The CMU men’s basketball takes a step away from conference play Saturday amid the Mid-American Conference grind.

The Chippewas face Tennessee State at 6:30 p.m. at Rose Arena as part of ESPN’s BracketBuster event.

A 18-0 second-half run was not enough for the CMU men’s basketball team Wednesday at Ball State.

The Chippewas lost 69-63 to the Cardinals and are now a game behind BSU in the Mid-American Conference West Division standings.

The CMU men’s basketball team should have a familiar feeling when it plays Ball State at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Worthen Arena in Muncie, Ind.

The Chippewas and Cardinals will battle for the Mid-American Conference West Division lead, much like the scenario from last year, where CMU came into the matchup 5-7 in the MAC and Ball State 6-6.

The second half haunted the CMU men’s basketball team in its previous three games coming into Sunday.

But in Rose Arena that day, it was the first half that lacked offensive play — the team shot just 35 percent.

The CMU men’s basketball team’s defense led it to a 63-46 victory against Toledo Sunday in Rose Arena.

The Chippewas held the Rockets to 35.7 percent shooting, and 3-for-10 from the 3-point line.

Robbie Harman’s landmark night was overshadowed by the CMU men’s basketball team’s third consecutive loss Thursday.

CMU lost 89-76 against Ohio University at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio.

A career night by Robbie Harman was not enough for the CMU men’s basketball team Thursday in Athens, Ohio.

The senior guard scored a career-high 31 points in the team’s 89-76 loss to Ohio in the Convocation Center.

Coming into its three-game homestand, the CMU men’s basketball team was perfect at Rose Arena.

CMU entered the stretch 3-0 at home in Mid-American Conference play. Lately, that success has disappeared.