The MAC Blogger roundtable is back for hoops. Our roster is a little slimmed down as there are some MAC blogs that are football only and we lose Temple, but we still have a nice roster of people who wil join together to share our collective wisdom. This week, the questions are from Bull Run...
1) Kent or Ohio: who is better and why?
The obvious answer so far is Ohio, based on the results this year. They are off to a terrific start. However, Kent's players are battle hardened and used to winning, and I think that both teams start the MAC season for or less even. On the floor of the Q, I'd still take Kent, based on what I have seen to date.
2) Ball State: Every year someone in the west looks legit until the MAC Championship tournament begins. This season Ball state has positioned itself as that team. The cards are receiving votes in the
mid major top 25 poll and were ranked 4th in Hustle Belts last MAC power rankings.
Will they be a factor in Cleveland or not?
No. I don't even agree that they are that legit right now. They have played one of the 20 weakest schedules in D1 and are still only 7-4. No doubt, the Butler win was nice, but they also have a non-D1 win in that 7-4. At best, they are the best team in the West, which doesn't really even matter anymore, and right now, there are four teams in the East who are ahead of them (Ohio, Kent, Akron and Buffalo).
3) Speaking of Cleveland what do you think of the MAC new format and revenue sharing for hoops? Will this help elevate the conference or just make the bad teams even worse?
I'm for it. The new format increases the chances that the team that wins the regular season--and is probably the best team--makes the NCAA tournament, hopefully yielding a better seed and then wins a game or two, yielding the MAC some cash (dollar bill, ya;ll). From a competitive level, I like anything that makes the regular season more meaningful, and the new format does. The race for fourth will be competitive, and the teams that survive the rigors of the regular season will be the ones with a solid shot to win.
4) When, if ever, will NIU turn things around?
They will. I think they got a good coach and it will take some time. Has to be painful around there this year, though.
5) What has to happen in conference play for the MAC to crack an at-large bid?
Expansion to 96 teams? I only joke a little. The MAC is a one-bid conference, and I think we're pretty much locked in there. What we would need would be for a team to be clearly dominant--meaning quality non-conference wins and then something like a 14-2 record in conference--and then lose in the final of the MAC tournament. Even then I would have my doubts.
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