Ah, November, the leaves are falling, the Halloween decorations are all being taken down, that one Mariah Carey Christmas song is about to play for god knows how long, but more importantly, the NCAA Basketball season is about to begin.
The Bowling Green Falcons return to the Stroh on Nov. 6, sporting a brand-new team with a noticeable number of new additions, but what about the rest of the MAC? How have they faired this off-season?
Like the Falcons, the remainder of the MAC has undergone significant changes, each sporting an almost new-look team.
Let’s look:
Kent State Golden Flashes
2022-23 season record- 28-7
The reigning champions of the Mid-American Conference, Kent State coming off a season that saw them capture their ninth MAC men’s tournament championship before suffering a loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Indiana.
A championship is grand but even better, the Golden Flashes retain a large amount of their core from their championship season.
MAC sixth man of the year Jalen Sullinger, center Cli’ron Hornbeak, and forward VonCameron Davis all return from last year. Kent State also made a considerable addition to their team in the offseason, as 22-23 MAC Freshman of the Year Reggie Bass transferred from Central Michigan during the offseason.
Bass averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and played 30.9 minutes per game.
Head Coach Rob Senderoff returns for his 12th season with the team, the winningest coach in school history.
The Golden Flashes debut against Malone on Nov. 6 at 7:00 p.m.
Toledo Rockets
2022-23 season record- 27-8
The Toledo Rockets are a team of many stories.
They made it to the MAC finals last year, losing to Kent State, making the ’23-24 season the 43rd year since they last appeared in the NCAA Tournament.
In terms of the roster, the Rockets have lost many of their players from their previously successful season, as only a handful of players return from the 22-23 season, featured by Ra’Heim Moss, Javan Simmons, André Lorentsson, and Tyler Cochran.
’22-23 MAC MVP RayJ Dennis, who won the award unanimously, transferred to the Baylor Bears in the offseason.
The Rockets have an extremely young roster, with six freshmen this season. 14th-year coach Tod Kowalczyk have a significantly different challenge headed into this season for the Rockets.
Toledo’s first game is against Malone University on Nov. 6 at 7:00 p.m.
Akron Zips
2022-23 season record- 22-11
The Akron Zips, who finished third in the MAC last season, were eliminated in the second round of the MAC tournament last season, but still show an extreme amount of promise.
Like any team, there are still challenges ahead of them. Enrique Freeman, the 2021-2022 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, is now a senior. Xavier Castaneda, one of the team’s top scorers of the previous season, has graduated, and six members of their roster are now in their senior years.
Despite all this, the Zips are still a threat to the rest of the MAC. They’ve added Senior Kaleb Thornton from Northern Illinois, freshmen Darrion Baker, freshman forward Zach Halligan, and Marvin Musiime-Kamali, and they still have an extraordinarily young roster poised to take a significant leap forward.
Fifth-year Head Coach John Groce boasts the best winning percentage in the entire league at.714%.
The Zips first game of the season is at South Dakota St. on Nov. 6 at 9:15 p.m.
Ball State Cardinals
2022-23 season record- 20-12
The Ball State Cardinals finished fourth in the MAC standings last season and were eliminated by the Ohio Bobcats in the first round of the MAC tournament.
A tale so familiar for the MAC this season, the Cardinals come into the 23-24 season with a young roster that includes eight freshmen: Micah Bell (redshirted), Jurica Zagorsak, Trent Middleton Jr, Quincy Adams (Redshirted), Joey Brown, Mason Jones, and Zane Doughty.
Of the 22-23 roster, only five players return, giving second-year Head Coach Michael Lewis a major challenge ahead of him with this roster turnaround after leading the Cardinals to their first 20-win season in six years.
Last season, Ball State started 19-7 overall, their best start since the ’97-98 season.
Ball State opened the season with an 85-52 win against Rose-Hulman on Nov. 2.
Ohio Bobcats
2022-23 season record- 19-14
Compared to the other teams in the MAC, the Bobcats roster for the ’23-24 season has a nice mix of experience and youth.
When you look at their roster, they have a lot of great experience mixed in with the new additions of the offseason. The Bobcats had two players named to the MAC All-Freshman team last season, AJ Brown and Elmore James, two players who shined in the MAC Tournament and who fans of the Bobcats are very excited to see play in the future.
A player to watch in the future for the Bobcats would be Jaylin Hunter, who averaged 13.2 points, 4.2 assists per game, and 3.6 rebounds while shooting .441 from the field, .408 from three, .753 from the free throw line and also recording 58 steals.
Head Coach Jeff Boals enters his fifth season in command of the Bobcats.
Ohio’s first game is against Troy on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.
Buffalo Bulls
2022-23 season record- 15-17
Ah, the Buffalo Bulls, a team with two very different stories regarding their games last season.
They finished 15-17 and were eliminated by the Akron Zips in the first round of the MAC tournament.
On one hand, they had an 11-4 record when they played at home; on the other, they had a 3-9 record on away games.
If Buffalo hopes to take a step forward this season, they must be more consistent when playing outside their house.
