Central Michigan University Athletics
Men's Basketball vs. Western Michigan: Game Notes
2/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Live Audio | Live Video | Live Stats | Game Notes
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Tournament seeding is on the line and a chance at a share of the West Division title when in-state Mid-American Conference rivals Central Michigan and Western Michigan square off in the final regular season game in the history of Rose Center on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on Fox SportsNet Detroit with tipoff set for noon.
The game pits two of the three teams tied at 7-7 for second place in the West Division, one game back of Ball State for the Division lead. There is just one game separating the No. 6 seed from the No. 10 seed for next month's MAC Tournament. The top four seeds, including the two division winners, are given byes in the first round, while seeds 5-8 will host the first round of the tournament at campus sites.
There will be live stats available, as well as a live audio stream of 95.3 WCFX-FM's local broadcast, to all fans. Live video of the contest will also be available on a subscription basis through NIUHuskies.com.
All-Time Series -- The Broncos lead the all-time series, 49-85, in a series that dates back to 1908. The home team has won 16 of the last 22 meetings. The road team won both meetings a year ago for the first time since 1984, including the Chippewas’ first win at Kalamazoo since 2003. CMU is 3-4 against WMU under Ernie Zeigler, with the home team winning five of the seven meetings.
Keys to the Game -- WMU ranks in the top-four for shooting percentages (44.5 percent) during league play, while CMU ranks 10th (40.8). Both teams are ranked in the middle of the pack in field goal defense, but the Broncos rank eighth at guarding the three-point shot (35.5 percent), where as CMU sits fourth (32.3). Western’s three-point defense could be the biggest factor, with Central leading the league in three-pointers made (8.4).
Final Countdown -- Today is the final regular-season basketball game to be played in Rose Center.
New CMU Events Center Construction Underway -- Rose Center has hosted Central Michigan basketball since 1973-74 season. This is the final season in the building’s current configuration. The existing court was purchased in June of 1986 and used only once prior, at the 1986 NBA All-Star game. It’s hosted events such as the 1980 AIAW Division I National Championship and in 1984 it hosted the first round games of the women’s basketball NCAA tournament. A $21 million renovation of Rose Center was approved by the Central Michigan board of trustees on July 16, 2009. The privately funded Events Center will include a completely redesigned angular exterior and bright glazed-glass entrance, a 10,000 square-foot lobby and reception area, a redesigned arena bowl with upgraded comfortable seating for 5,300, a new 12,000 square-foot practice facility, enhancements to the student fitness center and additional academic teaching space. Officials broke ground on Sept. 26, and the project is expected to be completed in time for the 2010-11 basketball seasons.
Swarming ‘D’ -- CMU held Ball State to just 38 points and 24 percent from the floor in on Jan 13 in a 53-38 victory at Rose Center. The 38 points are the fewest CMU has allowed to a Division-I opponent since 1950 and third-fewest to any opponent in that stretch.
Zeigler Against the MAC -- Fourth-year head coach Ernie Zeigler is 29-33 (.468) against the Mid-American Conference.
Double-Up On 1,000 -- Robbie Harman and Jordan Bitzer both joined CMU’s 1,000-point club this season. It’s the first time the Chippewas have had two 1,000-point scorers on the same team since 2001 when Tim Kisner (1998-01,1,029) and David Webber (1999-02, 1,774)
Looking for .500 -- CMU has a chance to finish above .500 both overall and in league play for the first time since the 2002-03 squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament (25-7, 14-4 MAC). The Chippewas have had just nine winning seasons at the Division I level (since 1972-73), just four in the last 30 years (1986-87, 1987-88, 2000-01, 2002-03). The Chippewas have finished above .500 in MAC play four times in that same span, all during those same seasons.
A Look at the Postseason -- The picture looks much like it did a season ago at this time -- crowded. The Chippewas (7-7) are in a three-way tie for second with the other two Michigan MAC schools (Eastern and Western). All three are a game behind Ball State (8-6), who faces winless Toledo (0-14) on Saturday. Buffalo and Miami are tied for the No. 4 seed, the final bye in the first round, at 8-6 as well. If the tournament started today, the Chippewas would be the No. 7 seed and would face No. 10 Ohio, but a single game separates the No. 6 seed from the No. 10 seed.
