Toledo at Western Michigan, 2 p.m. (ESPN3)
Miami at Akron, 4 p.m. (ESPN3)
Ohio at Bowling Green, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
Central Michigan at Northern Illinois, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
All times listed are ET
AKRON
The Akron Zips recorded their 20th win of the season as senior Tyler Cheese notched a double-double to lift Akron to a 71-67 win over Western Michigan at Read Fieldhouse on Tuesday night. Cheese led the Zips with a 23-point, 11-rebound effort. His 23-point performance stands as his second-best scoring effort of the season while the 11 boards marks a season high. Cheese shot 7-of-14 (.500) from the floor, 3-of-5 (.600) from deep and 6-of-7 (.857) from the free throw line to go along with three steals, two assists and a blocked shot.
BALL STATE
Ball State enters the weekend one game behind first-place Northern Illinois in the MAC West Division standings. The Cardinals would be the No. 5 seed if the conference tournament started today. Surging Eastern Michigan would be the No. 9 seed. Tahjai Teague is averaging 20.5 points and 12.0 rebounds over his past four games against Eastern Michigan. Teague scored 23 points and grabbed a then-career-high 17 rebounds in this season's first meeting in Ypsilanti. He set a new career best with 18 boards two games later at Central Michigan.
BOWLING GREEN
Behind 33 points from redshirt-junior guard Justin Turner, the Bowling Green State University men's basketball team earned a huge 77-71 road victory on Saturday afternoon at Ball State University. The Mid-American Conference ballgame was played at BSU's Worthen Arena. Ball State entered the game with a 5-0 record at home within the league. Bowling Green moves to 19-7 (10-3 MAC) with the win. The Falcons have clinched a winning record in league play. BGSU has now experienced back-to-back winning MAC seasons for the first time since 1999-2002 (four straight).
BUFFALO
The Bulls, stand 17-9 overall and 8-5 in MAC play under first-year head coach Jim Whitesell. UB is coming off a 72-59 win against Ball State and is currently on a three-game win streak. The Bulls are second in the nation in rebounds per game at 42.77 and second in the country in offensive boards at 15.00. Only once this season has Buffalo failed to hit double figures in offensive rebounding, which was at Vanderbilt. Sophomore Josh Mballa is 6th in the nation in offensive boards, averaging 4.00 per game.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
The Central Michigan men's basketball team was outscored 50-36 in the second half on Tuesday as it fell to Ohio, 77-69, in a Mid-American Conference game at the Bobcats' Convocation Center. CMU senior Kevin McKay bounced back from a subpar performance last Friday in the Chippewas' loss to Akron with 23 points and 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season and the 17th of his career. He also tied his season high with four assists.
EASTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan earned its fifth win in the last six games after defeating Kent State, 70-49, inside the Convocation Center, Feb. 18. The Eagles posted its second consecutive double-digit win over a Mid-American Conference team this season with a 70-49 victory Kent State, Feb. 18. The 21-point win is the third highest victory margin over the Golden Flashes since the all-time series started in 1950, and the eighth time EMU defeated KSU by double-figures.
KENT STATE
Earlier this season Kent State came away with a 70-66 victory over Buffalo on the road. Danny Pippen led the Flashes with 20 points and hit six-straight free throws to give the Flashes the win. The Flashes rank 55th in the country and are second the conference with a +6.9 scoring margin. Kent State ended the non-conference schedule with the highest scoring margin during the non-conference schedule in 20 seasons. (+12.5).
MIAMI
Playing without both Nike Sibande (13.3 ppg.) and Dalonte Brown (11.0 ppg.), the Miami University men's basketball team upset Northern Illinois 65-60 on Saturday afternoon in Millett Hall. Four different RedHawks scored in double figures in front of 3,811 in attendance. Isaiah Coleman-Lands led Miami with 15 points and was joined by Dae Dae Grant (11 points), Bam Bowman (10 points) and Elijah McNamara (10 points). Precious Ayah chipped in with eight points and eight rebounds. Bowman, Coleman-Lands and Ayah were part of a bench effort that outscored the Huskies' bench 33-4.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Miami shot 46 percent (23-of-50) from the field as it upended the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team, 65-60, on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 15) at Millett Hall. Senior Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a game-high 21 points to pace the Huskies, senior Lacey James (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rider) added 13 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
OHIO
The Bobcats are 13-13 on the season and 5-8 in MAC play after beating Central Michigan, 77-69, Tuesday in the Convocation Center. Overall this season, the Bobcats are averaging 71.2 points, 35.5 rebounds, 14.8 assists and 6.5 steals per game. The Bobcats are shooting 44.7 percent from the field, 34.6 percent from three-point range and 67.9 from the free throw line. Jason Preston leads the Bobcats with 16.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game.
TOLEDO
The Toledo men’s basketball team returns to action following its bye with a trip to Kalamazoo, Mich. to face Western Michigan (11-14, 4-8 MAC) on Saturday, Feb. 22. Marreon Jackson ranks among the Top Five in the MAC with 19.4 ppg (2nd), 5.7 apg (2nd), 3.0 3FGs/game (T-2nd) and a 1.8 assist/turnover ratio (5th). In league play, he is second with 21.8 ppg, 5.2 apg and 3.6 treys/game, sixth with an 85.5 FT% and seventh with a 40.2 three-point FG%. Also appearing in the MAC's Top 10 in scoring for the Rockets is senior Luke Knapke at 15.7 ppg (9th in MAC). Senior Willie Jackson and junior Spencer Littleson are averaging 11.9 ppg and 10.5 ppg, respectively, with Jackson grabbing a MAC-high 11.9 rpg to rank third nationally.
WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan is looking to halt a three-game losing skid as the Broncos head into Saturday’s contest with an overall record of 11-15 and 4-9 in Mid-American Conference play. With five regular season games remaining, WMU is currently the No. 11 seed if the MAC Tournament were to begin. Leading the offense for WMU is the duo of redshirt junior Brandon Johnson and junior Michael Flowers. Both are averaging in double figures this season with their 845 combined points making up 46.5 percent of WMU’s total offense.