The Central Michigan men’s basketball team is looking to end a four-game losing streak tonight when it hosts MAC leader, Akron, for a 7 p.m. contest. You can listen to the broadcast here or watch a live stream here.

Here is a quick look at both teams entering this Mid-American Conference game:

CMU (7-12, 2-4 MAC, 2-8 on the road)

· 63.4 points per game (9^th in MAC)

· 67.6 points allowed per game (10^th in MAC)

· 40.4% shooting as a team (10^th in MAC)

· 64.5% free throw shooting (12^th in MAC)

· 34.4% 3-point shooting (5^th in MAC)

· 42.3% defensive field goal percentage (9^th in MAC)

· Leading scorer – So. Trey Zeigler (16.1 per game)

· Leading rebounder – So. Trey Zeigler (6.8 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 2

· Longest Losing Streak – 4

· Current Streak – Lost 4

· RPI – 256

Akron (13-7, 5-1 MAC, 5-5 on the road)

· 72.7 points per game (2^nd in MAC)

· 65.9 points allowed per game (7^th in MAC)

· 46.4% shooting as a team (1^st in MAC)

· 66.9% free throw shooting (9^th in MAC)

· 39.9% 3-point shooting (1^st in MAC)

· 41.5% defensive field goal percentage (4^th in MAC)

· Leading scorer – Jr. Zeke Marshall (10.3 per game)

· Leading rebounder – Sr. Nikola Cvetinovic (5.9 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 4

· Longest Losing Streak – 3

· Current Streak – Won 2

· RPI - 57

The Central Michigan men’s basketball team is looking to end a three-game losing streak tonight when it heads to Bowling Green for a 7 p.m. tipoff. You can listen to the broadcast here or watch a live stream here.

Here is a quick look at both teams entering this Mid-American Conference game:

CMU (7-11, 2-3 MAC, 2-8 on the road)

· 63.7 points per game (9^th in MAC)

· 67.4 points allowed per game (10^th in MAC)

· 40.7% shooting as a team (10^th in MAC)

· 65.0% free throw shooting (11^th in MAC)

· 41.9% 3-point shooting (5^th in MAC)

· 34.9% defensive field goal percentage (3^rd in MAC)

· Leading scorer – So. Trey Zeigler (16.0 per game)

· Leading rebounder – So. Trey Zeigler (6.7 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 2

· Longest Losing Streak – 3

· Current Streak – Lost 3

· RPI – 244

Bowling Green (8-10, 2-3 MAC, 6-3 at home)

· 68.0 points per game (7^th in MAC)

· 66.7 points allowed per game (9^th in MAC)

· 45.7% shooting as a team (3^rd in MAC)

· 68.4% free throw shooting (6^th in MAC)

· 34.0% 3-point shooting (6^th in MAC)

· 44.8% defensive field goal percentage (11^th in MAC)

· Leading scorer – Jr. A’uston Calhoun (13.3 per game)

· Leading rebounder – Sr. Scott Thomas (6.7 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 2

· Longest Losing Streak – 2

· Current Streak – Lost 1

· RPI - 177

The Central Michigan men’s basketball team is looking to stay atop the Mid-American Conference West Division standings on Wednesday at 7 p.m. when they host Ball State. You can listen to the broadcast here or watch a live stream here.

Here is a quick look at both teams entering this Mid-American Conference game:

CMU (7-9, 2-1 MAC, 3-1 at home)

· 64.6 points per game (9^th in MAC)

· 67.2 points allowed per game (9^th in MAC)

· 41.5% shooting as a team (10^th in MAC)

· 64.2% free throw shooting (12^th in MAC)

· 36.1% 3-point shooting (2^nd in MAC)

· 41.2% defensive field goal percentage (4^th in MAC)

· Leading scorer – So. Trey Zeigler (16.4 per game)

· Leading rebounder – So. Trey Zeigler (6.8 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 2

· Longest Losing Streak – 3

· Current Streak – Lost 1

· RPI – 218

Ball State (10-5, 2-1 MAC, 3-4 on the road)

· 65.9 points per game (8^th in MAC)

· 58.1 points allowed per game (1^st in MAC)

· 43.3% shooting as a team (6^th in MAC)

· 67.6% free throw shooting (6^th in MAC)

· 32.5% 3-point shooting (10^th in MAC)

· 37.6% defensive field goal percentage (1^st in MAC)

· Leading scorer – Sr. Jarrod Jones (17.8 per game)

· Leading rebounder – Sr. Jarrod Jones (8.5 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 6

· Longest Losing Streak – 2

· Current Streak – Lost 1

· RPI - 231

The Central Michigan men’s basketball team is looking to start the Mid-American Conference season 3-0 on Saturday with a 4:30 p.m. tip at Northern Illinois. You can listen to the broadcast here or watch a live stream here.

