This team is playing solid defense, moving their feet, fighting over the top of screens, executing the high hedge, and not fouling in the process. If they keep executing defensively for 40 minutes I think we will be tough in the MAC and better than the .500 some have predicted. I like that we've focused on our inside game, and if we get shooters back they will give us another weapon as teams pack it in on us. I too like that Preston is contributing but have to say he makes me nervous at times with his passing, he has a tendency to automatically assume a defender is sagging off a teammate on the perimeter and he can get the ball through without really looking, not going to work at this level and it appears teams may have noticed this and looking for it? BVP is getting more confident game by game and was not hesitating in his shot on Saturday, love it. For the record I don't hear anything local about Darty not coming back this season, despite what Newark connections may be saying. Certainly nothing from Saul, would there be a reason to hold on to the info if a decision had actually been made? I remain hopeful, JD could REALLY make this team fire on all cylinders. FWIW, for the first time this season on the bench on Saturday Jordan was in OU sweats instead of street clothes.

Crossing fingers . . .

Very solid performance against a quality opponent. Good win. Carter was very good again, and I still walk away thinking he needs more touches. Kirk's turnovers are getting a little worrisome for me, hopefully that number starts getting smaller for him. I'm not sure if they credit offensive fouls as turnovers, but if not, tack two more onto his number from Saturday. Both were blatant push offs. Doug was a monster on the boards, BVP was solid again. I also thought Preston looked more aggressive at points, and him going downhill towards the bucket made some things happen. I'd like to see more of that from him.

Now let's get a win at Detroit and keep this thing rolling.

It basically predicts us to lose all our road games except at Detroit and win all our home games except for Buffalo and Ball State.

I think 8-4 is very realistic with wins over Detroit and FIU and a loss at Purdue.

I think going 6-2 at home is totally realistic as well in MAC play.

The road is dicey ... I think that is where we'll really see this team struggle. 4-5 on the road might be asking too much? Ball St, Toledo, Akron, Kent and Buffalo will be really, really tough places to win .... and winning at Miami, NIU, CMU and BG have never been easy ... Thankfully they avoid WMU and EMU on road.

I think 8-10 is a stark possibility .... but I think 11-7 is possible if things go their way and they steal a few on the road ....

Here's my guess:

Detroit - W
@ Purdue - L
FIU - W
NIU - W
@ BG - L
@ Ball - L
Kent - W
@ Toledo - L
WMU - W
Ball - W
NIU - W
Akron - W
@Miami - L
EMU - L
CMU - L
UB - L
BG - W
@ Kent - L
@ Akron - L
UB - L
Miami - W

16-14 (8-10) ... fall short of Cleveland-bye by a game or two

I really didn't realize how well balanced the MAC is behind Buffalo. I think UB goes 15-3 AT WORST in the league ... and after that it's a toss-up for 2 down. Not sure there is just a really, really bad team this year. Some are certainly better than others ... but not a guaranteed win any night.

Wait one second.

I told basketball aficionados up here in Licking County, home of both Jason Carter and Jordan Dartis, that JC will be MAC MVP before he's done at Ohio back during his freshman season.

I also told them that BJ Duling, also of Licking County and currently coming off the bench for Kent, will follow him with his own conference MVP season. That's not looking too promising as of now.

I had a premonition back when Jason's great uncle Joseph Carter played for the men's basketball program at Ohio that he would one day have a great nephew whom years later would emerge from Johnstown, OH, to become a star basketball player for the Bobcats.

This even beats my grand-slam HR prediction when the Cubs were in the World Series a few years ago, in which I predicted the player who would hit the HR, and the inning in which it would occur. However, in my case I posted it before the game actually took place. But, I'm not one to quibble about such minor details of timing of prophecies. You guys, therefore, win the BA all-time prognostication trophy. You are going to have to share it!