Some players to watch this season for the Bulls: Fifth-year transfer Sy Chatman will finally make his debut after being redshirted. Senior Isiah Adams was the only player to start all 32 games for the Bulls last season who averaged 11.6 points per game with 5.0 rebounds per game, and transferring from Ellsworth Community College, Shawn Fulcher, who averaged 16.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game before joining Buffalo.
The Bulls are helmed by first-year Head Coach George Halcovage lll, the 15th head coach in university history and previously an assistant coach at Villanova under legendary Head Coach Jay Wright.
The Bulls open the season against FDU on Nov 6th at 7:30 p.m.
Northern Illinois Huskies
2022-23 season record- 13-19
The Huskies were a surprise for many last season, a team with low expectations who made the MAC Tournament by the skin of their teeth, losing in the first round.
Compared to most teams in the MAC, the Huskies did not have a lot of roster turnaround and are coming into the ’23-24 season with an extremely similar roster as last season.
They did lose Kaleb Thorton, who transferred to Akron following the season’s end. Among the returning roster is Keshawn Williams, who averaged 17.9 points last year, David Coit, who averaged 15.5 points per game and was named All-MAC third-team and Harvin Ibarguen, who shot 81.2% from the field last season, the best in the MAC.
The Huskies went 9-9 in conference play last season, exactly 50%.
The Huskies are led by Rashon Burno, who enters his third year as the coach of the Huskies.
NIU opens the season vs #5 Marquette on Nov. 5 at 8:30 p.m.
Miami-Ohio RedHawks
2022-23 season record- 12-20
Once again, the RedHawks are yet another team in the MAC that has undergone significant change and has a lot of youth on their roster, with seven total players being freshmen.
The RedHawks made it to the first round of the MAC tournament, with their overall record being 12-20, losing toToledo in the first round by 16 points.
Seven freshmen were added: Eian Elmer, Evan Ipsaro, Mekhi Cooper, Hampton Dauparas, Jackson Kotecki, Blake Anderson, and Reece Potter.
The biggest addition to the RedHawks’ roster was acquiring guard Bradley Dean from the transfer portal. Dean previously attended Virginia-Wise University, averaging 14.8 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game during his three seasons with the team.
Head Coach Travis Steele enters his second season with Miami.
The RedHawks open the season against Evansville on Nov. 6 at 8 p.m.
Central Michigan Chippewas
2022-23 season record- 10-21
The majority of teams that could not make it to the MAC Tournament last year ended with the word “Michigan”—starting with the Chippewas, a team that had many struggles during the 22-23 season.
They finished the season with five losses in a row, went 6-12 in away games, and lost MAC Freshman of the Year Reggie Bass to the transfer portal and Kent State.
Once again, this is another MAC team with many underclassmen with a lot to prove, having seven freshmen debut on the roster.
Some players to watch for Central Michigan: Graduate Student Brain Taylor, who averaged 11.4 points per game last season; Junior Jemal Davis, who transferred from Florida Southwestern St, who averaged 9.8 points per game last season; and Junior forward Marcus Harding, who averaged 9.3 points per game.
Tony Barbee enters his third season as the Head Coach of the Chippewas.
CMU opens the season on Nov 6 at 8 p.m. at Oklahoma.
Eastern Michigan Eagles
2022-23 season record- 8-23
The Eagles are a team headed into the 23-24 season with many questions; they’ve lost star player Emoni Bates to the NBA Draft- so who will be their next top scorer?
It’s been nearly 27 years since they last won the MAC Tournament- so can they break the cold streak this year and play consistent basketball on the road, as they went 2-13 when they played in someone else’s house?
Whatever the season for the Eagles may look, the team must answer all these questions when the season begins.
A player to watch for the Eagles is Julius Ellerbe, who transferred from East Central Community College. He averaged 13.9 points per game, 10.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
Another player on the radar is sophomore guard Orlando Lovejoy, who averaged 5.4 points per game, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game, which ranked him 18th in the MAC in steals per game.
Head Coach and EMU alumni Stan Health returns for his second year.
EMU opens the season at Butler on Nov. 6 at 8 p.m.
Western Michigan Broncos
2022-23 season record- 8-23
The Broncos were last in the MAC this past season. They went 4-14 against the conference and had an overall record of 8-23 and 1-15 on away games.
Despite this, the team shows promise.
In the 2022-23 season, they improved their rebounding from the bottom of the MAC from the previous season to near the top of the MAC and the team hit 250 total threes last season.
A player to watch for WMU is Seth Hubbard, who averaged 7.5 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game and was named to the All-MAC Freshmen team.
WMU also had Anthony Crump transfer over from the Huskies to the Broncos; he averaged 7.7 points per game and 5.1 rebounds, which ranked him 17th in the MAC with rebounds per game.
Another pickup for the Broncos from the transfer portal, Brandon Muntu, formally of Triton, averaged 15.7 points per game, 4.2 Rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game and was named NJCAA third-team All-American.
Dwayne Stevens returns for his second year as head coach.
WMU opens the season against North Dakota St. on Nov 6 at 7:00 p.m.
There’s nothing quite like college basketball: the drama, the intrigue, the competitiveness, and, of course, the MACtion, finally returning in November.
For more stories related to BGSU Athletics, follow Falcon Media Sports Network on X (@bg_fmsn).
