MAC MBB Non-Conference Review

We've entered conference play and that means the MAC is done playing with the other boys in the other neighborhoods.

Let's see how it went.

The first big takeaway is that the MAC did not have any signature upsets.  No wins over P5 teams or even a team in the top 100, via kenpom.  Last year, the MAC had 4 wins in the top 100.  So for this year, here is how it shakes out.

1-25:  0-13
25-50:  0-4
51-100:  0-8
101-200:  18-27
201-351:  53-10

This is pretty much what you'd expect, I think.  The bottom one is a pretty good track record...beating teams you should beat.  I suspect you'd like to be closer to .500 in the 101-200 category, but who knows?  The MAC lost no games outside of D1.

As for the high and low points:

Biggest win is EMU against #101 Omaha.
Biggest away win is CMU @#139 Green Bay.
Worst loss is WMU to #344 UTEP.
Worst home loss is NIU to #249 Cal Poly

I think the scheduling is interesting.  One of the things you see when conferences upgrade their basketball is they stop playing games against the bigger conferences in return for home games and winnable games.  It is kind of a paradox.  You move your reputation up, but you never get to show anyone the big win.  This is partly an unfair game, since you never actually get to play any of those games at home.  This year, the MAC played only 2 games against the Big Ten.    A couple years ago it was 10.  (BG played no P5 games and, in fact, played only one major opponent and that was UC).

The MAC is the #13 ranked conference on kenpom.  #12 last year.  #11 the year before that.  #14 before that.

The story you might have missed....note the success of transfers in the MAC....

Marcus Keene....leads the nation in scoring with 30.1 PPG.  That 5 more than the #2 guy.  He's 5'9" and 175 pounds.  Youngstown State transfer.  Shooting 47% and 39%, which are really good for a G.  He's also averaging over 5 assists per game.

Jaaron Simmons is #3 in the nation in assists.  Transfer from Houston.

Steve Taylor is #2 in the nation in defensive rebounds.  (UT), transfer from Marquette

Isaiah Johnson #8 in FG%.

Rank so far this year (including 1 conference game, kenpom.com)

Akron (93)
OU (96)
EMU (97)
UT (114)
Kent (145)
UB (156)
NIU (175)
Ball State (178)
CMU (179)
BG (213)
WMU (232)
Miami (276)