Sunday, February 18, 2018

MAC MBB Standings, Tournament Outlook



So, here is how it looks with 4 games left.  All caveats applied, isn't it awesome to look here and see BG sitting where they are.

As always, this is a bit of a cluster.  There are four teams tied for the 4-7 slots.  BG, in perhaps its best tie-breaker result in conference history, actually is 4-0 among those 4 teams.  So, making any kind of predictions or figuring out who to root for is a little tough at this point.

First, as it relates to the home game.  The thing to look at here is CMU and NIU--knowing that CMU holds the head-head tiebreaker with BG and NIU and BG split.  So, if BG can get to 9-9, they would beat Akron and OU and almost for sure beat CMU and NIU...both play Toledo, and NIU plays Ball State twice.  So, BG wins 2 games out of 4 and they should get a home court game.

At 8-10 (1 more BG win coming home) you still have to like the chances.  CMU or NIU could get to 8 wins, but it would be tough.

Now, let's look at the far less likely top of the standings.  To get a bye, BG needs to essentially maintain a tie with any of the teams that they are currently tied with.  EMU has the toughest road because they have UT twice but BG is the only team of the 4 that plays Buffalo coming home, which gives them the advantage.

If any of those teams can with 3 out of 4 coming home, I'd like their chances.  Kent has the best chance of doing that, I would say, followed by WMU or BG.  Now, at 9 wins, anything could happen, and BG had a chance to impact that when they play at the MACC.

Anyway, great to see the boys competing this late in the year.  One thing is for sure.  Any path will rely heavily on a W on Tuesday.

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