The Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State University men's basketball team has its sights set on a league championship and a NCAA Tournament bid as it competes in the 2017 Mid-American Conference Tournament in Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland March 9-11.
Flash Facts:
- The Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State men's basketball team has punched its ticket to Cleveland, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament after Monday's epic 116-106 win over Central Michigan.
- The Golden Flashes are set to face Buffalo in the quarterfinals Thursday, capping off a full slate in Cleveland that features: #8 Eastern Michigan vs. #1 Akron, #5 Western Michigan vs. #4 Ball State and #7 Toledo vs. #2 Ohio. Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State and Buffalo are expected to tip off around 9 p.m. on Spectrum Sports.
- The winner of the late evening game will face the winner of Toledo and Ohio Friday at 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. The championship game, with the winner headed to the NCAA Tournament, is scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
- The Flashes are entering the quarterfinals coming off one of the greatest games to ever be played in the MAC Tournament and in the historic M.A.C. Center. Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State and Central Michigan combined for 222 points in the overtime battle. Winning 116-106, the Flashes passed the MAC Tournament scoring record by eight points, while the Chippewas were two shy of the previous mark. Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State was just three points short of the M.A.C. Center scoring record, set in 1964 at 119 against Wayne State.
- The win was Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State's sixth over the last seven games, a run that includes wins over the top three seeds in the MAC Tournament, including Buffalo. The Flashes won on the Bulls' home floor, 77-69, just over two weeks ago on Feb. 21. Buffalo is still hot, winning eight of its last 10 games.
- Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State and Buffalo have faced each other four times in the MAC Tournament, with the Flashes holding a 3-1 record against them. All three of Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State's wins against them have come in the quarterfinal round. Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State holds a 30-15 overall record against Buffalo.
- Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State has won five MAC Tournament Championships in program history, and a win Thursday would place the Flashes in the semifinal round for the 17th time. Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ State is in search of its first MAC Tournament Championship since 2008.