MAC Basketball: 2022 conference tournament preview and predictions
By Karl Heiser
Key Players in the 2022 MAC Basketball Tournament
Mark Sears – Ohio
2021-22 stats: 19.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, .416 3P%
Sophomore guard Mark Sears picked up right where Jason Preston left off as the do-it-all guy for the Bobcats. He elevated his game in essentially every possible way from last season and has Ohio right back in the mix for a MAC title.
Sears has the third-highest Offensive Bayesian Performance Ranking in the conference per Evan Miyakawa and also ranks 34th nationally in Heat Check CBB’s ranking of star power, the Gold Star Guide. He has scored 20 points in 16 games after doing so just twice as a freshman. Sears registered a career-high 33 points against South Carolina Upstate in December.
Last season, the Bobcats were able to lean on Preston’s dynamic play to win the MAC as the No. 5 seed. They will need something similar out of Sears to defend their title.
Jeenathan Williams – Buffalo
2021-22 stats: 19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, .492 FG%, .450 3P%
Senior forward Jeenathan Williams was widely expected to be the conference’s best player this season, predicted by both Three Man Weave and Heat Check CBB to be crowned MAC Player of the Year. While Buffalo may not have lived up to expectations as a team, Williams did his thing. He finished fourth in the conference for scoring average on the best efficiency numbers of his career. Williams also finished second in the MAC in three-point percentage – he’s a true star for Buffalo and they’ll need him to play a big role in redeeming a slightly disappointing season.
Ryan Rollins – Toledo
2021-22 stats: 19.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, .482 FG%
A sophomore breakout was widely expected for Ryan Rollins as he was named to the Preseason All-MAC First Team. He certainly delivered, averaging 19.2 points per game and leading the Rockets to the regular-season title. Add in his rebound and assist numbers – this guy is extremely well-rounded and impacts the game in numerous ways.
Rollins is second in the MAC for BPR per EvanMiya and is No. 32 in Heat Check CBB’s Gold Star Guide. Toledo’s explosive offensive attack begins with Rollins, and he will hopefully continue to be their primary bucket-getter in future years.
JT Shumate and Setric Millner Jr. – Toledo
Shumate: 15.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.3 BPG, .574 FG%, .512 3P%
Millner: 15.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, .485 FG%, .383 3P%
While Rollins leads the Toledo backcourt, JT Shumate and Setric Millner form a devastating frontcourt duo for the Rockets. Shumate, a junior, is a talented stretch forward who led the MAC in three-point percentage this season by a wide margin after converting over 51% of his attempts from deep. He is also the conference’s leader in BPR per EvanMiya.
Fellow junior Setric Millner is also an extremely valuable offensive player, matching his frontcourt partner in productivity. Millner finished the regular season eighth in BPR and fourth in OBPR.
Sincere Carry – Kent State
2021-22 stats: 18.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, .362 3P%
A transfer from Duquesne, Carry is a dynamic offensive player who finished fifth in the MAC for points per game and second in assists per game. For a team like Kent State that finds its primary strength with defense and not offense, the junior guard is fundamentally important to their success.
Over Kent State’s 12-game win streak to close regular season play, Carry averaged 20.9 points per game. Their defense is formidable – the only question is how their offense will perform under the bright lights of the postseason. Answering that question starts with Sincere Carry.
Dae Dae Grant – Miami (OH)
2021-22 stats: 17.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.1 APG
Dae Dae Grant doesn’t provide a whole lot on the defensive side of the ball, but he will do is give you buckets. He finished the year sixth in the conference with 17.6 points per game. The junior shot the ball respectably with .428/.350/.850 splits while also adding 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
If the Redhawks make any sort of run in the MAC Tournament, it will be on the back of the junior guard. He’s already done well against top competition this season, averaging 18.2 PPG in games against the MAC’s top three seeds.