Buffalo holds off Toledo, wins MAC

Wes Clark scored 26 points, Nick Perkins added 16, including a big three-pointer, and Buffalo won its third Mid-American Conference championship — and the league’s automatic NCAA bid — in four years by beating Toledo 76-66 on Saturday night in Cleveland.

The top-seeded Bulls (26-8) were the MAC’s best team all season, and it was no different at Quicken Loans Arena, where Buffalo won its three games by an average of 14.

Toledo gave Buffalo all it could handle despite playing without star senior guard Tre’Shaun Fletcher, who sat out because of a left knee injury suffered in the quarterfinals. Fletcher was the league’s top player this season, and his absence made things even tougher on the second-seeded Rockets (23-11), who couldn’t end their 38-year NCAA drought.

Freshman Marreon Jackson’s three-pointer pulled Toledo even at 63-63, but the Bulls went on a 9-0 run, highlighted by Perkins making a three from the top of the key.

Jaelan Sanford scored 20 and Jackson 13 for the Rockets, who sorely missed Fletcher in the game’s waning moments. Toledo missed three straight 3-pointers during Buffalo’s big run.

Clark was named the tournament’s most valuable player. He finished 10 of 15 from the field and added five rebounds, three assists and four steals.

FERRIS STATE 75, OHIO DOMINICAN 57: Ferris State slowly pulled away in the second half of a Division II Midwest Regional game in Big Rapids, Michigan, and handed Ohio Dominican a loss in its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Zach Hankins had 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead the way for Ferris State (32-1), which was only ahead 30-29 at halftime. After Mike DeLeon brought ODU within 49-45 with 11:24 remaining, Ferris State went on an 11-2 run. The Panthers closed within seven points with 8 minutes remaining, but the Bulldogs pulled away again to lead by 18 with 6:06 to go. ODU (20-10) missed all eight of its second-half three-point attempts. Drew Cushingberry had 14 points, Markese Mayfield 12 and Noah King 10 for Ferris State.

Hasan Varance led ODU with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Shemar Waugh had 11 points. The Panthers qualified for the NCAAs by winning the Great Midwest Athletic Conference tournament last week.