Eight MAC Men's Basketball Games Scheduled For Today
MAC Men's Basketball Daily Preview -- Tuesday, December 22
Dec 22, 2009
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2 p.m. • First Meeting
• Northern Illinois (1-7) will play at home for the first time in three weeks, when the Huskies host Maryland Eastern Shore at the Convocation Center Tuesday afternoon. Through eight games, the Huskies are being led offensively by juniors Darion "Jake" Anderson (10.5 ppg) and Sean Kowal (9.1 ppg). Junior guard Xavier Silas is averaging 11.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in three starts this season... The Hawks are in the middle of a five-game road trip after playing three-consecutive games at home. UMES is being led offensively by Hillary Haley and Sean Berry, who are averaging 11.0 and 9.9 points per game, respectively.
Western Michigan (4-4, 0-0 MAC) at USC (5-4, 0-0 PAC-10)
Diamond Head Classic
5 p.m. • ESPNU • USC leads series 2-1
• The Broncos are in Honolulu, Hawai'i for the first Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic that is hosted by the University of Hawai'i at the Stan Sheriff Center. This is the third time WMU will play in an inaugural ESPN-sponsored tournament. Senior David Kool is averaging 24.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in his last four games, including 30 points vs. Temple and 34 at Eastern Illinois. Kool is 16th in the country in scoring with 21.5 points per game. Kool has won back-to-back MAC West Player of the Week awards to bring his career total to nine.
Ohio (7-3, 0-0 MAC) at Pittsburgh (9-2, 0-0 Big East)
7 p.m. • FSN Pittsburgh/ESPN360 • Pittsburgh leads series 2-1
• The Bobcats will take on Pittsburgh at 7 p.m. on FSN Pittsburgh/ESPN360.com tonight. Ohio came up big in the second half once again, netting 51 points in a 12-point win over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday. The Bobcats missed their first 16 3-point attempts of the game before nailing seven of their last 12 attempts to close the game. Ohio also forced 15 turnovers in the win...The Panthers defeated Mount St. Mary's by 18 on Saturday. They are led by Ashton Gibbs' 16.5 points 92.5 percent free throw shooting.
Samford (4-7, 1-1 Southern) at Eastern Michigan (6-4, 0-0 MAC)
7 p.m. • First Meeting
• EMU's 6-4 record this season is the best start since the 2004-05 squad went 8-3 in its first 11 games. The Eagles had three players in double figures in a 66-65 loss at Georgia State Saturday, Dec. 19. Redshirt junior Brandon Bowdry turned in his sixth double-double of the season and 13th of his career with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Senior point guard Carlos Medlock added 18 points and freshman center Matt Balkema turned in a career-best 10 points to go with a career-high nine rebounds.
Central Michigan (4-6, 0-0 MAC) at Detroit (7-4, 2-0 Horizon)
7 p.m. • Detroit leads series 19-11
• Fore the third time in as many seasons the Central Michigan and Detroit men's basketball teams will meet on the hardwood. Senior Robbie Harman of the Central Michigan men's basketball team is one of 72 candidates nationally for the 2010 Bob Cousy Award. The Traverse City, Mich., native currently sits fourth in the MAC in scoring (14.3), second in steals (2.20), 10th in assists (3.30), first in three-point field goals made (3.3), seventh in three-point field goal percentage (44.6), fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.65) and fourth in minutes played (34.20).
Illinois-Chicago (3-6, 0-2 Horizon) at Akron (7-3, 0-0 MAC)
7 p.m. • Illinois-Chicago leads series 4-3
• Akron boasts a three-game win streak and has been the victor in seven of its last eight outings. The blemish during that span is a 74-62 loss at top-25 ranked Texas A&M on Dec. 4. The Zips have shot over 50 percent from the field in consecutive games. Akron shot 50.8 percent (31-for-61) on Sunday versus St. Francis (Pa.), after shooting a season-high 58.9 percent (33-for-56) last Friday against UNC Greensboro.
Kent State (6-4, 0-0 MAC) at Robert Morris (4-6, 2-0 Northeast)
7 p.m. • Kent State leads series 3-2
• Kent State hits the road once again on Tuesday night to face defending Northeast Conference Champion Robert Morris in Moon Township, Pa. KSU is coming off its most impressive offensive performance of the season in Sunday's 85-76 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi...Robert Morris is coming off a 65-52 loss to Appalachian State on Saturday. Ater an 0-3 start the Colonials have won four of their last seven.
Buffalo (5-3, 0-0 MAC) at Green Bay (10-3, 3-0 Horizon)
8 p.m. • First Meeting
• Buffalo will make its first ever trip to Green Bay to face the Phoenix on Tuesday night. Buffalo is coming off a 93-65 win over Buffalo State on December 12. Sean Smiley led the Bulls with a season-high 23 points. Calvin Betts added 14 points and 12 rebounds...Green Bay is coming off a 75-67 win over Youngstown State on Saturday. The Phoenix is led by Rahmon Fletcher who is averaging 18.2 points and 2.8 assists per game.
