Top-seeded Toledo ousted in MAC first round action
CLEVELAND, OH - In some years, March Madness is preceded by MAC Madness, and there was certainly some of the latter Thursday as Mid-American Conference basketball tournament play began at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Lower seeds won two of the first three games, with the big upset being No. 8 seed Kent State knocking out top-seed Toledo 67-59. Bowling Green, a No. 5 seed, also advanced by ousting No. 4 seed Central Michigan 66-56.
In other action, second-seeded Akron rallied from a first-half deficit to dispatch No. 7 seed Miami 75-63. Ohio (No. 3 seed) had the rout of the day, grabbing an early lead and cruising past No. 6 seed Western Michigan 82-55.
KENT STATE 67, TOLEDO 59 (Click Read More)
BOWLING GREEN 66, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 56 (Click Read More)
AKRON 75, MIAMI 64 (Click Read More )
OHIO 82, WESTERN MICHIGAN 55 (Click Read More )
In other action, second-seeded Akron rallied from a first-half deficit to dispatch No. 7 seed Miami 75-63. Ohio (No. 3 seed) had the rout of the day, grabbing an early lead and cruising past No. 6 seed Western Michigan 82-55.
KENT STATE 67, TOLEDO 59 (Click Read More)
BOWLING GREEN 66, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 56 (Click Read More)
AKRON 75, MIAMI 64 (Click Read More )
OHIO 82, WESTERN MICHIGAN 55 (Click Read More )
KENT STATE 67, TOLEDO 59
Voncameron Davis scored a game-high 26 points to lead No. 8 seed Kent State top-seeded Toledo.
Jalen Sullinger (14) and Giovanni Santiago (12) also reached double figures for the Golden Flashes, who won despite getting just four points from the bench.
Toledo, which has four players averaging in double figures, was led by 19 points from Dante Maddox Jr. Tyler Cochran contributed 14, while Andre Lorentsson provided all 10 points from the UT bench. Kent State connected on 44.9 percent from the field and had four more field goals. However, Toledo hurt its own cause by going just 10 of 21 (47.6%) from the foul line. The Flashes made 10 of 15 at the stripe.
Kent State moved in front (23-33) for good on a Davis layup at 2:53 of the first half and led at intermission 28-24. KSU led by 12 at one point. Toledo pulled within four (59-55) with 33 seconds left but was unable to catch the Flashes.
BOWLING GREEN 66, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 56
No. 5 seed Bowling Green dominated the boards and capitalized at the foul line to knock off No. 4 seed Central Michigan.
Rashaun Agee recorded a double-double, scoring 13 points and gravving 17 rebounds for the Falcons. Trey Thomas had a game-high 20 points, while Marcus Hill (11) and Sam Towns (10) combined for another 21 BGSU points.
Derrick Butler led Central Michigan with 14 points, but Markus Harding (12) was the only other Chippewas player in double figures.
Bowling Green owned a 51-28 advantage in rebounds. It also got to the line for 19 tosses and made 15. Central Michigan hit four of just six opportunities.
CMU led 28-26 at intermission, and the two teams were tied 55-all. Thomas hit back-to-back buckets, with the latter being a three, to kick start Bowling Green's 11-1 run to the finish.
Voncameron Davis scored a game-high 26 points to lead No. 8 seed Kent State top-seeded Toledo.
Jalen Sullinger (14) and Giovanni Santiago (12) also reached double figures for the Golden Flashes, who won despite getting just four points from the bench.
Toledo, which has four players averaging in double figures, was led by 19 points from Dante Maddox Jr. Tyler Cochran contributed 14, while Andre Lorentsson provided all 10 points from the UT bench. Kent State connected on 44.9 percent from the field and had four more field goals. However, Toledo hurt its own cause by going just 10 of 21 (47.6%) from the foul line. The Flashes made 10 of 15 at the stripe.
Kent State moved in front (23-33) for good on a Davis layup at 2:53 of the first half and led at intermission 28-24. KSU led by 12 at one point. Toledo pulled within four (59-55) with 33 seconds left but was unable to catch the Flashes.
