MAC and Sun Belt Announce First Pairings

As the excitement starts to build for the Simon and Chmiel eras at the Stroh, the MAC announced the first pairings for the MAC-Sun Belt challenge.

This is a really good thing for our conference.  It provides each team with two quality opponents every year and one of them at home, BOTH of which are valued.

The second pairing will be done later in the year based on how the season is playing out, with the idea of improving an at-large resume.

The first matchup will be in the opening week of the season.  BG MBB will host Arkansas State.  The matchups were clearly done to match top teams with top teams...and, well, NOT top teams with NOT top teams, based on last year.  BG finished #286 in Kenpom and Arkansas State was #287.  They were 13-20, 11-20 in D1 games and 4-14 in conference.

The Red Wolves are coached by Bryan Hodgson, who is known to Falcon fans as an assistant on the great 2019 Buffalo Bull team that beat BG at the Rocket in the MAC Final. (He was the bearded one).  He went to Alabama with Oats and then to Arkansas State.  It is his first year.

They have a similar situation to BG, with six players in the portal and seven coming in, including former UB starter LaQuill Hardnett.

They have played in one D1 NCAA Tournament, in 1999, when they were known as the Indians.

Looking forward to it.