Around the MAC

[RowdyZip]

Huge win for the Zips tonight!

Not to look past the EMU game, but this makes the Toledo game at the JAR absolutely huge. A split with UT vs being swept by them could be the difference between a 1 and a 5 in the tournament. PROTECT HOME COURT!

[The Hip Zip]

Buffalo gets all the calls the last minute yet still loses their 2nd straight at Home. Hurley chases down the official at the buzzer to bitch.. Yes, I love it.

[Dave in Green]

Only 6 games left to straighten out this mess.

EMU 78, Zips 75

BGSU 79, BSU 65

CMU 75, UB 74

MU 77, OU 66

WMU 69, NIU 65

MAC STANDINGS

9-3 - BGSU

8-4 - Zips

8-4 - UT

8-4 - Can't

8-4 - CMU

6-6 - UB

6-6 - WMU

5-7 - EMU

4-8 - OU

4-8 - NIU

4-8 - MU

2-10 - BSU

WEDNESDAY MATCHUPS:

8-4 UT @ 8-4 Zips

4-8 MU @ 9-3 BGSU

2-10 BSU @ 8-4 Can't

4-8 NIU @ 8-4 CMU

6-6 UB @ 5-7 EMU

4-8 OU @ 6-6 WMU

[zippyfan34]

Miami up 5 in. BG with 9 minutes left

[Dave in Green]

At least there was a little good news tonight with BGSU falling back to earth with a home loss to Miami. The Zips started the night 1 game behind the conference leader and are still 1 game behind, but now behind 4 teams instead of just 1.

UT 68, Zips 66

MU 67, BGSU 56

Can't 58, BSU 53

CMU 68, NIU 66

UB 78, EMU 63

WMU 80, OU 69

MAC STANDINGS

9-4 - UT

9-4 - Can't

9-4 - BGSU

9-4 - CMU

8-5 - Zips

7-6 - UB

7-6 - WMU

5-8 - MU

5-8 - EMU

4-9 - OU

4-9 - NIU

2-11 - BSU

SATURDAY MATCHUPS:

5-8 MU @ 8-5 Zips

9-4 Can't @ 4-9 OU

9-4 UT @ 7-6 WMU

7-6 UB @ 9-4 BGSU

2-11 BSU @ 9-4 CMU

5-8 EMU @ 4-9 NIU

[The Hip Zip]

I actually had Miami in my MAC pickem contest picks so not at all surprised by the result there. In the end, BG's guard play will get them beat and quite possibly early on in the tourney. Don't sleep on Miami this weekend. If nothing else they have played very hard and have had a knack for hanging around. They are an improved lot that should be considered dangerous.

What surprised me the most was how badly Buff beat up on EMU in their own building.

This is a bizzaro year in the MAC...............

[Dave in Green]

Last week it appeared that it was a 6-team race for the 4 top MAC tournament seeds. But WMU is back in the mix with 2 straight wins after the return of their starting PG, ending the 1-5 stretch when he was out with an injury. With 7 teams now looking to have a real shot at a top 4 seed, tiebreakers could end up being the difference in the Zips avoiding extra tournament games.

The Zips have already lost the tiebreaker with UT, having lost both games. But they currently own the tiebreaker with 3 of the other 5 top teams -- BGSU (2-0), WMU (2-0) and CMU (1-0). The Can't game is especially important because beating Can't twice would give the Zips the tiebreaker over 4 of the other top teams. A split with Buffalo could also give the Zips an edge in seeding, depending on how tiebreakers shake out beyond head-to-head record.

Bottom line is that with 5 games left the worst the Zips can do is own the tiebreaker with 3 of the other top 6 teams and at best they could hold the tiebreaker against all of the top teams except Toledo. Of course that all depends on the Zips winning enough of the next 5 games to be in a tie for at least the 4th best conference record.

[MDZip]

Maddening, the Zips beat three of the four teams ahead of them, and lost to three of the four at the bottom. But yeah, in terms of possible seeding that's better than the other way around. Bizar"roo" season indeed.

[The Hip Zip]

TECHNICAL FOUL ; Bobby Hurley who is watching a 14 pt lead vanish before his eyes

Gee, thats too bad

[ZachTheZip]

Better for Akron if Buffalo beats Blowing Green.

