Bad News:
Look for the Redhawks to get the lowest seed since Ball State back in 1992.
But there's Hope:
If Miami can keep from having one of their infamous scoring droughts, they can hang against a #2 seed. They played many good teams tough this season, but most of the time just couldn't maintain for the entire 40 minutes.
Best Seeding:
Maybe a #14
Chances are Slim and None:
Of Akron getting an At-Large bid.
NIT-Bound?
I believe Toledo as the #1 seed gets an automatic invite. Akron will also be in the post-season and I can't see Kent being left out. In a "down" year, the MAC will have four teams still playing. But can they get a few wins?
Don't Forget the Women:
It will be interesting to see what seed Bowling Green gets. Even more interesting will be to see if Ball State gets an at-large invite. They have an RPI well within the at-large field. But will the women's selection committee take a page from the men and relegate the MAC to a single bid?
Going quickly, I counted 8 teams with lower RPIs than Miami, so I think Miami will be a 14 seed.
I was guessing 14 seed, with some possibility of 15. Can't say they've earned higher, but I think Miami has proved to be worthy of representing the MAC. Tim Pollitz just carried them.
Just hope Miami has a good relationship with Laing Kennedy. He's negotiating the rules that send the Red Hawks to Columbus, Chicago or far, far away from their fans.
Also, would be personally surprised if the Flashes received an NIT bid. Toledo will as conference champ, then a likely bid for Akron.
Okie Chippewa Wrote:Bad News:
Look for the Redhawks to get the lowest seed since Ball State back in 1992.
That was actually 1993.
FlashFan Wrote:Just hope Miami has a good relationship with Laing Kennedy. He's negotiating the rules that send the Red Hawks to Columbus, Chicago or far, far away from their fans.
Also, would be personally surprised if the Flashes received an NIT bid. Toledo will as conference champ, then a likely bid for Akron.
Unfortunately,the NIT cut the number of teams to 32 this year.It make its harder for Kent to get a NIT bid.
There are 8 automatic NIT qualifiers already (Vermont, E Tennessee St, Marist, Toledo, Delaware St, Austin Peay, Mississippi Valley State, & South Alabama), so take it down to 24 available spots. There is a possibilty for 2 more automatic qualifiers if they lose in their championship game (Long Beach St, Texas A&M Corpus Cristi).
As of 10 PM Miami's RPI is at 93. Of the automatic qualifiers, I would see Miami seeded ahead of (RPI follows team):
Belmont Atlantic Sun 115
Eastern Kentucky OVC 126
Niagra MAAC 137
North Texas Sunbelt 141
Weber St. Big Sky 145
Central Connecticut St. NEC 147
Florida A&M MEAC 162
Jackson St. SWAC 167
Jackson St. and Florida A&M appear destined for Dayton, the play in game, the lowest 16 seed, and the right to be blown out by Ohio St. or Kansas.
I could also see the winners of these games later tonight / tommorrow being seeded lower than Miami.
Big West Long Beach St. 91 or Cal Poly 134
Southland Texas A&M CC 87 or Northwestern st. 168
In my opinion, best case scenario is a 14, worst case is the highest 15 seed.
I think that Miami could potentially be seeded better than Albany as well.
Miami will be tough out. That offense is tough prepare against.
I'm expecting a #14 seed for Miami. As for the NIT's, I'd be suprised to see us get 3 bids in a 32 team tourney..Kent may get left out unfortunately.
Eagle66 Wrote:As of 10 PM Miami's RPI is at 93. Of the automatic qualifiers, I would see Miami seeded ahead of (RPI follows team):
Belmont Atlantic Sun 115
Eastern Kentucky OVC 126
Niagra MAAC 137
North Texas Sunbelt 141
Weber St. Big Sky 145
Central Connecticut St. NEC 147
Florida A&M MEAC 162
Jackson St. SWAC 167
Jackson St. and Florida A&M appear destined for Dayton, the play in game, the lowest 16 seed, and the right to be blown out by Ohio St. or Kansas.
I could also see the winners of these games later tonight / tommorrow being seeded lower than Miami.
Big West Long Beach St. 91 or Cal Poly 134
Southland Texas A&M CC 87 or Northwestern st. 168
In my opinion, best case scenario is a 14, worst case is the highest 15 seed.
The SWAC & MEAC champs may not play each other in the play-in game. The committee is acutely aware of placing the two HBCU conferences in a play-in game and the perceptions of it.
A SWAC or MEAC team has played in the last five play-in games. The game was formed because of the granting of automatic bid status to the Mountain West Conference in 2001 (the conference played without an auto bid for the 1999-00 season).
As of this morning Jackson State's RPI is 172 with a SOS Rank of 316. They should book their trip to Dayton right now. The selection committee should put the two lowest seeded teams in the playin game, regardless of conference.