MAC MBB Report

A little check-in on MAC Men's Basketball, just because it's a notable year and not in a good way.

Again, using the kenpom rankings...

This is the lowest-ranked season for the MAC since at least 1997, when the data starts.

Right now, the MAC is ranked as the #20 conference, out of 32.  Since last year, when the MAC was #12, we have been passed by Conference USA, Southern, WAC, CAA, Big West, Ivy, Sun Belt and the MAAC.

The lowest the MAC has been ranked since 1997 is #19, which was in 2009 and 2011, one of which was BG's last regular-season title.  The MAC has been as high as #9, the most recent year BG made the conference finals.

What's at work here is not the top of the conference...where Toledo and OU are in the top 100.  The issue is the teams at the bottom.  Remembering that there are 358 D1 teams...

WMU is #342.

CMU is #321

NIU is #300

EMU is #283

Miami is #260

So, 3 teams with a kenpom of 300+.  That is just extremely rare.  NIU was #337 last year and after that you have to 2013 before you find another one--also NIU at #322. They also were ranked #330 in 2012.  Which means that in the last 10 years, there have been 3 MAC teams ranked 300+ and there are 3 this year alone.

These are season-long rankings.  I think CMU has come around and probably is no longer #321 in the country.  But the point remains--the bottom of the MAC is weaker than it has been in a long time.

The 2019 season--the UB 6-seed season--the lowest ranked team in the MAC was at 255 (WMU) and that was the only team under 200.  This year, five teams are ranked behind 255 and most of the teams (7) have a kenpom of 200 or more.

This is just not a very good season for the MAC.

Some other factoids:

• Home teams have won only 55% of the MAC games to date.  Last year it was 54%.  Out of 30 conferences, 21 have a better home winning percentage.  The MAC is typically ranked in the top 10 of conferences on this rank, and in 2008 was first.
• The MAC is #5 in blowouts and #28 in close games
• The MAC is #7 in offensive efficiency and #9 in tempo. Also, #7 in the frequency of 3FGS, though #16 in making them.  MAC is #8 in 2FG and #9 in FT shooting.
• The MAC is 22nd in blocked shots, 24th in steals and 27th in Assists/FGM.