[gozips19]

BG goes down. OU doesn't show up against Can't and UT puts the smack down on WMU

[The Hip Zip]

Buff closes on a 20-7 run. The bulls have the look of a team that plays their best with their backs against the wall.

Better for Akron if Buffalo beats Blowing Green.

The standings may say so but I don't buy into that a bit. I don't want the Bulls on a run heading into Cleveland. They are better than BG and IMO, much better.

[Dave in Green]

Apologies for the late update. With the Zips losing some games they should have won, it's time for them to win some games they're expected to lose, starting in Canada:

MU 57, Zips 52 (OT)

Can't 64, OU 51

UT 97, WMU 87

UB 68, BGSU 56

CMU 83, BSU 60

EMU 73, NIU 65

MAC STANDINGS

10-4 - UT

10-4 - Can't

10-4 - CMU

9-5 - BGSU

8-6 - Zips

8-6 - UB

7-7 - WMU

6-8 - MU

6-8 - EMU

4-10 - OU

4-10 - NIU

2-12 - BSU

TUESDAY MATCHUPS:

8-6 Zips @ 8-6 UB

10-4 Can't @ 6-8 MU

4-10 NIU @ 10-4 UT

10-4 CMU @ 6-8 EMU

9-5 BGSU @ 4-10 OU

7-7 WMU @ 2-12 BSU

[MDZip]

Apologies for the late update. With the Zips losing some games they should have won, it's time for them to win some games they're expected to lose, starting in Canada:

MU 57, Zips 52 (OT)

Can't 64, OU 51

UT 97, WMU 87

UB 68, BGSU 56

CMU 83, BSU 60

EMU 73, NIU 65

MAC STANDINGS

10-4 - UT

10-4 - Can't

10-4 - CMU

9-5 - BGSU

8-6 - Zips

8-6 - UB

7-7 - WMU

6-8 - MU

6-8 - EMU

4-10 - OU

4-10 - NIU

2-12 - BSU

TUESDAY MATCHUPS:

8-6 Zips @ 8-6 UB

10-4 Can't @ 6-8 MU

4-10 NIU @ 10-4 UT

10-4 CMU @ 6-8 EMU

9-5 BGSU @ 4-10 OU

7-7 WMU @ 2-12 BSU

The UB game looks to be pretty much an elimination game for that fourth seed. Again maddening as the Zips beat every team at .500 or better except Toledo and lost to every below .500 team except Ball State.

[Dave in Green]

Bye-bye, top 4 seed (barring a miracle of the Zips winning 3 of 3 and both Can't and BGSU losing 2 of 3):

UB 67, Zips 62

MU 86, CAN'T 81 (OT)

BGSU 76, OU 65

CMU 72, EMU 56

WMU 53, BSU 48

UT, NIU (postponed to Wednesday for water main break)

MAC STANDINGS

11-4 - CMU

10-4 - UT

10-5 - Can't

10-5 - BGSU

9-6 - UB

8-7 - Zips

8-7 - WMU

7-8 - MU

6-9 - EMU

4-10 - NIU

4-11 - OU

2-13 - BSU

WEDNESDAY MATCHUP:

4-10 NIU @ 10-4 UT

FRIDAY MATCHUP:

4-11 OU @ 8-7 Zips

SATURDAY MATCHUPS:

11-4 CMU @ 4-10 NIU

2-13 BSU @ 10-4 UT

9-6 UB @ 10-5 Can't

10-5 BGSU @ 7-8 MU

6-9 EMU @ 8-7 WMU

[Dave in Green]

Is it OK to call NIU's improbable win over UT in Toledo an upset (Juice missed a 3-pointer at the final buzzer)?

