STF Conference Reports - The MAC 1/22/2008

GMoney from The Money Shot here again to break down some mid-major conference hoops action for you all. Its mid-January in the Mid-American Conference and conference play is starting to heat up. It looks if it’s “same old, same old” as the East side of the conference is once again far superior to its Western counterparts. In fact, one might say that the best 4 teams in the conference are all in the East. The East has been beating up on one another over the past two weeks and now looks to feast on the less than stellar West for the rest of the month. My recap of the conference thus far is going to look like I don’t pay attention to the West…but in all honesty, it sucks.

Team of the Past Few Weeks: Akron Zips
Ugh, I truly hate this team. They want respect nationally yet fail to even try to schedule an opponent from a big conference. Seriously, they are an NJIT home win away from having the worst schedule ever. But, they have started off 4-0 in the conference and 14-3 overall and that warrants some mention. They have been fortunate enough to get Miami and Ohio U. at home so the real meat of their schedule begins in the back half when they have to take their show of Guard Nick Dials and Center Jeremiah Wood on the road. Wednesday’s game at home vs. 14-4 Kent State should be automatic viewing for any hoops junkie as these two schools, separated by only a few miles, hate each other.

Worst Team of the Past Few Weeks: My Miami RedHawks
To be fair, this team could not afford any injuries to stud Forwards Tim Pollitz and Mike Bramos. Bramos has been troubled with an ankle injury over the past month and the offense (as well as the normally staunch defense) has struggled. With Sunday’s win over Buffalo, Miami ended it’s first 5 game losing streak in over 15 years and now sit at 1-3 conference and 7-9 overall. Much, much more was expected from the RedHawks after beating Xavier, Mississippi State, and South Alabama early on, but now that the weak Western foes are on the docket, maybe my alma mater can reel off a big winning streak.

Player(s) of the Past Few Weeks: Ohio Center Leon Williams and Kent State Center Haminn Quaintance (pictured)
Williams has been a force in Athens the past four years and continues to dominate the MAC. He is averaging near a double-double with 16.8 points and 9.9 boards per game. “Q” Quaintance is easily the most improved player in the conference. The Flashes center is also a double-double machine and is leading the conference with more than 2 blocks per game. Both these guys are flat out dominating the paint this season. And with the aforementioned Pollitz from Miami and Wood from Akron, as well as Western Michigan’s Joe Reitz, a post presence in this conference is a necessity.

What to Watch For:
1/22: Western Michigan @ Central Michigan - because someone has to win the West
1/23: Kent State @ Akron - not sure if it’s on TV, but if it is, WATCH IT
1/27: Kent State @ Western Michigan