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Bracketology Winners: Florida dominates, Nevada remains undefeated

By Lukas Harkins

RENO, NV - DECEMBER 15: Jordan Caroline #24 of the Nevada Wolf Pack drives to the basket during the second half of the game between the Nevada Wolf Pack and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Lawlor Events Center on December 15, 2018 in Reno, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Devich/Getty Images)
RENO, NV - DECEMBER 15: Jordan Caroline #24 of the Nevada Wolf Pack drives to the basket during the second half of the game between the Nevada Wolf Pack and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Lawlor Events Center on December 15, 2018 in Reno, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Devich/Getty Images) /
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DURHAM, NC – DECEMBER 29: Head coach Kowalczyk of the Toledo Rockets directs. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC – DECEMBER 29: Head coach Kowalczyk of the Toledo Rockets directs. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

4. Contenders for the MAC title

Buffalo has rightfully received a ton of attention so far this season. With only one loss (on the road against Marquette) and a fairly strong collection of wins, the Bulls belong in the national top-25 rankings and they look poised for a potential at-large bid down the road. With that said, though, it would be a mistake to think that Buffalo will roll through conference play. The MAC, as a whole, has been superb so far this season and several teams have NCAA Tournament hopes. It might seem odd to say but this conference could definitely send multiple teams to the Big Dance.

Most notably, Toledo also stands with just one loss at the end of conference play. To reach their current 12-1 record, the Rockets secured back-to-back strong wins over Ivy League opponents in Cornell (by 16) and Penn (by 32). This is a unit that can really shoot it from beyond the arc and is also one of the best teams in the nation when it comes to capitalizing at the free throw line (78.9%, 3rd in the country). Toledo is a legitimate contender in the MAC and should no longer be a team flying under the radar.

Additionally, teams such as Ball State (9-4), Central Michigan (10-2), and Kent State (10-2) have put up excellent starts to this season. All of these teams look like potential threatening teams near the top of the league and that should make for an exciting couple of months for the conference. As of Dec. 30, the MAC is rated as the ninth-best conference in the country by KenPom, higher than leagues such as the Atlantic 10 and Mountain West. That means something.

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