NIU 84, UT 82

MAC STANDINGS

11-4 - CMU

10-5 - UT

10-5 - Can't

10-5 - BGSU

9-6 - UB

8-7 - Zips

8-7 - WMU

7-8 - MU

6-9 - EMU

5-10 - NIU

4-11 - OU

2-13 - BSU

FRIDAY MATCHUP:

4-11 OU @ 8-7 Zips

SATURDAY MATCHUPS:

11-4 CMU @ 5-10 NIU

2-13 BSU @ 10-5 UT

9-6 UB @ 10-5 Can't

10-5 BGSU @ 7-8 MU

6-9 EMU @ 8-7 WMU

[Dave in Green]

Wow, I just have to add that UT outscored NIU by 20 freaking points at the free throw line and still lost.

[Dave in Green]

CMU falls back into the pack thanks to another NIU upset, and the Zips still have a pulse for a top 4 seed..

Zips 70, OU 59

NIU 73, CMU 55

UB 71, Can't 65

BGSU 62, MU 57

UT 70, BSU 59

WMU 80, EMU 72

MAC STANDINGS

11-5 - CMU *

11-5 - UT

11-5 - BGSU *

10-6 - Can't **

10-6 - UB *

9-7 - Zips

9-7 - WMU *

7-9 - MU

6-10 - EMU

6-10 - NIU

4-12 - OU

2-14 - BSU

* Zips definitely own tiebreaker

** Zips definitely own tiebreaker with win in upcoming game

TUESDAY MATCHUPS:

9-7 Zips @ 7-9 MU

11-5 UT @ 11-5 CMU

10-6 Can't @ 11-5 BGSU

4-12 OU @ 10-6 UB

9-7 WMU @ 6-10 NIU

6-10 EMU @ 2-14 BSU

[akronzips71]

CMU falls back into the pack thanks to another NIU upset, and the Zips still have a pulse for a top 4 seed..

Zips 70, OU 59

NIU 73, CMU 55

UB 71, Can't 65

BGSU 62, MU 57

UT 70, BSU 59

WMU 80, EMU 72

MAC STANDINGS

11-5 - CMU *

11-5 - UT

11-5 - BGSU *

10-6 - Can't **

10-6 - UB *

9-7 - Zips

9-7 - WMU *

7-9 - MU

6-10 - EMU

6-10 - NIU

4-12 - OU

2-14 - BSU

* Zips definitely own tiebreaker

** Zips definitely own tiebreaker with win in upcoming game

TUESDAY MATCHUPS:

9-7 Zips @ 7-9 MU

11-5 CMU @ 11-5 CMU

10-6 Can't @ 11-5 BGSU

4-12 OU @ 10-6 UB

9-7 WMU @ 6-10 NIU

6-10 EMU @ 2-14 BSU

CMU plays themselves. I HATE when that happens!

[Dave in Green]

CMU plays themselves. I HATE when that happens!

Late night typo corrected to 11-5 UT @ 11-5 CMU. Pretty important game as the Zips could still tie CMU in the final standings for a top 4 MAC tournament seed, and the Zips own the tiebreaker with CMU, which closes out the regular season with a tough game at WMU.

[Dr Z]

Dri at the Portage County game.

[zippy5]

Wtf were they doing both wearing dark? Especially with that court

[Dave in Green]

If, if, if ... Had the Zips beaten Miami, they would have controlled their own destiny and would have been perfectly positioned to earn a top 4 MAC tournament seed by beating Can't. The Zips would have owned the tiebreaker over Can't and whoever lost Friday's UB-BGSU game, locking the Zips into a top 4 seed regardless of any other Friday result. Losing both Pat and BJ for the Miami game was the final blow.

MU 70, Zips 63

CMU 85, UT 77

Can't 81, BGSU 80

UB 93, OU 66

NIU 65, WMU 63

EMU 67, BSU 60

MAC STANDINGS

12-5 - CMU

11-6 - Can't

11-6 - UT

11-6 - BGSU

11-6 - UB

9-8 - Zips

9-8 - WMU

8-9 - MU

7-10 - EMU

7-10 - NIU

4-13 - OU

2-15 - BSU

FRIDAY MATCHUPS:

9-8 Zips @ 11-6 Can't

11-6 BGSU @ 11-6 UB

12-5 CMU @ 9-8 WMU

11-6 UT @ 7-10 EMU

8-9 MU @ 4-13 OU

7-10 NIU @ 2-15 BSU

[Sergeant Zip]

Ryan Taylor released from his scholarship by OU.