MAC Championship: vs. Central Michigan (3/13)

[mbenecke]

On Saturday, March 13 at 11:00am, our top-seeded Falcons (20-5, 16-4 MAC) will take on the Central Michigan Chippewas (17-8, 14-6 MAC) in the MAC Championship Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. BG is looking for their first MAC WBB tournament title since 2011.

Following our 80-67 win over Buffalo on Friday morning, we’ll see a Central Michigan team that we saw just once during the regular season, in a 76-67 home win in the middle of February. Because we won the first matchup, I’d imagine CMU will be pressing hard for redemption. Also, with a title on the line, there will be no shortage of motivation for this one.

Before our regular season title this year, CMU had won the last 4 MAC regular season championships. That run for them includes 2 NCAA tournament appearances, plus an appearance in the 2018 Sweet Sixteen. So, clearly, this is a championship-level quality opponent. We will need our best to win this game on Saturday.

Go Falcons - win the MAC!

[BillyLP]

CMU is a fantastic team with probably one of the best mid-major backcourts in the nation. This will be a tight game. I'll be cheering them on from Nashville!

[BillyLP]

Game time. Let’s go Falcons!

[BillyLP]

Hempfling playing like Chris Paul early. Absolute dimes so far. She should have five assists already if Lewis hit those layups.

[BillyLP]

16-11 BG after one. Really should be a bigger lead but they didn’t convert on several makeable shots and drives (sounds familiar, right?). Fantastic defense so far on their star guards.

[BillyLP]

Some questionable officiating, at best, along with some poor shot selection in the second quarter has CMU even with BG at half. 34-34. Two more quarters to get it done.

[fredthefalcon]

Central is getting away with a lot of offensive push offs. Guess that's the way the refs are calling this.

[mbenecke]

Yeah, the stripes have been pretty poor here in the building.

But we’re basically tied at 0 here again, so let’s win the half and win the game.

[BillyLP]

Kelly starting to wake up for CMU. Need Fleming and Brett to start doing a little more on offense.

[BillyLP]

The officials are just not calling fouls in the paint this game and BG is not adjusting. CMU is showing to be the better, smarter team so far this half.

[jpfalcon09]

Wheels falling off.

[BillyLP]

Big time resilience to come back. 61-60 CMU after 3.

[BillyLP]

That’ll do it. CMU is gonna win this one. Doesn’t take away from an incredible season that no one expected of them. They are technically top 60 in the NET rankings but an at-large bid isn’t going to happen. I believe they are doing a WNIT this season so it may not be completely over. Proud of this team and excited for the future.

[FalconRollAlong]

Tough way for the tournament to end. Great season and very proud of all the work put in by these players that far exceeded preseason expectations. Ay Ziggy Zoomba!

[Falconwriter]

This is such a young roster that taking this leap forward in one year is pretty amazing. Now the foundation is in place and the expectations will be much higher; as the challenge is much greater.

Judging by how this coaching staff and team responded this past season -- I believe they will be up to it.