Here is a quick look at both teams entering this Mid-American Conference game:

CMU (7-8, 2-0 MAC, 2-6 on the road)

· 64.5 points per game (9^th in MAC)

· 66.8 points allowed per game (8^th in the MAC)

· 41.8% shooting as a team (10^th in MAC)

· 62.8% free throw shooting (12^th in MAC)

· 35.7% 3-point shooting (3^rd in the MAC)

· 40.5% defensive field goal percentage (4^th in MAC)

· Leading scorer – So. Trey Zeigler (16.3 per game)

· Leading rebounder – So. Trey Zeigler (6.9 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 2

· Longest Losing Streak – 3

· Current Streak – Won 2

· RPI – 169

Northern Illinois (1-13, 0-2 MAC, 1-7 at home)

· 54.4 points per game (11^th in MAC)

· 67.4 points allowed per game (10^th in the MAC)

· 36.0% shooting as a team (12^th in MAC)

· 67.0% free throw shooting (8th^th in MAC)

· 28.6% 3-point shooting (11^th in MAC)

· 42.4% defensive field goal percentage (8^th in MAC)

· Leading scorer – Sr. Tim Toler (11.4 per game)

· Leading rebounder – Sr. Tim Toler (5.1 per game)

· Longest Winning Streak – 1

· Longest Losing Streak – 11

· Current Streak – Lost 2

· RPI - 341

The Central Michigan men’s basketball team is in Ypsilanti tonight to take on Eastern Michigan for a 7 p.m. tip. You can listen to the broadcast here or watch a live stream here.

Here is a quick look at both teams entering this Mid-American Conference game:

CMU (6-8, 1-0 MAC, 1-6 on the road)

• 64.9 points per game (9^th in MAC)
• 67.6 points allowed per game (9^th in the MAC)
• 42% shooting as a team (10^th in MAC)
• 62.9% free throw shooting (12^th in MAC)
• 35.2% 3-point shooting (4^th in MAC)
• 40.3% defensive field goal percentage (4^th in MAC)
• Leading scorer – So. Trey Zeigler (16.7 per game)
• Leading rebounder – So. Trey Zeigler (6.4 per game)
• Longest Winning Streak – 2
• Longest Losing Streak – 3
• Current Streak – Won 1
• RPI – 189

Eastern Michigan (6-9, 1-0 MAC, 3-1 at home)

• 53.0 points per game (12^th in MAC)
• 60.9 points allowed per game (2^nd in the MAC)
• 36.9% shooting as a team (11^th in MAC)
• 70.2% free throw shooting (4th^th in MAC)
• 26.8% 3-point shooting (12^th in MAC)
• 41.6% defensive field goal percentage (6^th in MAC)
• Leading scorer – Sr. Darrell Lampley (14.4 per game)
• Leading rebounder – Jr. Jamell Harris (6.3 per game)
• Longest Winning Streak – 3
• Longest Losing Streak – 5
• Current Streak – Won 1
• RPI - 203

Nobody is going to argue with you that the 2010-11 college basketball season was a disappointment for Central Michigan University.

This season, while there have been some down points in non-conference play, there are some noticeable numbers that lead me to believe that MAC play should be a successful one for the Chippewas.

The big thing I notice is balanced scoring.

If you look at last season’s totals, just three Chippewas averaged 7 points or more per game for the season. Trey Zeigler averaged 16.3 points per game while Jalin Thomas had 15.9 ppg and Derek Jackson was at 7.5 ppg. Basically if Zeigler and Thomas were having an off night, CMU was going to struggle to score.

This season, the Chippewas have five players averaging 6.9 points ore more.

Zeigler is leading the team at 16.7 ppg, but Jackson is putting up 11.3 ppg while freshman Austin McBroom is posting 10.2 ppg.

