MAC Basketball: 2022 conference tournament preview and predictions
By Karl Heiser
MAC Basketball Bracketology
While the MAC has a handful of teams good enough to win a game or two in the Big Dance, this will be a one-bid league by all accounts. The winner of the MAC Tournament will likely find themselves on the No. 13 or No. 14 seed line in the NCAA Tournament. The collection of talented teams and players competing for just one bid should make for a very exciting conference tournament.
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 10
No. 1 Toledo vs. No. 8 Central Michigan – 11 a.m. ET, ESPN+
This could get out of hand very quickly. Central Michigan was swept by the Rockets this season – one a blowout and the other a close game – and finished with a 7-22 overall record. It is highly that the No. 320 team on KenPom will be anything more than a doormat for the best offensive team in the conference. Sorry Chippewas fans, but things aren’t looking good here. Expect Toledo to roll.
Prediction: Toledo 83, Central Michigan 64
No. 4 Akron vs. No. 5 Buffalo – 30 min following Game 1, ESPN+
This should be a very close matchup between Buffalo’s high-powered offense and Akron’s defensive tenacity. From an efficiency standpoint, the two teams have comparable defenses and Buffalo has a significantly better offense (almost 40 spots higher on KenPom).
Buffalo fell in the lone meeting between the teams this season, but their star power gets them the win this time around. Look for Jeenathan Williams to make a big difference in this one after leading the Bulls in points, rebounds, and assists the first time they faced the Zips.
Prediction: Buffalo 77, Akron 71
No. 2 Kent State vs. No. 7 Miami (OH) – 30 min following Game 2, ESPN+
Kent State and Miami only faced each other once this season and Kent State pulled off a comfortable 13-point victory on the road. The Golden Flashes will have the biggest advantage on the defensive end, where they hold opponents to just 64.1 PPG. Miami is one of the MAC’s better teams in terms of scoring output at 75.3 PPG and Dae Dae Grant will get his points, but Kent State’s defense will prove to be too much in this one.
Prediction: Kent State 74, Miami 65
No. 3 Ohio vs. No. 6 Ball State – 30 min following Game 3, ESPN+
Although the Bobcats enter this game not playing their best basketball, they still own a distinct advantage over Ball State on both sides of the ball. Mark Sears and Ben Vander Plas should make their presence felt against a Cardinals team that is a revolving door on defense. Ohio secured a blowout win in the regular-season matchup between these sides – expect more of the same this time around.
Prediction: Ohio 81, Ball State 66