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+----- Thread: Best MAC men's basketball teams over the last 15 years (/thread-770818.html)
Best MAC men's basketball teams over the last 15 years - emu steve - 02-18-2016 03:17 AM
Borrowed from the main MAC board:
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Here are the final KenPom rankings for the MAC's "top" team each year since 2002 (when that system started). So going back 15 years:
1. Kent (2002): 14
2. Western Michigan (2004): 36
3. Kent State (2008): 45
4. Akron (2007): 46
5. Ohio (2012): 51
6. Buffalo (2015): 60
7. Central Michigan (2003): 62
8. Akron (2013): 64
9. Buffalo (2005): 67
10. Akron (2016): 68*
10. Kent State (2006): 68
12. Ohio (2010): 79
13. Kent State (2011): 89
14. Akron (2009): 98
15. Buffalo (2014): 100
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Interesting enough when we discussed attendance, I suggested that MAC schools with best attendance are: Toledo, Ohio, Akron, Kent, Buffalo (in some order).
Even though Toledo was never 'top dog' (best ranking within conference over this time period), Toledo has been very strong in recent years, e.g., 2014 and 15.
History of highly successful performance and attendance are strongly related.
League wise, it seems a history of winning is a prerequisite for strong attendance. No top tier team in attendance comes from a school without a solid record of winning in recent years.
EDIT: So let's look at 2015/16 MAC (ONLY) home attendance (very last set of data, left hand side of the page).
Bingo: Ohio, Toledo, Kent State, and Akron are the TOP FOUR schools home attendance wise for the MAC season to date...
Pretty convincing argument that in the MAC history of recent success on the court is easily the most important factor (not the arena, e.g., Kent, UB, Akron, etc. have old, not great arenas. Teams with nice arenas, e.g., EMU, BG, NIU, BSU, etc. not doing too well.).
http://www.mac-sports.com/custompages/stats/2016MBB/CONFONLY.HTM