Add in Andre Coimbra scoring 9.1 ppg and Olivier Mbaigoto scoring 6.9 ppg and you can see that the starting five for CMU all have scoring ability.

What is even more promising is that the three leading scorers of the team are sophomores and a freshman.

While there is a lot of MAC play left, the Chippewas should be able to compete for the MAC West because of their scoring options that they didn’t have a season ago.

Ever since Trey Zeigler committed to become a member of the Central Michigan Chippewas back in the spring of 2010, he was largely granted the MAC Freshman of the Year award for the 2010-11 season.
However, when it was all said and done, the 6-5 guard was edged for the award by Buffalo’s Javon McCrea, a 6-7 forward.
This season, Zeigler has seemed to have an intensity about him on the floor. Not much for words, he is letting his play do his talking, as he is averaging 16.7 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, and 2.8 assists per game. All of which rank in the top 13 in the MAC or better, with his scoring average putting him fourth in the conference.
Not to be outdone McCrea has been the leader of the Bulls this year, averaging 17.5 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per contest while shooting a league-best 62.5 percent from the field. His points put him third in the MAC and his rebounding average is fifth in the conference.
Both players helped lead their teams to wins in their MAC openers and Buffalo is now at 8-4 on the year while CMU is 6-8.
While there are plenty of talented players in the MAC this season, Zeigler and McCrea are providing some excitement about the future of the conference as well.

Join me at 7 p.m. for a live chat during tonight's CMU vs. Illinois-Chicago men's basketball game.

The CMU men's basketball team takes on Charlotte tonight at 7 p.m. I will be hosting a live chat then from McGuirk Arena.

The CMU men's basketball team opens its regular season Saturday night at 7 p.m. against Ferris State. Join me for a live chat during tonight's game.

I got a chance to watch about 90 minutes of CMU men's basketball practice today and wanted to share a few notes on the team.

- The freshmen guards looked to be fitting right in. Austin McBroom and Jordan Myrick both look comfortable at the point and I suspect each will get their chance to earn the starting spot. Both seem to be about passing the ball and running the offense, which should allow Trey Zeigler to be more of a scorer away from the ball. Austin Keel hit some nice outside shots and will be CMU's threat on the 3-point line. I don't know that he will be able to create a lot of shots on his own, but he probably won't get a lot of defensive attention early on either.

- CMU will really be tested in the post. Andre Coimbra will likely have to play the 5 in most situations, but he had a real history of foul trouble last year. If he gets into foul trouble, I am not sure who fills in at center. Zach Saylor might be the answer there, but he has missed the last two seasons with injury issues and is still pretty raw.

- At the 4, I think Colin Voss will be given the chance to start, but juco forward Olivier Mbaigoto looks to be a good option too. Mbaigoto has a really nice wingspan and will be a shot blocker for the team. Neither player really has the bulk to play the 5, but they will need to be rebounders for this team. Sophomore Jevon Harden and redshirt freshmen Auston Barnes are there too, but Harden has some knee issues that have plagued him and Barnes still seems small in height and weight at 6-6, 196 pounds.

- Trey looks to have filled out a little more and I think he will be the leader of this team, both in scoring, and in leadership. I think he knows that pressure that is on this team to win this year.

Media Day is Tuesday and I hope to get to another practice this week to get a better feel for the squad as they prepare for their exhibition opener on Nov. 2.

CMU redshirt freshman forward Nate VanArendonk has decided to leave the men's basketball program and transfer to Hope, according to head coach Ernie Zeigler.

Zeigler cited wanting to be closer to family as to reasons for the 6-foot-10's VanArendonk's departure.

Join me starting at 1:45 p.m. for a live chat during the Central-Western men's basketball game.

Join me starting at 6:30 p.m.

Join me starting at 7:30 p.m. for a live chat during the Central-Easter men's basketball game.

Join me starting at 6:30 p.m. for a live chat during the CMU-Bowling Green men's basketball game.



*I will be covering the CMU vs. Kent State women's basketball prior to the live chat, so the start time could be affected if the women's game runs long.

Join me starting at 7:20 p.m. for a live chat during the CMU men's basketball game against Ohio.

Join me starting at 6:45 p.m.

Join me starting at 6:45 p.m.

Join me starting at 6:45 p.m.