Although losses to Cleveland State and Saint Louis took some of the shine off Dayton, it has rebounded to win five of its last six. Freshman Brooks Hall leads the way, shooting 42.7 percent from behind the arc. The Mid-American Conference is a pretty close facsimile of the WAC or Atlantic 10, only without the TV contract. Kent made the NCAA Tournament last year by winning the MAC tourney, but would have been a likely at-large bid had it not earned the automatic entry. The same can be said this season.
Few teams are as hot as Long Beach State.
New Mexico State's profile is built up by two wins over in-state rival New Mexico, and by a schedule in which the Aggies haven't fattened up on easy competition. Lou Henson's crew played 12 non-conference games, with 10 coming against teams from major conferences. Instead, they've rattled off six straight wins. The Waves face Gonzaga on Feb. 3 in Spokane, Wash., to determine a conference front-runner. So much for building on success.