RoyalBlu

I remember when Ball State WAS more than a decent MAC program under Majerus, Hunsaker and MCCallum... I believe all 3 won MAC titles.

I think I read on the Toledo forum the MAC is going to a 22-game schedule next year. In fact, it's doubtful Miami's run would have happened if the league were still in divisions. That would guarantee Miami would have played Akron-Kent-Umass-Ohio Buffalo twice each. Then one game each vs. all MAC West teams except two, likely Ball State and Toledo. Credit Miami with weathering a perfect storm.

I wonder if folks truly understand how much $$$ is at stake for the MAC getting a second bid? It's not a 1-year payday, it's a 5-year payday, and higher if one or both MAC teams advance a round or two. Being a Top 12 league may have been enough to get Miami an at-large. Now, giving Miami an at-large only incentivizes other teams to play weak schedules, build gaudy records, then expect the NCAA to give them a pass into the tournament. Believe me, the NCAA is not going to open that can of worms by giving Miami an at-large bid.

All of this is fine and dandy. But the key is to take advantage of these games and win. The recent Sun Belt debacle shows what happens when (Akron included) teams seemingly snub their noses at these opportunities. Those Sun Belt games were tee-d up for the MAC to make hay and climb closer to being ranked among the Top 12 Conferences in the country -- instead of falling back down closer to near No. 20. Clearly MAC coaches/players looked at those games as a break in MAC play, not a chance to rise above. MAC only won 3 games but were favored in nearly all of them. I remember when 'MAC' teams pulled for all 'MAC' teams in these types of games, but not so much anymore. I remember when coaches took winning these games as a source of team/MAC pride. Now most privately and publicly bitch about playing them. Until the MAC, the players and the coaches all take winning thee games seriously again, they will never make a positive difference. Miami is undefeated. But you're only as tall as the shoulders you stand on. And right now MAC shoulders belong to midgets. If Miami fails to be an NCAA Tournament at-large team this season, every team in the MAC should look in the mirror, then call Miami and tell them 'we're sorry.' Folks will say they beat nobody. Using the Sun Belt Challenge as an example ... they would be right.

As things stand right now ... I feel the three teams to watch are Bowling Green, Central Michigan and Kent with regards to the MAC Tournament. BG's metrics are strong, even if their record is not. If they play to their metrics down the stretch, they could make a push toward the 3-seed. That makes Tuesday's BG-Kent game critical for them. Kent can probably lock up the 3-seed with a BG win as they hold tie-breakers over every other team behind them. At the same time, while they have a strong record, their metrics aren't really that strong. If they struggle down the stretch, they could fall a few spots. Central Michigan is on the outside looking in, but they have been playing well and are just one game out of the 8th spot with games vs. several teams that could be critical, including one vs. Buffalo, and one against Kent - a team they already beat. Keep an eye on CMU the next few weeks.

Seems he was here for a game when he was heavily recruiting a couple of Cleveland kids, but I can't recall when. I know he's been to several FB games in the suites, again when he was in the area recruiting. Haven't seen/heard much of him since he was let go at WVU. Hopefully all is well and his weight is down. Great guy. Great coach.

Actually, minus a couple of quality upsets, I don't see the Top 8 in order being different by the end of the season. That would put Miami vs. Buffalo, the Zips against UMass and Kent vs. BG in the opening round of the MAC Tournament. Considering Miami has had all it could handle vs. UB in two last second wins, and the same with Kent vs. BG with a road games between the two yet to play, Akron's game vs. UMass could be just as dicy, or the easiest of the three, depending on the game Friday. No matter what, would not surprise me to see an upset or two in the MAC Tournament -- and a surprise team in the MAC Final.

If I'm not mistake, all of Kent's NIT games last season were on the road: at St. Bonna, Stanford and Ill-Chicago. Which is actually a good thing, IMO. At the end of the season if guys are willing to play/win a tournament game, they'd rather do it on the road, than at home.

