The time has come as Mid-American Conference play has started, with teams getting their first taste of conference play of the year.
With the teams’ first action underway, plenty of changes to the standings are still to be had, and nothing is even close to set in stone yet for any of the teams.
Let’s check in on the conference and see how it went:
Miami RedHawks (13-0,1-0 MAC)
Miami has a perfect record on the season and is one of only six teams left to lose a game, and the only mid-major team left undefeated.
Miami started conference play with an 87-66 win over the Ball State Cardinals and followed that up with a commanding win over Milligan University, an NAIA school, with a final score of 135-81
Although the RedHawks will be without junior guard Evan Ipsaro, as he tore his ACL in their win over Ball State, as confirmed by the team’s X account
Buffalo Bulls (11-2, 1-0 MAC)
The Bulls have been the surprise team of the season so far; after being predicted to finish 11th in the preseason poll, the Bulls hold onto the second spot after a week of MAC play.
The first conference game for the Bulls was an 88-71 win over the Western Michigan Broncos, and then they beat Penn State Behrend 92-63.
Led by Ryan Sabol in the last two games for the Bulls, as he had a combined 50 points and eight assists.
Kent State Golden Flashes (10-2, 1-0 MAC)
The Golden Flashes have been an offensive juggernaut this season, bringing in one of the top scoring offenses in the MAC.
Kent State played first-year MAC team UMass to open conference play and won 69-59; they did not have a second game that week.
Led by Delrecco Gillespie in scoring with 18 and rebounding with 20. Gellespie accounted for half of Kent State’s rebounding total of 40.
Bowling Green Falcons (10-3, 1-0 MAC)
The Falcons are the owners of the number one-ranked defense in the MAC this season, holding opponents to 64.4 points per game.
Bowling Green started out conference play on the road in Athens, Ohio, as they defeated the Ohio Bobcats 68-58. They followed up that win with another one over Siena Heights, 125-66.
Javontae Campbell led the Falcons in their win over the Bobcats with 19 points on a perfect 11-11 from the free throw line and added 7 rebounds and assists.
Akron Zips (9-3,1-0 MAC)
The preseason favorites to win the regular season and MAC basketball tournament sit in fifth place after a week of conference play, with plenty of time to climb the ranks.
Akron started its season with a home win over Eastern Michigan with a final score of 93-72.
Amani Lyles and Evan Mahaffey both put up double-doubles en route to their first conference win of the season.
Northern Illinois Huskies (5-7, 1-0 MAC)
The Huskies start this season the same way they ended last season, with a win over Central Michigan in dramatic fashion.
NIU trailed 44-27 after the first half of play but fought back in the second half, putting up 49 points to Central Michigan’s 29 to win the game 74-73.
Led by freshman Dylan Ducommun, who had 18 points with 13 of those coming in the second half comeback.
Massachusetts Minutemen (9-4,0-1 MAC)
The newest team to enter the MAC has started its conference play on the wrong foot, but has looked good in its non-conference part of the schedule.
Starting the season with a loss at home to the Kent State Golden Flashes with a final score of 69-59, as they get their first taste of MACtion.
Although they lost, senior forward Daniel Haskins-Sanford put up a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Toledo Rockets (6-6, 0-0 MAC)
The only team that does not have a conference game under its belt, the Rockets will face the Western Michigan Broncos on Tuesday, Dec. 30, in their first MAC game of the season.
Eastern Michigan Eagles (6-7,0-1 MAC)
The Eagles look to bounce back from a rough last season, where they were bounced out of the first round of the MAC tournament.
Eastern Michigan started the season off with a 93-72 loss to Akron and then a loss in their final non-conference game against Wright State with a final score of 70-64.
Although the Eagles lost back-to-back games, guard Carlos Hart was able to put up a combined 50 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 steals in the two losses.
Ohio Bobcats (6-7,0-1 MAC)
The Bobcats have started their conference record off with a loss at home, but have plenty of time to climb back up the MAC rankings.
Ohio lost its MAC home opener against Bowling Green with a final score of 68-58, then followed it up with a win over the Miami Hamilton Harriers 102-59.
In the loss to Bowling Green, Jackson Paveletzke had 19 points, making him the only Bobcat to score double-digit points.
Western Michigan Broncos (6-7,0-1)
The Broncos start with a loss in conference play, but it is still early in the season for the Broncos to turn around their season.
Western Michigan started its MAC conference play with an 88-71 loss at home to Buffalo. They followed that up with a win over the Defiance Yellowjackets with a final score of 94-57.
In the loss to Buffalo, sophomore forward Hudson Ward scored 13 points off the bench. Marking the first double-digit scoring game this season for him.
Central Michigan Chippewas (4-9,0-1 MAC)
Central Michigan lost back-to-back games this week, with the opening week of MAC play and their final nonconference game.
It started with a one-point loss to NIU with a final of 74-73, where the Chippewas led by 17 going into halftime. After that loss, they traveled to Wisconsin to take on the Badgers, where they lost 88-61.
Nathan Claerbaut and Nick Mullen both put up 18 points and 7 rebounds in the loss to NIU.
Ball State Cardinals (3-9,0-1 MAC)
The Cardinals have struggled early in the season and are currently on a four-game losing streak.
In MAC play, they lost their opener on their home court against the Miami RedHawks 86-77
Elmore James IV led all Cardinal scorers with 20 points off the bench, which is a season high and is the first time James scored in double digits since Nov. 28.
