losses: vs. Wright State
The Miami (OH) Redhawks continue to wow the college basketball world as they move up to number three on our rankings. The Redhawks have won five of their last seven games, and that’s due in large part to the lethal scoring duo of Kam Craft and Peter Suder. The Redhawks are able to win when one of them is having an off night, but things get scary when they are both on point. They look to close out their non-conference schedule on a high note against Division Three Defiance.
4. Ohio Bobcats
Last week’s ranking: 7 (+3)
Record: 5-6
Last week: N/A
Next week: vs. Muskingum (Dec. 30 – 7 p.m.), at Central Michigan (Jan.4 – 7 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: Texas State
Despite not playing a single game last week, the Bobcats have managed to move up three spots on our list. The Bobcats have had an up-and-down season, which was not expected with their high preseason expectations. This is a team that is 0-4 on the road, but on the flip side is 4-0 at home. They will look to get their first road win of the season in their conference opener against Central Michigan. Despite the struggles, AJ Clayton has been a bright spot and is one of the best players in the MAC. When Clayton is dominant defensively and on the boards, it is hard to stop the Bobcats.
5. Ball State Cardinals
Last week’s ranking: 10 (+5)
Record: 5-6
Last week: N/A
Next week: vs. Anderson (Dec. 31 – 2 p.m.), at Kent State (Jan. 4 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: Detroit Mercy
The Ball State Cardinals make the biggest jump on our list as they shoot up to the five spot in the MAC basketball power rankings. The Cardinals are currently riding a two-game winning streak and a team that has won four out of their last six matchups. Head Coach Michael Lewis made the decision to move former All-MAC selectee Payton Sparks to the bench, and so far the plan has worked. Sparks had a season high 20 points off of the bench against Evansville in their last game, and has provided some extra strength to the second unit. Jermahri “Fatt” Hill hasn’t skipped a beat ever since his hot start to the season, and he is on pace to lead this Ball State team back to the MAC tournament.
6. Toledo Rockets
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-3)
Record: 6-6
Last week: L at #21 Purdue (64-83)
Next week: at Western Michigan (Jan. 4 – Noon)
Quality wins: at Marshall
Bad losses: Oakland, UC San Diego
The Toledo Rockets have dropped three spots in our rankings due to their three-game losing streak. Toledo basketball has its first bump in the road of the season, and it has come at a pretty bad time with conference play starting this week. It’s hard to fault them for losses to #12 Houston and #21 Purdue, but regardless of the opponent, a three-game losing streak is not the momentum anyone wants at this point in this season. There are still a lot of positives with the Rockets season thus far. Sonny Wilson is definitely a name we will see in MAC Player of the Year talks, and they are constantly winning the turnover battle. Toledo fans shouldn’t panic, but a .500 record going into January was certainly not on the agenda for most Rockets fans.
7. Eastern Michigan EaglesÂ
Last week’s ranking: 9 (+2)
Record: 6-6
Last week: L at Davidson (64-86)
Next week: vs. Northern Illinois (Jan. 4 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: vs. Texas State, vs. Purdue Fort Wayne
The Eastern Michigan Eagles have had an up-and-down season that has earned them the seven spot on this list. The Eagles started the season 5-2 before going on a three-game losing streak. They finally broke that losing streak by knocking off Wright State in a come-from-behind win. Eastern Michigan trailed by eleven points at halftime but ended up outscoring Wright State 59-44 to pull off the four-point win. DePaul transfer Da’Sean Nelson has played a big part in why the Eagles are sitting at .500 as he had 27 points in the Wright State game. I’m not putting too much stock in the loss to Davidson, because Davidson is one of the best mid-major teams in the nation. The Eagles will open conference play against a struggling Northern Illinois team.
8. Bowling Green Falcons
Last week’s ranking: 8 (-)
Record: 5-7
Last week: W vs. Aquinas (87-62)Â
Next week: vs. Akron (Jan. 3 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: Southern Miss, Bellarmine
Bowling Green stays put in the eighth spot on our list for the second week in a row. The main reason the Falcons are on the bottom half of this list is the way they have struggled on the road. They are 0-4 on the road, which will not benefit them when they travel to some of the tougher venues to play in the MAC. However, a 25 point win over Aquinas last week proves this team has what it takes to compete for a MAC tournament bid.
9. Central Michigan ChippewasÂ
Last week’s ranking: 5 (-4)
Record: 5-6
Last week: N/A
Next week: vs. Cleary (Dec. 30 – 2 p.m.), vs. Ohio (Jan. 4 – 7 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: ValparaisoÂ
The Chippewas have fallen three spots on our list as they are currently on a three-game losing streak. Central Michigan has had impressive performances against teams like Marquette and Minnesota but has fallen short in both games. I wouldn’t panic as two of the three losses in their current losing streak are Mississippi State, and Arizona. Central Michigan is a team that could easily move up as much as four spots if they can defeat Cleary and Ohio this week. The Chippewas have elite guard play led by Anthony Pritchard, so two wins this week is definitely feasible.
10. Buffalo Bulls
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-4)
Record: 5-7
Last week: L at Temple (71-91)
Next week: at Miami (OH) (Jan. 4 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: vs. Bryant
The Buffalo Bulls have dropped four spots after a three-game losing streak. This Buffalo basketball team is tough to judge, mainly because all three of their losses in this losing streak have been to good teams. St. Bonaventure is one of the best mid-major teams in the country, Georgia is a part of the most dominant conference so far this season in the SEC, and Temple has high exactions going into their conference play. Buffalo has the talent to go far led by sharpshooter Ryan Sabol, but the question is: How do the Bulls respond to the adversity?
11. Northern Illinois Huskies
Last week’s ranking: 11 (-)
Record: 3-8
Last week: N/A
Next week: vs. East-West University (Dec. 30 – 6 p.m.), at Eastern Michigan (Jan. 4 – 1 p.m.)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: Elon, Northern Iowa
The Northern Illinois Huskies avoid last place for the second week in a row as they stay at number eleven. If only every game for the Huskies could be played at the Convocation Center, because their road struggles have been prevalent. Northern Illinois is a whopping 0-7 in away contests, which is far and away the worst in the MAC. A nearly 50-point loss two weeks ago to Northern Iowa showed that this team needs a wake-up call. They are getting outrebounded by eight rebounds per game by their opponents on the season. Anything is possible, but the clock is ticking for the Huskies.
12. Western Michigan BroncosÂ
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-)
Record: 3-8
Last week: N/A
Next week: at #18 Michigan State (Dec. 30 – 3 p.m.), vs. Toledo (Jan. 4 – Noon)
Quality wins: N/A
Bad losses: SIUE
To round out our rankings we have the Western Michigan Broncos at the bottom of our list. The Broncos are on a four-game losing streak, which is currently the worst streak in the MAC. It also doesn’t help that their final non-conference bout is against #18 Michigan State. It’s easy to dwell on the negatives with Western Michigan basketball, but their last game against Valparaiso showed signs of life. The Broncos led 42-26 at halftime, but they let up 50 points in the second half and lost by four. Going into conference play with potentially five losses in a row is not ideal, and going into conference play at the bottom of our list is certainly not ideal.