(02-18-2023 01:45 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(02-18-2023 01:30 PM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  

(02-17-2023 07:29 PM)BeatWestern! Wrote:  As of today (Feb. 17), Joe Lunardi projects Kent State in the dance as a #12 seed.

https://twitter.com/ESPNLunardi/status/1...2437628942

He's had them like that for a few weeks now.

He automatically slots whoever would be the MAC tourney 1 seed in his bracket. He does that with all the likely one-bid conferences. He doesn’t make judgements about it.

yes and for the life of me, i can't see why so many people are so infatuated with him!

(02-18-2023 02:00 PM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  

(02-18-2023 01:45 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(02-18-2023 01:30 PM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  

(02-17-2023 07:29 PM)BeatWestern! Wrote:  As of today (Feb. 17), Joe Lunardi projects Kent State in the dance as a #12 seed.

https://twitter.com/ESPNLunardi/status/1...2437628942

He's had them like that for a few weeks now.

He automatically slots whoever would be the MAC tourney 1 seed in his bracket. He does that with all the likely one-bid conferences. He doesn’t make judgements about it.

yes and for the life of me, i can't see why so many people are so infatuated with him!

Yes, there is a website that keeps track of the accuracy of projected brackets. I think it might be bracketmatrix, but it might be something else. Anyways Lunardi is consistently near the bottom of those rankings.

(02-19-2023 10:12 AM)kreed5120 Wrote:  

(02-18-2023 02:00 PM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  

(02-18-2023 01:45 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(02-18-2023 01:30 PM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  

(02-17-2023 07:29 PM)BeatWestern! Wrote:  As of today (Feb. 17), Joe Lunardi projects Kent State in the dance as a #12 seed.

https://twitter.com/ESPNLunardi/status/1...2437628942

He's had them like that for a few weeks now.

He automatically slots whoever would be the MAC tourney 1 seed in his bracket. He does that with all the likely one-bid conferences. He doesn’t make judgements about it.

yes and for the life of me, i can't see why so many people are so infatuated with him!

Yes, there is a website that keeps track of the accuracy of projected brackets. I think it might be bracketmatrix, but it might be something else. Anyways Lunardi is consistently near the bottom of those rankings.

That's great to know! thanks for sharing that.

MAC seeding will largely depend on if Toledo or Kent can close out the season strong. A 29-5 Kent team or a 28-6 Toledo team riding a long winning streak could get a #10 or #11 seed. If one of those teams loses a game or two in the regular season but wins the tourney they're a #12 or #13 seed. Akron or Ball St are likely #14 seeds unless they win out from here on and move up to #13. Ohio or Buffalo would likely be #15 seeds.

At large berths are highly unlikely. Kent has a small chance if they win straight through to the MAC tourney final and lose a close one to a Toledo team they've already beat. They'd be in the discussion but likely not chosen, although a play-in game of 28-6 Kent vs 18-15 West Virginia in Dayton would be a packed and wild brawl, and the kind of game everyone had in mind when they expanded the field and added the first four.

Toledo and Kent with a strong close will make the NIT, and Kent might get a home game, but no one really gets excited about that. Akron with a strong close would be on the NIT bubble. I'd imagine that Ball St and Ohio (who is playing well) would want to extend their season in one of the minor tournaments if they can't win the MAC tourney.

Akron or Ball State would be able to win a 3rd tourney, whether it's the CIT or Vegas 8. Idk how many there are now. But the Vermonts and Hofstras of the world are tough.

No team in the MAC will be getting a 10 or 11 seed. That's at-large bid territory and no MAC team is even in the at-large discussion.

It's kind of impossible to project seed 12-16 seeding without knowing which teams win their single bid conference. Using the Summit League as an example, if Oral Roberts wins their conference tournament, they would certainly be seeded ahead of any MAC team. If they lose it, whoever wins the Summit would be seeded behind any of the top 4 MAC teams. Regardless, I don't see any MAC team being seeded higher than 12.

(02-20-2023 10:35 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  No team in the MAC will be getting a 10 or 11 seed. That's at-large bid territory and no MAC team is even in the at-large discussion.

It's kind of impossible to project seed 12-16 seeding without knowing which teams win their single bid conference. Using the Summit League as an example, if Oral Roberts wins their conference tournament, they would certainly be seeded ahead of any MAC team. If they lose it, whoever wins the Summit would be seeded behind any of the top 4 MAC teams. Regardless, I don't see any MAC team being seeded higher than 12.

11 line is in play with running the table and 3/4 more wins vs. Akron, BSU, and UT bunching. They are about 50th on the lines rn (bottom 12 seeds), but only need to climb 4 spots higher. Oral Roberts will have no more room to grow. Their ceiling is now.

