MAC Tournament Women’s Quarterfinals

No. 1 Toledo Rockets – 72 vs. No. 8 Western Michigan Broncos – 61

In the opening game of the tournament, the Western Michigan Broncos came ready to play, taking a 20-16 lead on the MAC’s top team at the end of the first.

They would continue to outplay the Rockets through the second quarter to take a double-digit lead at halftime.

However, Toledo’s defense started the second half on fire, holding the Broncos scoreless in the first five minutes of the third quarter. The Rockets’ offense slowly turned the tide and by the end of the third quarter, they claimed a 52-50 lead.

Western Michigan fought back to tie the game at 54 apiece early in the fourth, but a 14-0 Toledo run over the next five minutes and change put the game out of reach.

The Rockets did not play especially well, but perhaps the quarterfinal victory will serve as a wakeup call for the defending champions.

No. 4 Buffalo Bulls – 70 vs. No. 5 Bowling Green Falcons – 64

The Bulls and Falcons, who were neck and neck all season long, met for the third and final time this season, and the last result was no different than the first two as Buffalo came out on top yet again.

After digging themselves in a 14-3 hole halfway through the first quarter, Bowling Green began to fight back and found themselves just down six at halftime.

After giving up four straight points to go down 40-30 in the third, the Falcons went on a 16-1 run in just under five and a half minutes to put themselves up 46-41.

Down four early in the fourth, the Bulls went on a run of their own, scoring 13 in a row, putting themselves up 59-50.

The Falcons clawed back to tie the game at 64-64, but after a free throw put Buffalo back up a point with 45 seconds, Bowling Green was unable to answer, and eventually lost by six.

Buffalo will face Toledo in the first semifinal on March 15 at 10 a.m.

No. 2 Ball State Cardinals – 77 vs. No. 6 Ohio Bobcats – 53

The first blowout of the tournament came at Ohio’s expense. The Bobcats hung around for a little while and had the game tied at 12-12 with just under four minutes left in the first quarter. Unfortunately for Ohio, the Cardinals went on a 10-2 run to close the quarter.

After finishing the first quarter on a run, Ball State started the second quarter with a 15-4 run which helped boost them to a 43-25 halftime lead.

The Bobcats were able to slowly chip away at the Cardinals’ lead through the third quarter and early into the fourth. With just under seven minutes remaining, Ohio found themselves down 60-49, still down double-digits, but with life.

Ball State did not allow the Bobcats to get any closer, dominating the final 6:38 by going on a 17-4 run to complete the three-game sweep of Ohio this season and punch their ticket to the semifinals.

No. 3 Kent State Golden Flashes – 77 vs. No. 6 Northern Illinois Huskies – 53

In the final quarterfinal, the underdog Huskies jumped out to a 7-0 lead. However, Kent State found some rhythm to quickly put themselves back in it.

After the Flashes woke up, they were able to tie the game late in the first quarter. For the entirety of the first half, neither team held a lead of more than three, and Kent State would head into halftime up 30-27.

The Flashes began to pull away in the third, going up by six on multiple occasions, but Northern Illinois had an answer every time.

The Huskies made a push in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to one with two and a half minutes left but could not finish it off as Kent State won by a score of 63-60.

Kent State will play in the second semifinal on March 15 against Ball State, who beat the Flashes in Kent on March 9.

Photo Courtesy: Yasmeen Matthews