Band, Rowdies give team a sendoff

Men's basketball

About 10 members of the band and a handful of AK-Rowdies gathered in front of Rhodes Arena to usher the Zips to Cleveland.

I noticed this while buying my ticket for Friday's MAC semifinal game, which cost $10 for students.

(Unfortunately, I have to take a Judicial Process exam on Thursday night, so the Zips better advance beyond that.)

• Miami coach Charlie Coles pitched an at-large berth for the Zips to the Associated Press. He knows, as most astute MAC followers, that an at-large bid for Akron is good for the whole league.


• Akron is No. 67 in RPI -- about 10 spots too low to merit at-large consideration. However, the Zips are just two one-hundreths of a point away from Mississippi's spot at No. 64.


• ESPN.com is conducting a poll to see what bubble teams should get in. So far, 83.9 percent of voters say Akron is heading to the NIT. Don't get too upset. Only Illinois and Old Dominion have percentages below 50.

Some MAC Tournament scores...

• Behind 15 points from Jesse Bunkley and great defense, Eastern Michigan dispatched Ball State, 51-48. The Eagles will play Toledo tomorrow.


• Now coming off the bench, Bubba Walther dropped five 3-pointers and 19 points on Bowling Green, ending the Falcons' season, 69-59. The Bobcats will play Miami tomorrow.


• Central Michigan has opened a 19-9 lead on Buffalo in the first half. Akron will play the winner tomorrow at 7 p.m.