MAC Basketball 2008-09

[w00t]

Here's how I see things shaking out, interested to see what others think as well...MAC East1 - Can't State, iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiif... Singletary is cleared to play and they get solid play from two of the three newcomers they have over 6'7".2 - Miami - Didn't lose anyone but Pollitz.3 (tie) - BGSU - Too bad for them that Hamblet wasn't given another season of eligibility, they'll still be solid anyway. - UA - Could be higher if team chemistry is good, in 09-10, look out!5 - Ohio - Tillman is great, not much else to write home about.6 - Buffalo - Everybody's back from last year... but none of them were very good.MAC West1 - Western Michigan - A lot of attrition, but a lot coming back too.2 - Toledo - Would have been the team to beat if Payne had been given another year of eligibility.3 - Central Michigan - Bleh4 - Ball St. - Bleh5 - Northern Illinois - Bleh6 - Eastern Michigan - BlehOnce again, four (or five) of the top six teams are in the East.

[GoZips]

w00t, that is a pretty fair assessment.

[Quickzips]

It's so hard to figure out what is going to happen with the MAC this year. So many of the dominant frontcourt players of the last few years (Wood, Travis, Quantance, Reitz, Williams, Pollitz) are gone and despite what every one of their programs think not all of them will be easily replaced. Add on to that some of the coaching changes that we've seen at Can't, Toledo and Ohio. You never know how things will play out there. I still think the East is going to be better overall. I would rank them like this.Can't-Although I hate to do it and I don't think they have a stranglehold on the top spot by any means. They are going to miss Quantance in the frontcourt and you just have to wonder about the team chemistry at some point with them.OU-They have probably the best returning frontcourt player in Tillman and I've always felt like a coaching change would do wonders for them. We'll see if I'm right.Miami-They get Bramos back, but how healthy is he and can he stay that way for a full season? Losing Pollitz is significant. I also think their slow down, grind it out, halfcourt game is becoming more and more obsolete in the MAC every year as the conference gets more fast paced and athletic.Akron-Brings in arguably the best group of newcomers, but it is likely going to take some time for them to gel. How often determines where we end up.BG-I'm not buying all the preseason love for the Falcons. They put together a few good games at the end of last season and all of a sudden they are the sexy pick for title contention. I'll gladly eat my words if they can put together a full season, but I haven't seen it yet.Buffalo-Clearly the doormat of the East. They just haven't been able to restock the cupboards over the last couple years and it has REALLY hurt them. Witherspoon has to be concerned for his job.WMU-They are going to have to replace Reitz, but they still have a pretty decent team without them and I just don't see anyone else in the West that can compete with them over the course of a season.Behind WMU put CMU, Toledo, EMU, Ball St. and NIU in whatever order you like. It doesn't really matter. None of them are in contention in my mind to win the West or make a run in the tourney.