Stakes high as CMU hosts Western Michigan in regular season finale
Call it judgment day.
With the regular season winding down for teams in the Mid-American Conference, this weekend is crucial in determining division titles and tournament seeding.
For both, look no further than Saturday’s game between the Central Michigan men’s basketball team and rival Western Michigan.
“When you’re playing Western, all of the scenarios that the game may bring goes out the window,” said CMU head coach Ernie Zeigler. “It’s Central-Western.”
CMU, at 7-8 in the conference, has the opportunity to lock up the No. 8 seed in next week’s MAC tournament with a win. A loss to the Broncos and a Bowling Green win over Buffalo Saturday sends the Chippewas on the road to Buffalo, a place the team does not want to return to after a 72-43 blowout loss on Feb. 8.
(Possible first round MAC tournament scenarios for CMU.)
The last meeting between both schools went down to the wire, with WMU pulling out a 63-56 overtime win Jan. 9 in Kalamazoo.
“It’s going to be a lot of pressure,” said senior forward Jalin Thomas. “But at the same time it’s something we want to do. Coach gave us some scenarios of what we might have to do if we lose, and we’re not looking forward to that at all.”
Meanwhile, Western Michigan (18-11, 10-5 MAC) can clinch the MAC West Division title outright and No. 2 seed in the tournament with a win. It moved a game ahead of Ball State in the division with a win against the Cardinals on Wednesday.
They Broncos are playing some of their best basketball of the year, having won three consecutive and six of their last seven games. Their only loss was a 74-72 loss against Kent State.
However, WMU will be without junior forward Flenard Whitfield, who was suspended by the MAC on Thursday following an altercation in Wednesday’s game against Ball State.
“It’s unfortunate – (Flenard) is an excellent student-athlete,” said Zeigler, who recruited the 6-foot-7, 230-pounder four years ago. “In basketball, things happen. We’ve been on the other end of that from an injury standpoint, playing without our best player for 2 games and a half.”
Saturday’s game will also serve as senior day for Thomas, guard Antonio Weary and senior forward Will McClure. All three junior college transfers will be honored before the game in what could be their final game played in Mount Pleasant.
“It’s been a great career here … I’ve loved every minute of it,” said Thomas, who transferred to CMU in 2008 from Pensacola (Fla.) Junior College. “Two years went by so fast, but it’s been great having my own family here and the fans and support we’ve had. Playing Western, it can’t get any bigger than that, and that’s exactly who everyone wanted to play.”
Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at McGuirk Arena.
Game preview: CMU vs. WMU Tipoff: 2 p.m. Saturday, McGuirk Arena TV/Radio: None/95.3 WCFX-FM (Mount Pleasant), 98.5 WUPS-FM (Houghton Lake) Previous meeting: WMU beat the Chippewas, 63-56, in overtime on Jan. 9 in Kalamazoo. The Broncos lead the all-time series, 87-50.
