CSNbbs

I'm optimistic for my Zips this year. Do Rivals or Scout (or anybody else) put out conference predictions for the upcoming year?

I know VanDelay is planning on doing something much like their preseason football preview in another month or so.

I know it's not nationally acclaimed or anything, but it's a start.

Andy Katz of Espn and Collegehoops.net have Ohio in the top 50. Several magazines have the Bobcats in the top 50 as well.

Can you give me links to those rankings?

The class of the MAC this year for basketball is Ohio, NIU, Toledo, and Buffalo. Any one of those 4 teams have a good chance.

Nooooooooo. Great, Madddawgz02 has made it over here to make his "interesting" statements. While I think we improved(can't get much worse than last year) I think we are going to be middle of the pack at best(and I am one of the more optimistic people on our board).

Anyone who overlooks WMU this year is crazy.

If you're not looking out for Akron, you're blind. We SWEPT Ohio last year - and I think we beat them by 25 or so in Athens close to the end of the season. There was a lot of parity in the MAC last year at the top, and the tournament could have gone in several directions. Akron did extremely well, and that was without our top player, Jeremiah Wood, who went out early in the season with a torn ACL.

collegehoopsnet.com is counting down their top 144 with articles each day on the teams and picks for postseason. All but Ohio has been counted so far in the MAC and they are at #49 on the countdown. Katz had his list on espn.com- I also have heard about the MAC predictions from Athlons on bobcatattack.com. Ohio and Akron have gotten very strong reviews. Reviews have varied on Miami and Kent State. Some like Miami and other like Kent State better. Buffalo appears 5th in most east projections with BGSU is 6th. Ball State was picked #1 in the in one review and Northern Illinois was picked #1 in another for the west division. A darkhorse pick I guess, but this is the MAC and anything can happen.

How can anyone overlook Miami? Charlie is the best coach in the MAC and ALWAYS finds a way to keep the RedHawks in the race! And Kent, despite losing a few players, has a lot of talent too. This will be a year much like last year; a VERY strong MAC East and a couple of MAC West battling it out. Very balanced conference again which means a likely 1 bid to the NCAA's yet again...

I know someone very knowledgeable about MAC basketball who stunned me by picking the Huskies to win the West this year, though he noted they might not finish in the top three in the East. He's a fan of another West team.
Personally, I like WMU and BSU.

Akron and Ohio will be very good. I think that Ohio's sucess in March last year plus that fact that they upgraded the bench and became more athletic and experienced is the edge. Akron and Ohio could win 14 plus MAC games next. The past couple of years have seen parity in the MAC, but its been a while since the MAC had a dominate team. I think this year we see a 14-4 or better MAC regular season champ. Akron and Ohio were both 11-7 in the MAC regular season and they both should be improved. Ohio returns 4 of the top 7 scorers in the MAC, its leading returning rebounder, fieldgoal % leader, three of the steals leaders, and 4 of 5 starters plus 6 of top 8 players from a 21-11 team.

axeme Wrote:I know someone very knowledgeable about MAC basketball who stunned me by picking the Huskies to win the West this year, though he noted they might not finish in the top three in the East. He's a fan of another West team.
Personally, I like WMU and BSU.

He must have meant womens b-ball. That explains it.

axeme Wrote:I know someone very knowledgeable about MAC basketball who stunned me by picking the Huskies to win the West this year, though he noted they might not finish in the top three in the East. He's a fan of another West team.
Personally, I like WMU and BSU.

I don't know. NIU gave Buffalo a tough game in the 1st round, plus they always seem to be tough to beat in DeKalb (at least for Ohio). Did they have any major losses to graduation?

I think WMU will miss Ben Reed more than some expect. Of course, Hawkins is a good recruiters so they shouldn't slip too far. BSU seemingly always underachieves under Buckley. Plus Stovall will be coming back from ACL surgery and may not be 100%.

I think this might be a year where 1 or 2 teams separate themselves from the pack a little. The obvious choices would be Akron and Ohio. I wouldn't be surprised to see one go, say 14-4 and the other 13-5, both a couple games ahead of the rest of the field.

I think OU, Akron, KSU and even Miami are going to canabalize the hell out of each other. 10-6 could win the East. UB will remain very tough at home but drop down considerably. WMU and BSU will duel it out in the West.

I know they are not proven but just from watching the games last year I think Northern is really gonna make a run at it in the west this year. The are my pick for the top of the West with ball State falling just under then and then Toledo

The east is more stacked but I think Ohio and Akron are in a two team race then again it is the MAC which means throw everything out that would lend to any knowledge, but the teams in the hat and select.

East

Ohio
Akron
Kent State
Miami
Buffalo
BGSU


West

NIU
BSU
Toledo
Western Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan

I would guess Ohio/Akron in the MAC championship game with maybe toledo or ball state making a run to the championship behind the strong guard play.

I think its an 18 game schedule this year. Ohio has NIU and WMU twice with Toledo and EMU on the road with Ball State and CMU at home. Winning more road games will be the key to building a big record. Who is going to struggle at home? That is the question? Without Marshall, The conference schedule with be more difficult. The two games that are replacing Marshall for Ohio is home against WMU and away vs NIU. Ohio was 1-1 last year vs those teams at those locations. A net loss of 1 win if the results were to stay the same. Ohio split vs BGSU, Kent, and Miami. They were swept against Akron and swept UB. 5-5 vs current MAC east teams and 4-2 vs current MAC west teams.

Quote:We SWEPT Ohio last year

Speaking of last year's sweeps, anyone sweep the Zips? :D

Yes, but no blowouts like Akron *AT* Ohio. I predict we beat Kent at least once this year, just like we often do, at least in the most recent years.

Quote: Yes, but no blowouts like Akron *AT* Ohio. I predict we beat Kent at least once this year, just like we often do, at least in the most recent years

Akron returns a veteran team while we've lost several reserves and one starter.

So I just say, given recent results, you should just sleep on us. :D