Forget Saturday. There is a full slate of MAC games Friday, and by midnight every team will know its upcoming MAC tourney scenario. There are several games which will affect seedings, sites and opponent, but perhaps the biggest is Bowling Green at Buffalo. It could be a classic good offense vs good defense tilt.
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MAC March Madness is here. Friday's games will determine many bracket spots, and next week's tournament could be one of the least predictable in a long time. (Biaca Garza photo). Bowling Green (19-9, 11-6) at Buffalo (20-9, 11-6)
7:00 p.m. ET, Alumni Arena (TWC/ESPN3)
PREVIOUS MEETING:
Buffalo won the first meeting (at BG) 68-56 on Feb. 21. Shannon Evans led the way for UB with 19 point, connecting on 5-of-6 trey attempts. Jarryn Skeete and Justin Moss added 15 apiece, with Moss picking up 12 rebounds.
Both teams had 20 field goals , but the Bulls were 9-of-17 on threes, while BG hit 4-of-20 from distance. The Bulls also had an advantage at the line, sinking 19-of-23. Bowling Green connected on 12-of-18.
Forward Richaun Holmes pced the Falcons with 15 points with seven rebounds and five blocks. Jehon Clarke had 12 points, followed by Spence Parker(11) and Delvin Dickerson (10).
Buffalo got out front early and took a 36-22 lead into the locker room at intermission. After trailing 41-26, the Falcons went on a 23-7 run to grab a 49-48 lead with 7:15 to go.
UB quickly jumped back in front and was ahead 59-54 with 2:45 left. A 9-2 Buffalo run down the stretch held off the Falcons.
LATELY:
The Bulls are riding a season-high five-game winning streak, with the victory at BG coming two games into the streak. The current streak follows a three game slide (at Akron, Toledo, Central Michigan). Other victims in the UB streak were Eastern Michigan (A), Akron, Kent State (A) and Ohio. Buffalo trounced the Bobcats Saturday, 93-66.
Bowling Green has been on a big of a roller coaster over the last nine games. That stretch started withfour straight wins – three on the road. However, Miami pulled off an upset win at the Stroh Center Feb. 18 and Buffalo followed to hand BG another home loss.
The Falcons bounced back with road wins at Ohio and Miami before losing a heartbreaker to Kent State (81-80) Saturday on the home hardwood. Holmes had a huge day in the loss, scoring 29 points with nine rebounds and four blocks.The Falcons, however, saw KSU hit 13-of-21 threes.
OTHER NOTES:
- At least a share of the MAC East Division title is up for grabs. Depending on other outcomes, the two teams could finish anywhere from second to fifth in tournament seeding. Kent State, which hosts rival Akron Friday, also owns an 11-6 conference mark. The UB-BG winner will get a top four-seed, guaranteeing at least a bye to the quarterfinals round on Thursday.
-- BG head coach Chris Jans on the game: "This team has responded well every time their backs have been against the wall. We'll push the reset button, we'll regroup. You know, nobody said that this was going to be easy and certainly we are taking the hard route. We've put ourselves in that position now, and it's going to be a must win game for us. I expect it to be a high intensity level game."
- Moss leads the MAC in scoring (18.3 ppg) and rebounding (9.4 rpg).
-- Holmes has scored in double figures in each of the Falcons last 17 games.
- The Bulls are averaging just over 80 ppg at home this year.
- Bowling Green has won five straight conference road games.
- Bowling Green leads the all-time series 18-12, but U B has won two straight and the last three meetings at Alumni Arena.
- BG leads the MAC in scoring defense (60.9 ppg), setting up a strong offense vs. strong defense battle.
7:00 p.m. ET, Alumni Arena (TWC/ESPN3)
PREVIOUS MEETING:
Buffalo won the first meeting (at BG) 68-56 on Feb. 21. Shannon Evans led the way for UB with 19 point, connecting on 5-of-6 trey attempts. Jarryn Skeete and Justin Moss added 15 apiece, with Moss picking up 12 rebounds.
Both teams had 20 field goals , but the Bulls were 9-of-17 on threes, while BG hit 4-of-20 from distance. The Bulls also had an advantage at the line, sinking 19-of-23. Bowling Green connected on 12-of-18.
Forward Richaun Holmes pced the Falcons with 15 points with seven rebounds and five blocks. Jehon Clarke had 12 points, followed by Spence Parker(11) and Delvin Dickerson (10).
Buffalo got out front early and took a 36-22 lead into the locker room at intermission. After trailing 41-26, the Falcons went on a 23-7 run to grab a 49-48 lead with 7:15 to go.
UB quickly jumped back in front and was ahead 59-54 with 2:45 left. A 9-2 Buffalo run down the stretch held off the Falcons.
LATELY:
The Bulls are riding a season-high five-game winning streak, with the victory at BG coming two games into the streak. The current streak follows a three game slide (at Akron, Toledo, Central Michigan). Other victims in the UB streak were Eastern Michigan (A), Akron, Kent State (A) and Ohio. Buffalo trounced the Bobcats Saturday, 93-66.
Bowling Green has been on a big of a roller coaster over the last nine games. That stretch started withfour straight wins – three on the road. However, Miami pulled off an upset win at the Stroh Center Feb. 18 and Buffalo followed to hand BG another home loss.
The Falcons bounced back with road wins at Ohio and Miami before losing a heartbreaker to Kent State (81-80) Saturday on the home hardwood. Holmes had a huge day in the loss, scoring 29 points with nine rebounds and four blocks.The Falcons, however, saw KSU hit 13-of-21 threes.
OTHER NOTES:
- At least a share of the MAC East Division title is up for grabs. Depending on other outcomes, the two teams could finish anywhere from second to fifth in tournament seeding. Kent State, which hosts rival Akron Friday, also owns an 11-6 conference mark. The UB-BG winner will get a top four-seed, guaranteeing at least a bye to the quarterfinals round on Thursday.
-- BG head coach Chris Jans on the game: "This team has responded well every time their backs have been against the wall. We'll push the reset button, we'll regroup. You know, nobody said that this was going to be easy and certainly we are taking the hard route. We've put ourselves in that position now, and it's going to be a must win game for us. I expect it to be a high intensity level game."
- Moss leads the MAC in scoring (18.3 ppg) and rebounding (9.4 rpg).
-- Holmes has scored in double figures in each of the Falcons last 17 games.
- The Bulls are averaging just over 80 ppg at home this year.
- Bowling Green has won five straight conference road games.
- Bowling Green leads the all-time series 18-12, but U B has won two straight and the last three meetings at Alumni Arena.
- BG leads the MAC in scoring defense (60.9 ppg), setting up a strong offense vs. strong defense battle.
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