BOWLING GREEN 66, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 56
No. 5 seed Bowling Green dominated the boards and capitalized at the foul line to knock off No. 4 seed Central Michigan.
Rashaun Agee recorded a double-double, scoring 13 points and gravving 17 rebounds for the Falcons. Trey Thomas had a game-high 20 points, while Marcus Hill (11) and Sam Towns (10) combined for another 21 BGSU points.
Derrick Butler led Central Michigan with 14 points, but Markus Harding (12) was the only other Chippewas player in double figures.
Bowling Green owned a 51-28 advantage in rebounds. It also got to the line for 19 tosses and made 15. Central Michigan hit four of just six opportunities.
CMU led 28-26 at intermission, and the two teams were tied 55-all. Thomas hit back-to-back buckets, with the latter being a three, to kick start Bowling Green's 11-1 run to the finish.
ENRIQUE FREEMAN AKRON 75, MIAMI 64
MAC Player of the Year Enrique Freeman exploded for 30 points and Ali Ali tallied 14 to lead No. 3 seed Akron past seventh-seeded Miami.
The RedHawks were led by Anderson Mirambeaux (17) and Darweshi Hunter (16), who combined for 33 points.
The Zips made just 3 of 23 shots (13%) from beyond the arc, but they dominated in the paint (52-30) and on the boards (44-28). That allowed them to shoot 47 percent from the field overall and score 31 field goals. Miami connected on 25 of 59 (42.4%) from the field and 6 of 24 (25%) on threes.
The RedHawks moved in front with an Eian Elmer triple at 16:50 of the first stanza and led by as many as nine points. Akron, however, chipped away. Freeman's dunk just before the buzzer gave UA a 37-34 edge.
After the Zips built a 14-point lead, Miami could get no closer than seven points (56-49) following a Mekhi Cooper bucket at 10:43.
MAC Player of the Year Enrique Freeman exploded for 30 points and Ali Ali tallied 14 to lead No. 3 seed Akron past seventh-seeded Miami.
The RedHawks were led by Anderson Mirambeaux (17) and Darweshi Hunter (16), who combined for 33 points.
The Zips made just 3 of 23 shots (13%) from beyond the arc, but they dominated in the paint (52-30) and on the boards (44-28). That allowed them to shoot 47 percent from the field overall and score 31 field goals. Miami connected on 25 of 59 (42.4%) from the field and 6 of 24 (25%) on threes.
The RedHawks moved in front with an Eian Elmer triple at 16:50 of the first stanza and led by as many as nine points. Akron, however, chipped away. Freeman's dunk just before the buzzer gave UA a 37-34 edge.
After the Zips built a 14-point lead, Miami could get no closer than seven points (56-49) following a Mekhi Cooper bucket at 10:43.
OHIO 82, WESTERN MICHIGAN 55
The Third-seeded Bobcats recorded 12 steals and forced 18 turnovers while committing just three of their own in a first round victory over No. 6 seed Western Michigan. Ohio owned a 29-5 advantage in points off turnovers and 42-16 edge from points in the paint.
Shereef Mitchelltallied a team-high 15 points. Miles Brown and Jaylin Hunter added 13 apiece, while Aiden Hadaway was just off a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. Forward AJ Clayton also had 11 caroms.
B. Artis White led WMU with 12 points, while Owen Lobsinger tallied nine points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Ohio never trailed and led 35-22 at the break.
The Third-seeded Bobcats recorded 12 steals and forced 18 turnovers while committing just three of their own in a first round victory over No. 6 seed Western Michigan. Ohio owned a 29-5 advantage in points off turnovers and 42-16 edge from points in the paint.
Shereef Mitchelltallied a team-high 15 points. Miles Brown and Jaylin Hunter added 13 apiece, while Aiden Hadaway was just off a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. Forward AJ Clayton also had 11 caroms.
B. Artis White led WMU with 12 points, while Owen Lobsinger tallied nine points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Ohio never trailed and led 35-22 at the break.
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