MAC MBB Mid-Season Review

MAC MBB starts up tonight...thought I would take a look at what we have from the pre-MAC season, with only extraneous non-conference games left.

The MAC is considered stronger this year. The MAC was the 23rd-ranked conference last year (KenPom) and 24th the year before that.  

This year, they are 14th. 

Still a one-bid league, though.  It was a reasonable pre-sason, with 8 of the 13 teams improving their kenpom, including Akron, UB, BG, UMass, WMU, and EMU

Scheduling is interesting.  Once you accept that you won't get an at-large bid, most teams seem to default to an easier schedule.  There is a theory that playing a tougher non-conference schedule builds you up for the conference season--we can call it the Charlie Coles theory--but it's not the way most teams go.

Six MAC teams have schedules ranked 300 or worse (out of 265).  Two of them are 250 or worse.

So when you see Miami undefeated, you need to know they played the #362 schedule (out of 365).  Similar to Buffalo, BG, etc. And when UT is 4-6, and OU is 4-6, they played the 122 and 98 schedule, respectively.

In 1999, when Miami had a kenpon of 26 to end the season, got an at-large and played into the Sweet 16, they played the #27 schedule out-of-conference.

Ball State, CMU, and NIU appear to be non-competitive, leaving 9 teams to play for 8 spots.  Given that you are trying to qualify for a tournament with no byes, your bottom-line goal is to be one of those 8, and I would think maybe in the top 6.

That should all be very interesting.  Akron is the clear favorite.  It will be interesting to see Miami and UB in MAC play.  Kent is always dangerous and OU showed last year they can get fired up when the games count.

Akron

Ken Pom Now (Start): 66(94)

D1 Record: 7-4

SOS Rank: 249

Best Win: Iona (176-Neutral).

Worst Loss: Murrary State (94-neutral).

Statistical profile: #3 3FG shooting team in country

Miami:

Ken Pom Now (Start): 110(127)

D1 Record: 9-0

SOS Rank: 362

Best Win: Wright State (149-away).

Worst Loss: N/A

Statistical profile: #11 EFG in country

Bowling Green:

Ken Pom Now (Start): 112(193)

D1 Record: 6-3

SOS Rank: 327

Best Win: Kansas State (68-away)

Worst Loss: William & Mary (126-home).

Statistical profile: #12 in nation in steal percentage

Kent

Ken Pom Now (Start): 136 (125)

D1 Record: 7-2

SOS Rank: 337

Best Win: UNC-Wilmington (105-Home).

Worst Loss: Portland (215-away).

Statistical profile: #35 shooting team in country

Toledo

Ken Pom Now (Start): 159 (167)

D1 Record: 4-6

SOS Rank: 122

Best Win: Troy (142-Neutral).

Worst Loss: South Alabama (190-home).

Statistical profile: #16 at keeping opponents off line

UMass:

Ken Pom Now (Start): 161(197)

D1 Record: 8-3

SOS Rank: 346

Best Win: Florida State (120-Neutral).

Worst Loss: Green Bay (266-neutral).

Statistical profile: #8 3FG defense in the country

Ohio

Ken Pom Now (Start): 192(154)

D1 Record: 4-6

SOS Rank: 98

Best Win: Illinois State (97-home).

Worst Loss: Bethune Cookman (256-home).

Statistical profile: #313 on the defensive boards

UB

Ken Pom Now (Start): 198(329)

D1 Record: 8-2

SOS Rank: 337

Best Win: DePaul (122-Away).

Worst Loss: East Carolina  (268-away).

Statistical profile: #3 in the country getting to the line

EMU

Ken Pom Now (Start): 211(274)

D1 Record: 5-5

SOS Rank: 185

Best Win: Cincinnati. (78-Away).

Worst Loss: IU-Indy  (348-home).

Statistical profile: #25 in percentage of shots from 2FG

WMU

Ken Pom Now (Start): 257(292)

D1 Record: 4-6

SOS Rank: 254

Best Win: Coastal Carolina  (224-home).

Worst Loss: South Dakotqa  (270-away).

Statistical profile: #349 in forcing turnovers

NIU

Ken Pom Now (Start): 318(319)

D1 Record: 2-7

SOS Rank: 105

Best Win: Loyola. (313-Away).

Worst Loss: Lindenwood  (242-home).

Statistical profile: #355 in turnovers

Ball State

UB

Ken Pom Now (Start): 319(256)

D1 Record: 2-8

SOS Rank: 335

Best Win: LeMoyne (312-Neutral).

Worst Loss: Little Rock  (327-home)

Statistical profile: #345 in the country in EFG.

CMU

Ken Pom Now (Start): 322(309)

D1 Record: 2-7

SOS Rank: 227

Best Win: App. State (322-Home).

Worst Loss: Loyola  (313-away).

Statistical profile: #341 in defensive efficiency