Another interesting year in one of the more intriguing mid-major conferences each year – at least since they stopped thinking they were about to become the next power conference. Unlike the WCC or even Conference USA, where people these days actually tend to overrate the depth of the conference based on the power up top, the MAC has actually found a nice niche as a bit of an overlooked mid-major that can oftentimes be a whole lot better than anyone gives them credit for. And, the really nice part of this conference is that the strengths of the programs across the board are very comparable, so you don’t really have the same teams at the top or bottom every year (with the exception of Northern Illinois and their head-scratching inability to build any semblance of a solid program despite some inherent advantages…maybe, until now). The Ohio-Akron rivalry over the past couple of years has been one of the best in the country, while the directional Michigan schools are always heated rivals. This year was supposed to be the year that the Toledo Rockets bubbled up, and it looked like that was coming true, as the Rockets were undefeated longer than anyone in the country other than Wichita and Syracuse. And, they started the conference like gang-busters and threatened to run away with it. But, they slowly came back to the pack, and Western Michigan (playing an easier conference schedule, mind you) actually finished the season winning 10 of their last 11 (the only loss being an overtime loss at Toledo on March 1) to steal the top seed in the tournament. The MAC has a really nice format, though it somewhat arbitrarily offers heavy rewards to the 4-seed over the 5-seed (two byes), so the loser of this dynamic this year is Ohio, who is clearly good enough to be in the top 4, but there were 5 teams good enough and only 4 spots. The bottom of this league this year, Ball State and Central Michigan, were dreadful.
The end of this tournament is gonna be huge for CTC as all 25 people sprinkled their championship picks across the top 3 seeds. The least popular of the 3 is the top-seeded Broncos of Western Michigan with 6 supporters. 3rd-seeded Buffalo has 7 people riding with them, while #2 Toledo is the preferred choice of the CTC with 12 people taking the Rockets. One entry has 11th-seeded Central Michigan can win two games, while two entries have 9th-seeded Kent State winning three games. Surprisingly, no one has any seed lower than 4 reaching the finals, and only 2 people have 4th-seeded Akron. A lot of chalk late in this tournament. J is the defending champion here and will be going for his 3rd MAC title. If he gets it, he will only tie Doogan, who already has 3 MAC titles and is going for a 4th this year. Wow! And, while we’re talking crazy CTC history, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up the greatest CTC bracket ever. Teddy’s 2010 MAC bracket was perfect, which is impressive for a 12-team tournament any year, but check out here the chaos that ensued that year that Teddy predicted perfectly…still baffles me four years later.
CHAMPIONSHIP (March 15th – 42 points)
#1 Western Michigan vs #2 Toledo
For the first time in 8 years, the MAC title game doesn’t have Keith Dambrot’s Akron Zips. And, it sure could have. WMU snatched victory from the jaws of defeat – erasing an 18-point deficit with an 18-0 run and then winning in overtime over the Zips. Toledo won a brawl with EMU, setting up an interesting final where the 2-seed is probably the better team, but the 1-seed looks like a team of destiny and have been playing inspired ball for over a month now.
6 people (GrossJr, GrossSr, Lynch, Primm, Stri, Stumpf) have Western Michigan here. 12 othes (Becks, Bry, Caleb, Chris, Doogan, Gersh, J, Lazarow, Lohse, Scoot, Stritts, WaTers) have the Rockets of Toledo. A WMU win will give Stumpf an impressive MAC title. Toledo winning would give the championship to Becks.
SEMIFINALS (March 14th – 24 points each)
#1 Western Michigan vs #4 Akron
The Broncos of Western Michigan came out of absolute nowhere to win 9 of their last 10 games and take the top spot in the MAC. Ousting Ohio from the top 4 and driving Akron down to 4th sets up this interesting semifinal here in Cleveland against the Zips, who took care of rival, Ohio, on Thursday. WMU is led by SR shooting guard David Brown, who had scored in double-figures every game this season.
Dave and Scoot are the only two with Akron here. The other 23 all have WMU winning this game, including 6 (GrossJr, GrossSr, Lynch, Primm, Stri, Stumpf), who have the Broncos winning this tournament.
