NCAA Basketball: Unlikeliest Conference Tournament runs of the Decade
By Joey Loose
2. Ohio (2010 MAC, 9-seed) (17-14, 7-9)
The Mid-American Conference is one of those leagues that always seems to be in the middle of the pack. These teams are more known for their FBS football, but that hasn’t stopped teams like this year’s Buffalo squad from having some incredible seasons.
Back in 2010, the Ohio Bobcats didn’t look like a team in the middle of anything incredible. Second-year head coach John Groce had seen improvement, but the team was barely above .500 and didn’t stand out in conference play. They were stuck as the 9-seed for the MAC Tournament, but before they could head to Cleveland, they had to win a first round game on the road.
The Bobcats traveled to Ball State, the 8-seed, and played a really tough game. Both teams shot the ball really well (46% both ways), but the Cardinals were pulling away in the second half, building a lead as large as 9 points. Despite being on the road, the Bobcats didn’t panic, pulling back into the game and forcing overtime. They hit their shots and free throws late and walked away from Muncie with an 8-point victory.
They might have been the 9-seed, but the Bobcats knew that they could win three games in three days on a neutral court. Top-seeded Kent State was waiting for them in Cleveland, but Armon Bassett (38 points) and the rest of the Bobcats were ready. The Bobcats offense was on fire, shooting 50% from the game and limiting Kent State’s opportunities. They built a 40-24 halftime lead and pulled out a 17-point win, shocking the MAC’s top team.
The following day, their game with 4-seed Miami OH went quite differently. Bassett was still a machine (28 points), and the Bobcats built an early advantage, but this was just a 21-12 game at the half, with defense a much large part of the game. They still shot 38% and kept the Redhawks at bay, clawing out a 54-42 victory and sending themselves to the championship game.
The MAC title game was an intense match-up, as 2-seed Akron fought hard against the resilient Bobcats. The game was neck and neck throughout its entirety, with Ohio’s 6-point lead in the final minutes serving as the game’s largest margin. The Zips fought back to tie the game, but the Bobcats could not be stopped, pulling out another victory in overtime. Bassett (25 points) powered his team to the win, and the Bobcats shot 47% from the 3, needing all of those shots against their formidable foe.
The story doesn’t end here. The 9-seed in the MAC had won the conference tournament and headed to the NCAA Tournament, once again becoming an afterthought. They were given a 14-seed and they sure took advantage of the trip, stunning 3-seed Georgetown off an incredible shooting effort. Bassett (32 points) and DJ Cooper (23 points) were both unstoppable and the Bobcats sent the Hoyas home in one of the year’s greatest upsets.
Head coach John Groce would stay two more seasons (pulling off two more upsets in 2012), before taking the Illinois job. One of his assistants was Chris Holtmann, who left after the season to take the Gardner-Webb job. Holtmann is now at Ohio State and his role in the Bobcat’s run was certainly great. Armon Bassett played outstanding ball for five straight games, leading this Ohio team on an incredible journey that no one, especially Georgetown fans, will soon forget.