Published: January 06, 2007 11:37 pm      

MAC INSIDER: Writer immerses himself in Mid-America

COMMENTARY

In this, the first in a weekly feature looking at Mid-American Conference basketball, we’d like to shine light on a writer who was a diehard MAC follower before University at Buffalo coach Reggie Witherspoon was calling sets at nearby Sweet Home High.

Growing up in Kalamazoo, Mich., Ray Mernagh remembers watching retired NBA champion Ron Harper’s high-scoring days at Miami (by contrast, this “insider” is so green he barely remembers Harper’s high-scoring days with the Dallas Mavericks).

Mernagh, a hoops junkie who’s playing days were truncated by a knee-injury, was attracted to the competitive, blue-collar spirit of the MAC, something he said has maintained throughout the last two decades. Mernagh, 36, started freelancing for Basketball Times — what he calls college basketball’s bible — a few years ago, and it wasn’t long before he became the publication’s go-to guy for MAC related content.

Last fall, Mernagh decided to give the MAC the John Feinstein treatment, immersing himself in the league for an entire season in order to write the mother of all mid-major basketball stories. His recently published book, 1 Chance 2 Dance: A Season Inside Mid-Major Hoops In Mid-America, is the holy grail this column will humbly try to imitate over the next few months.

“The book is an unvarnished look at college basketball,” Mernagh said by phone this week. “I had access to anything I wanted. I was in the locker room before games. At halftime.”

The book opens at the 2005 MAC tournament, where a tip-in at the buzzer prevented the Bulls from earning the automatic bid to the NCAAs. Later chapters touch on Witherspoon’s displeasure with not receiving an at-large bid to the ‘05 tournament, Turner Battle’s decision to attend UB and a long phone conversation Mernagh had with former Bull Calvin in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, among other UB items.

Mernagh, like virtually anyone who’s ever covered the Bulls, is a big Witherspoon fan.

“You couldn’t have a better guy in Buffalo,” he said. “He’s a motivator, a task-master, but the kids love playing for him. He never stops working and he’s appreciative for what he has.”

1 Chance 2 Dance is available to purchase at Mernagh’s Web site, www.hoopwise.com. Those without Internet access can contact him at 412-708-9726.

MAC play under way

Saturday was opening day in the MAC with preseason favorite Akron (9-3) visiting Ohio (9-4) highlighting the four-game slate. UB opens league play at 2 p.m. today at Bowling Green.

With LeBron James’ high school teammates Romeo Travis and Dru Joyce leading the way, Akron is most observers’ choice to come out on top. But Mernagh said the key to winning the MAC is getting contributions from the bench, and Akron lost three solid contributors from a year ago.

“I think the league is wide open,” he said. “I’m excited because I think its going to be real tight. The recruiting in the league has picked up. The younger kids are going to bring the level of play up.”

Mernagh said UB has a shot to win the league, but lack of depth could be a limiting factor. He does believe freshman Calvin Betts, currently the Bulls’ sixth-man, is a special talent.

•••

GAME DAY

• WHAT: Buffalo Bulls (8-5) at Bowling Green Falcons (9-4)

• WHEN: 2 p.m. today

• WHERE: Anderson Arena

• RADIO: WWKB 1520 (accessible at www.buffalobulls.com)

Contact Jonah Bronstein at bronsteinj@gnnewspaper.com