Western Michigan 64 – Akron 60 (OT)
#2 Toledo vs #6 Eastern Michigan
The Toledo Rockets – who probably had more expectations about this season than any in recent program history – started 12-0 before a close loss at Kansas and then a MAC season-opening loss to Western Michigan. The Rockets, who have one of the most potent offenses in the country, do struggle to get stops on the defensive end, at times. And, their semifinal on Friday is against a team that completely shut them down on Feb 15, when EMU beat the Rockets 65-44. Toledo got them back on Saturday, to close out the regular season, but that 44-point is 18 points fewer than what they have scored in any other game this season. Toledo was probably the favorite to win this tournament going in, but it won’t be easy, even against a 6-seed that wasn’t supposed to be here. EMU upset Buffalo Thursday night, 69-64.
No one has EMU winning this game. 12 people (Becks, Bry, Caleb, Chris, Doogan, Gersh, J, Lazarow, Lohse, Scoot, Stritts, WaTers) have Toledo as their MAC champion. GrossJr, GrossSr, Stri, and Stumpf have Toledo winning here, but losing in the finals. The other 9 have already lost this game.
Toledo 59 – Eastern Michigan 54
QUARTERFINALS (March 13th – 12 points each)
#4 Akron vs #5 Ohio
These blood rivals will face off in the semis both with a real shot to take this tournament. Akron has been in the MAC championship for something like 6 years in a row (don’t quote me on that, but it’s been a lot), so they are used to winning big games when they need to. Ohio – the second-best program in the MAC in recent years – is usually their foil in the title game. This time they square off in the quarters. Ohio is led this year by two guys that were key bench contributors to their multiple tournament runs under John Groce and two guys who definitely make the All-Name Team – Demetrius Treadwell and Quincy Diggs. If they can get help from others, those two dynamic players can take over games. They will have to face the dynamic twosome at Ohio of Nick Kellogg and Maurice Ndour. Akron got to sit and watch the festivities, while Ohio had to first beat Ball State on campus (which they did EASILY) and then come here and beat Miami (OH) in the second round. The Bobcats have earned this matchup and are hungry for it. This should be real good. #1 Western Michigan awaits the winner of this on in the semifinals.
Despite the double-bye to get here, only 9 people (Alexi, Bry, Dave, Gersh, J, Mac, PapaCim, Primm, Scoot) have Akron winning this one. Becks and GrossJr have already lost this game with Kent State, but the other 14 all have Ohio in a minor upset. Dave and Scoot are the only two that have either team going to the finals – they both have Akron there. Surprisingly, this game isn’t risking anyone’s champion.
Akron 83 – Western Michigan 77
#3 Buffalo vs #6 Eastern Michigan
The hottest team in the MAC entering the tournament is the Buffalo Bulls. They finally reached expectations by playing incredibly well down the stretch, earning themselves a bye to the quarters as the 3-seed. Buffalo goes as their all-everything stud big man Javon McCrea goes. The MAC Player of the Year is averaging an astonishing 19 points, 10 boards, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and almost 2 steals per game. Those numbers are off the charts. The task of stopping him here goes to, well, the whole EMU team. The Eagles got here by way of an easy win at home over Central Michigan and a hard-fought win here in Cleveland over Northern Illinois. Now, they have to figure out a way to stop McCrea in order to get a shot at #2 Toledo, who awaits the winner here in the semis on Friday.
Becks and Stumpf are the only two with EMU winning here. GrossSr has already lost this game with NIU. The other 22 all have Buffalo here, including 7 people (Alexi, Colton, Dave, Mac, PapaCim, RDoc, Teddy) that have the Bulls winning this tournament.
Eastern Michigan 69 – Buffalo 64
SECOND ROUND (March 12th – 6 points each)
#5 Ohio vs #8 Miami (OH)
After a day off after the on-campus games, the MAC tournament picks up in Cleveland with the 4 winners from Monday joining the top 4 from the regular season. Ohio, who cruised past Ball State on Monday starts the festivities against Miami (OH), who eliminated Kent State. These two teams played two close games that were both won by Ohio, including just last Saturday in a game that went to OT. The winner here will take on #4 Akron in the quarters on Thursday.
