(01-27-2019 12:04 PM)holybovine Wrote: (01-27-2019 07:23 AM)emu79 Wrote: (01-27-2019 04:43 AM)emu steve Wrote: We are now 'officially' in the fun part of our schedule. We have a handful of games vs. teams with a 4 - 3 record and the rest are mostly 3 - 4 or worse.
We are done with UB and BG who are a combined 12 - 2.
This will be the time where we can test the 'hypothesis' that the record, both OOC and MAC, have been hurt by the schedule difficulty.
If I'm right, this team is much better than its record and the schedule is the answer. Very easy to show empirically that it is the toughest in the MAC. And it isn't even close. As of Friday, the Sagarins had our strength of schedule as #23 out of over 350 D-I teams.
And yet we have lost some very winnable games such as U of D Akron and UC. Irvine Many here thought this team was the best chance of a real post season tourney. Maybe these were the same ones who thought Rafus Jr was the second coming
Indeed. Don’t let the EMU PR team forget about reality.
This is from the main MAC board:
"EMU is starting to figure out their lineup and Minnie and Thompson are playing better. The guard play is still inconsistent and they have to have Mnnie be on for the offense to click, but this may be the 2nd most dangerous tourney underdog if they settle in.'
RE: Opening Conference Games
Well, this is the 1/3 point of the MAC season (18 conf games, 1-4 MAC tourney games) and things are shaping up.
Buffalo is the strongest team.
BG has been hot and can make a claim to #2. I like how they play. Huger has them coached up and responding, but think overall talent is not superior enough to keep them from rejoining the pack chasing UB.
Everyone else (sans WMU) can beat each other anywhere.
Kent is the scariest MAC tourney opponent not nationally ranked. They are tough, quick and have one of the best scorers in the nation. However, they don't have much size and their 2,3,4 scoring options are all inconsistent.
Toledo has the skill and size but will need to get tougher to make a run for 2nd place or the tourney title.
NIU is sneaky good. Not intimating coming off the bus. Not a lot of pure shooters, but has a dynamic scorer, some emerging talent and is playing with heart.
CMU is not a scary opponent but one of the league's more consistent, won't beat themselves type of teams. Their balance and a tough gritty pg make them capable of having a winning MAC season and a bit of a mac tourney run.
EMU is starting to figure out their lineup and Minnie and Thompson are playing better. The guard play is still inconsistent and they have to have Mnnie be on for the offense to click, but this may be the 2nd most dangerous tourney underdog if they settle in.
Ohio and Miami are probably a little too thin with talent 1 to 8, but have some guys who can carry them on a good night. Both of their coaches we're experienced yet rising guys before taking those jobs and neither has had a good year yet (Philups has obviously had more chances). Can Saul produce a team that gels down the stretch. Can Owens take the next step in the rebuild. I think the range for both of these teams is 5-11.
Ball St is next to last now but is it a slide or implosion in Muncie? This was most folks #2 MAC team entering the season. Their non-conf play and first MAC game reinforced that notion more or less, but they are in a rut.
Akron is gonna play a lot of close games. They aren't super talented but they can physically compete accross the board and have a few guys who can heat up. There's always volatility with Groce, but despite being a wacko he can gear a team up for a hot streak If Akron starts winning more close ones and the players get confident and are running the asylum, there's enough there for a tourney run.
WMU has actually looked good at times this year, but they seem to be fading with a roster who's been playing all season without 2 longtime starters.