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ESPN analyzes top mid-major schedules


ZachTheZip

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In another thread I said the first 6 games will be tough. It's actually 9 out of the first 12.

Coastal Carolina - initial game @ their new facility

John Carroll - home

Oklahoma State - away

P.R. #2 unknown - away

P.R. #3 unknown - away

Middle Tennessee - Home

Creighton - away

Detroit - away

Ark Pine Bluff - home

Cleveland State - home

Texas Southern - home

Princeton - home

Whoever was complaining about soft schedules certainly can't say a word this year.

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In another thread I said the first 6 games will be tough. It's actually 9 out of the first 12.

Coastal Carolina - initial game @ their new facility

John Carroll - home

Oklahoma State - away

P.R. #2 unknown - away

P.R. #3 unknown - away

Middle Tennessee - Home

Creighton - away

Detroit - away

Ark Pine Bluff - home

Cleveland State - home

Texas Southern - home

Princeton - home

Whoever was complaining about soft schedules certainly can't say a word this year.

That's for sure. And just two out of our first eight at home.

At least we should get some kind of fan support in the Puerto Rico tourney with Abreu and Betancourt playing for the good guys.

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In another thread I said the first 6 games will be tough. It's actually 9 out of the first 12.

Coastal Carolina - initial game @ their new facility

John Carroll - home

Oklahoma State - away

P.R. #2 unknown - away

P.R. #3 unknown - away

Middle Tennessee - Home

Creighton - away

Detroit - away

Ark Pine Bluff - home

Cleveland State - home

Texas Southern - home

Princeton - home

Whoever was complaining about soft schedules certainly can't say a word this year.

Can't you guys get just ONE away game in the East? Princeton would have been perfect. Anything between Baltimore and Boston would work for me!

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I hate to do it, but I have to agree with the trol...err...Bubba4three. Until further notice OU is the team to beat this year. That said, these teams have traded off the MAC title the last 4 years, and it is Akron's turn.

I have a lot of respect for Ohio's team, especially after their run in the tourney. That said, though, I think Akron is every bit as good they are and just as deep (if not deeper) than they are... even without Quincy Diggs. One advantage for Akron, I think, will be due to a far tougher OOC schedule. Whatever the record, the Zips will be a tested, toughened team with a far better understanding of its strengths and weaknesses when MAC play starts, whereas Ohio's OOC schedule is pretty weak in comparison.

Anyway, predictions on ESPN or CBS or wherever don't mean squat, really. Ohio and Akron both have high expectations, and with good reason. Nobody better go to sleep on Can't, Buffalo and Toledo, either. The MAC east is going to be a dogfight, I expect. And it's gonna be a blast to watch.

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I have a lot of respect for Ohio's team, especially after their run in the tourney. That said, though, I think Akron is every bit as good they are and just as deep (if not deeper) than they are... even without Quincy Diggs. One advantage for Akron, I think, will be due to a far tougher OOC schedule. Whatever the record, the Zips will be a tested, toughened team with a far better understanding of its strengths and weaknesses when MAC play starts, whereas Ohio's OOC schedule is pretty weak in comparison.

Anyway, predictions on ESPN or CBS or wherever don't mean squat, really. Ohio and Akron both have high expectations, and with good reason. Nobody better go to sleep on Can't, Buffalo and Toledo, either. The MAC east is going to be a dogfight, I expect. And it's gonna be a blast to watch.

Ohio and Akron could both be the best teams on each others schedules... That is a pretty high compliment for both teams with who each are playing. I really hope that both Akron and Ohio do very well OOC so that matchup is respected... The year of the at-large bid for the MAC.......

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Anyway, predictions on ESPN or CBS or wherever don't mean squat, really. Ohio and Akron both have high expectations, and with good reason. Nobody better go to sleep on Can't, Buffalo and Toledo, either. The MAC east is going to be a dogfight, I expect. And it's gonna be a blast to watch.

My prediction: EMU will be at least the #3 team in the league.

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Ohio and Akron could both be the best teams on each others schedules... That is a pretty high compliment for both teams with who each are playing. I really hope that both Akron and Ohio do very well OOC so that matchup is respected... The year of the at-large bid for the MAC.......

Well, hopefully Ohio U gets a shot at that elusive at large bid this season...

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The problem for the MAC this year is that the bottom of the league is going to be every bit as bad if not worse than ever before. Teams like CMU, NIU, Ball State and Miami could well end up having sub-300 RPIs. CMU is in complete rebuild mode. NIU has been so bad for so long that I don't know if they will ever be a factor in the league. Ball State is on the verge of having to blow it up and start over. Miami is in complete rebuild mode. Add to that WMU looks poised for their worst season in a long time. Can't is nothing but a bunch of question marks coming off of a disappointing season. BG has pretty well plateaued with Orr. There aren't a lot of truly good programs in this league right now. Not even many average mid-major programs.

On the plus side you have two programs in the West (EMU and Toledo) who are stepping it up (even though one of them isn't postseason eligible). Buffalo should also have a pretty good season again although it remains to be seen how good they will be without Watt.

While Akron and OU should both be capable of entering the at-large discussion, I wonder if the rest of the league is going to drag both of them down to the point that even 27-28 wins won't get serious at large consideration. On the other hand, with the rest of the conference in the shape it is in a 30 win season isn't out of the realm of possibility for one of these teams.

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We have this same conversation every year. The MAC is NOT getting an at large bid. Unless of course Akron and OU are undefeated against everyone else they play and split the series between them.

Then maybe, just maybe they would have a look....

Thanks Captain Obvious. I think we all have a consensus understanding that if a team from the MAC gets an at large, its because they will have dominated conference play and done well in the OOC.

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We have this same conversation every year. The MAC is NOT getting an at large bid. Unless of course Akron and OU are undefeated against everyone else they play and split the series between them.

Then maybe, just maybe they would have a look....

True, the selection committee has a conspiracy against the MAC.

:beam:

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Thanks Captain Obvious. I think we all have a consensus understanding that if a team from the MAC gets an at large, its because they will have dominated conference play and done well in the OOC.

Nonsense. The MAC Tourney is the end all be all. Winner to the Dance, MAC regular season winner to the NIT (if not the same).

Just doing well is not enough.

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We have this same conversation every year. The MAC is NOT getting an at large bid. Unless of course Akron and OU are undefeated against everyone else they play and split the series between them.

Then maybe, just maybe they would have a look....

I sure hope our staff and athletic dept. don't have this mentality.

It's simple. You have to have some quality wins. And you don't get quality wins unless you get those teams on your schedule.

The solution for not getting an At-Large bid is not to give up. There's a way to get there.

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We have this same conversation every year. The MAC is NOT getting an at large bid. Unless of course Akron and OU are undefeated against everyone else they play and split the series between them.

Then maybe, just maybe they would have a look....

The MAC does not get an at large bid when it does not deserve one, which was the case over the last umpteen years. If you believe otherwise, show me a MAC team that deserved one and was not given.

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That team definitely deserved an NIT bid, but not an NCAA one.

If we had won that game at home against Nevada, who was ranked pretty high, it could have been possible. Not likely, still, but possible maybe.

Still, to get completely closed out of post-season play was a travesty. That was a really nice team.

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