Moving from the top to the bottom of the league, I just wanted to mention the win that Miami had at NIU. Of importance, David Coit was out for NIU, and Morgan Safford was back for Miami, so NIU lost their best player and Miami regained their best player. Anyway NIU controlled the game and had a 20 point lead with 9 minutes to go. It was at 14 with 5 minutes to go, but Miami went on a 14-0 run in the last 5 minutes and tied it on a 3 by big man Anderson Mirambreau and then won in OT. This I think was the highlight of the season so far for Miami.

(02-20-2023 10:35 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  No team in the MAC will be getting a 10 or 11 seed. That's at-large bid territory and no MAC team is even in the at-large discussion.

It's kind of impossible to project seed 12-16 seeding without knowing which teams win their single bid conference. Using the Summit League as an example, if Oral Roberts wins their conference tournament, they would certainly be seeded ahead of any MAC team. If they lose it, whoever wins the Summit would be seeded behind any of the top 4 MAC teams. Regardless, I don't see any MAC team being seeded higher than 12.

Totally agree!

Toledo takes Akron to the woodshed tonight 84-63.

Fun one in Muncie tonight. BSU knocks off Kent 82-70. BSU, down a starter (F Mickey Pearson out with a calf injury), led most of the game in a rowdy Worthen environment. After the 21-point blowout at the MAC, I was expecting the worst (especially when I saw Mickey was out), but the team stepped up. Should be fun if we get a series tiebreaker at the MAC tournament...

(02-21-2023 09:18 PM)pennies4everybody Wrote:  Fun one in Muncie tonight. BSU knocks off Kent 82-70. BSU, down a starter (F Mickey Pearson out with a calf injury), led most of the game in a rowdy Worthen environment. After the 21-point blowout at the MAC, I was expecting the worst (especially when I saw Mickey was out), but the team stepped up. Should be fun if we get a series tiebreaker at the MAC tournament...

Toledo ends the regular season in Muncie March 3rd. Promises to be a huge game on national tv.

(02-21-2023 11:26 AM)bobcat_backer Wrote:  

(02-20-2023 10:35 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  No team in the MAC will be getting a 10 or 11 seed. That's at-large bid territory and no MAC team is even in the at-large discussion.

It's kind of impossible to project seed 12-16 seeding without knowing which teams win their single bid conference. Using the Summit League as an example, if Oral Roberts wins their conference tournament, they would certainly be seeded ahead of any MAC team. If they lose it, whoever wins the Summit would be seeded behind any of the top 4 MAC teams. Regardless, I don't see any MAC team being seeded higher than 12.

Totally agree!

Second paragraph above is accurate. The seeding of lower teams is largely dependent on who their conf rep is. My point was that a Kent or Toledo team on a long winning streak with 28 wins or so is clearly a dangerous team. The committee also has to not screw its high seeds. Say you are #4 seed Xavier and you are seeded against a team like Toledo or Oral Roberts with the nation's longest winning streak and good computer metrics (ORU high in the NET, Toledo high in efficiency ratings). That's not fair to them. True, 10 and 11 seeds are mostly at large territory but the MAC champ is not an at large-they are on a winning streak. Kent got a 10 seed their elite eight year, but probably would not have been in the tourney if they had lost in the MAC tourney. The committee tends to reward top mid majors more with seeding than at large bids. In addition, the MAC has only lost 1 first round game in 5 years. The committee knows they will put up a dangerous team. More likely is a 12 seed (where the committee usually puts strong mid majors) but 10 and 11 seeds to mid major auto qualifiers do happen.

And on the women's side, in 16-17, Toledo won the MAC tourney as the 6 seed and got a 10 seed in the dance. Toledo did better OOC that year, but had a soft schedule. CMU bowed out early that season so they would have been an at large had they made the finals. A yucky NIU team (who was hot), ruined the 2 bid for MAC. Still... 10 seed for MAC 6 seed has happened. It can happen in the men. Still unlikely.

Toledo takes care of UB 101-71.

Rockets just dismantling people right now. Toledo has had a lot of very good teams over the past 30 years but almost every one hasn't peaked at the right time. Looking great right now. UT is #1 in the nation in offensive efficiency ranking.

Going into the tourney on a double digit winning streak raises anxiety. I almost wish they'd lose one before the MAC tournament. Almost...

Race for the final few Cleveland bids is coming down to the wire. Even Miami is in the hunt, and any day we demolish OU for once is a great day.

(02-25-2023 09:07 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Race for the final few Cleveland bids is coming down to the wire. Even Miami is in the hunt, and any day we demolish OU for once is a great day.

Well, you know, we gotta let you win every once in a while to keep it a rivalry!

(02-25-2023 08:48 PM)Sleepy Wrote:  Going into the tourney on a double digit winning streak raises anxiety. I almost wish they'd lose one before the MAC tournament. Almost...

I'll do you one better than that: I actually do wish that they'd lose one more before the MAC tournament.

It would be grossly unfair for Kent State to have the relatively late "get your feet back on the ground" pre-tournament conference loss while Toledo is not similarly blessed.