Personally I believe the NCAA should step in on non-conference basketball scheduling. Example: Dictate Top 50 NET/Kenpom teams over the previous 3 years (avg.) must play 8 of 10 non-con games vs. teams with avg. NET/Kenpom ranking no worse than 200 over the previous 3 years. It should crack the door open a little bit for those avg. 75-150 NET/Kenpom teams to get at least one or two P5 caliber games. Top 51-100 avg. NET/Kenpom (3 years) teams must play 8 of 10 non-con games vs. teams no worse than 250 (3 years). These P5 teams playing 6-8 SWAC/MEAC/Ivy/NEC games to avoid upsets and pad their records must be addressed - along with helping solid mid-majors get at least one or two quality games, even if they're on the road. While most of the Top 20 Kenpom have strong non-con SOS, of the 30 teams from 21-50, a whopping 15 of them have non-com SOS of 200 or higher. Those are the teams that need to play much tougher non-con schedules. Only 7 teams 21-50 had non-con SOS below 100.

Went and looked at the play-by-play for the last 9 minutes of that game and it was brutal for Toledo and TK. When Kent cut the score down to 69-66 around the 2-minute mark, most coaches would call a TO to get a quality shot or at least the ball in a key players hands. Not TK ... then Toledo turned it over, allowing Kent to tie the score. NOW TK calls a TO, with a minute to play ... Rockets have the full shot-clock to get a quality possession/shot. Nope. Turnover, shot-clock violation. (Really!!!!) Kent goes on to win it. No wonder TK was complaining about Kent's celebration. In the old days, when there was true media around, TK would have some real 'splaining to do. Brutal ...

If you're going to have a tournament, be fair. I'd rather all 12 (13) teams get in, but I understand Top 8. Scheduling by seeds is enough advantage, IMO. Yes, it sucks as a 1-bid league. But playing a No. 8 and a quality time slot is advantage enough on a neutral court. If tournament was at home sites, I might think again. I think most years there are at least 3 teams in Cleveland that could represent the league well in the NCAA Tournament. In the early 2000s, and this year, I would say there are 5 or 6 NCAA Tournament worthy MAC teams. MAC should not be pissed at this point if any one of Akron, BG, Buff, Kent, Miami or even Toledo were to win in Cleveland. Too many times the quirk of the schedule or an injury impacts where a team finishes and is ultimately seeded. If one of the Mahaffey brothers, Imani or Tavari missed 3 games at the wrong time Akron could possibly drop a game or two, ending with a 2-3-4 seed. I think Wally's senior year at Miami he missed 3-4 games with an injury and they finished 2nd or 3rd instead of winning it all, but came back in the MAC Tournament and won instead. Would not surprise me, come March, if one of Akron or Miami are nationally ranked. Taking the court on TV in prime time in Cleveland would be amazing, with a capital 'A'.

Here's the deal ... considering Akron and Miami are the top 2 seeds and in opposite brackets, on a neutral court, I think Bowling Green, Buffalo and Kent are the most dangerous opponents regardless of where they are seeded. The good thing is those three teams - using Buffalo as an example - would likely have to play BG then Kent/Miami, then Akron in three straight days to get to the MAC Tournament title game, much less win it. That's brutal. While I doubt it will be an issue, that 1-2 seed will be imperative to avoid a potential first-round upset knockout, considering how deep/strong the MAC is this season.

Two one-possession losses (Miami-Kent) and I don't think they play either one again (might be wrong) which puts UB in a bind when it comes to tiebreakers down the road. Edit: 87-81 Kent, one possession game until final seconds. UB does not have another game with Kent, but does have a return home game in a couple weeks against Miami.

Among the Wagers listed in the indictment *Approximately $424,000 on Kent State to cover the first-half spread against Buffalo * Sooo ... Did a UB or Kent player bet on this game. OR, did the EMU kid bet on this game? Somebody explain. I only bet on the horses, so I don't understand this.

Unless I'm reading this stuff wrong it seems like UB and EMU are the cuprits here in games played AGAINST OU, WMU and Kent. Is that right???

I agree with this ... in a tournament setting BG's athleticism will negate dead-leg shooting as the games wear on. They will be a better team the second and third night than they will be the first. If they get out of the first round.

They effectively had NIL even before NIL. A local sugar daddy endowed their basketball program for big bucks.

They don't have Groce ... or even Senderoff, which is not to say I think TK is a top 3 coach in the MAC.

I agree!!! But while there is no way of knowing, I would say, if Toledo matched Akron's success, with their infrastructure - arena, recruiting ability, location - they would be in another conference by now. Missouri Valley at the least. Perhaps even the American. Akron is still in the MAC.

As an urban university Toledo is not in really great shape. But it is still waaaaay better than Akron. I agree it is the best job in the league considering infrastructure, location, recruiting and at least a solid foundation for winning. What can't be overstated is the fact Toledo's prime recruiting areas - Columbus, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis - are all prime prep hoops hubs and all 3-hour drives or less. Akron stands tall with arguably the best coach in the league who has carried the league during a relative down stretch. Credit to him for taking advantage of the situation. But without his one strong financial donor, in the current portal landscape, it's tough seeing Akron even close to Toledo - all things considered. And that goes without mentioning Akron's financial woes and the enrollment issues all universities face these days. i'll take Groce over Kowalczk any day of the week .... but I'll take Toledo over Akron any day of the week as well. Tough to say that living in Northeast Ohio, but in terms of college basketball, I stand by it.

Frankly, I don't believe ANY team in the MAC is playing the type of quality defense that consistetly holds teams below their scoring averages or shooting percentages. More and more it's the NBA style of getting up as many shots as possible as quick as possible. I haven't looked, but I would suspect there have been 3 or 4 Akron games already this season where BOTH teams have shot 48-percent or better FG in a game and many game where both have shot 38-percent or better on 3-pointers. Lockdown Defense is just not the priority it was for success like in the recent past. You're lucky if teams can man-up the last four minutes to get a victory.

Agree it's a rough start for UMass, but I wouldn't completely write them off just yet, although an 0-3 start to the MAC season (BG next) is very possible. Problem with UMass -- like any team switching leagues (remember Akron from the Mid-Con to the MAC???) -- is adapting to the style of play, particularly against the elite teams. Simply put, like most MAC teams not named Akron, Miami, or Toledo, UMass does not have enough shooters on their roster. They will either have to lock teams up defensively, or mug teams inside to have a chance most nights. It will take them awhile to adapt. This year? Next year? Who knows. Martin is definitely old school. But I don't think he's completely over the hill. Let's see what this team looks like come February. Note: Buffalo and Kent are teams that seem to be transitioning towards Akron's style of play with more shooters on the floor. Like UMass, we'll see what those teams look like in February.

While it is true the Zips have been 'clean' many years now. Let's be careful throwing stones. Even Groce - at Ohio, Illinois and early here - has his skeletons. I believe this rivalry can stand pretty tall, especially on the basketball side, without a running morality play. Let the past stay in the past. And let's enjoy what looks at this point like two (maybe 3) monster rivalry games that highlight the season. Just my opinion.

Always open for good scuttlebutt: ... Went searching on the internet and chat-rooms and couldn't find anything - even a hint - about this or something like it. I checked KSU roster from last season and they did lose two guys, including the freshman kid from Akron. The other loss was a portal kid who started early, but was deep on the bench when he 'got hurt' during MAC play, then signed with a pro team in Brazil. He was injury prone before getting to Kent (never played a full season) so don't know how to read that one. Like above, willing to give the kid benefit of the doubt at this point.

Just curious ... wasn't up to date on Gillespie allegations. What have I missed? (Always want to be informed).