J is the only one that has Miami (OH) here. A Redhawk win, though, could really bust some brackets, as 14 people (Caleb, Chris, Colton, Doogan, GrossSr, Lazarow, Lohse, Lynch, RDoc, Stri, Stritts, Stumpf, Teddy, WaTers) have Ohio going to the semifinals.
Ohio 63 – Miami (OH) 55
A game that was close the entire way only became an 8-point margin in the final seconds. This game was up for grabs with even a minute to go. Nick Kellogg went for 20-7-4 and 2 steals as Ohio survives to get themselves to a grudge match against arch-rival Akron in the quarters on Thursday.
J just misses what would have been a huge solo upset pick here. 14 people keep alive a semifinalist with the Bobcats.
#6 Eastern Michigan vs #7 Northern Illinois
Eastern Michigan took care of rival Central Michigan on Monday, while NIU survived an UGLY OT game against Bowling Green. Now, the two face off for the right to play red-hot Buffalo in the quarters.
This could be a big swing game in the CTC. 5 people (Colton, Lazarow, Mac, RDoc, WaTers) have already lost this game with either BG or CMich. The other 20 have something to play for here and some even further. 8 people (Chris, Dave, GrossJr, GrossSr, J, PapaCim, Stritts, Teddy) have NIU here. GrossSr has them going on to beat Buffalo. The other 12 all have EMU here, with Becks and Stumpf picking them to beat Buffalo in the quarters.
Eastern Michigan 53 – Northern Illinois 48
Ugly is just how NIU likes it, but they couldn’t hold on to a late lead, as they will head home with their heads held high knowing that they are building. EMU has higher aspirations. This Eagles team is good enough to play spoiler here, and they will get that chance as early as Thursday when they take on #3 Buffalo.
8 people missed the mild upset pick here, including GrossSr, who lost a semifinalist here. 12 people got this one right, including Becks and Stumpf, who keep alive a shot at an upset in the quarters.
FIRST ROUND (March 10th – 3 points each)
#5 Ohio vs #12 Ball State
Stud point guard D.J. Cooper is off to the Greek professional league, so you had to know that Ohio was going to take a step backwards, which they did, but it wasn’t that big of a step for two reasons. The first is not so surprising, and that’s the emergence of Nick Kellogg as the go-to guy in the backcourt. Kellogg was a terrific second-banana to Cooper, but he has stepped up nicely to be The Guy for the Bobcats. The very surprising reason is the explosion of JUCO transfer Maurice Ndour. Ndour, one of the best athletes you will see anywhere, isn’t exactly your typical JUCO transfer. From being born in Senegal to attending high school in Japan to a JUCO in the Bronx, Ndour, who speaks five languages, has an incredibly unique backstory to go along with his incredibly unique athletic gifts. At 6’9″, 203 pounds, Ndour does a little bit of everything on the court and is one of the toughest matchups in the MAC. Kellogg and Ndour don’t have much help, but they probably won’t need it against a really bad Ball State team at home (though they do have a guy named Majok Major, who is as good at basketball as his name is awesome), playing for the right to join the rest of the league in Cleveland when the real tournament begins on Wednesday.
No one has Ball State here, while a slew of people have Ohio going all the way to the semis. A Ball State win here would bust quite a few brackets.
Ohio 76 – Ball State 64
The Bobcats jumped out to a 28-8 lead early and never trailed all game, beating up on a bad Ball State team that never really had a chance.
Everyone got this one right.
#6 Eastern Michigan vs #11 Central Michigan
It’s not often that a team that returns 4 starters from the previous season can credit a solid season to the only new guy in the starting lineup, particularly when that new guy is a redshirt freshman. But, that is the case for EMU, who had a really nice bounce-back season after a poor 2012-13, as they leaned heavily on freshman SG Ray Lee. Lee – the best recruit to EMU in a long time, missed all but 8 games last year after breaking his foot. He was granted a medical redshirt and has come this year ready to play. Lee along with stud PF Karrington Ward make EMU a potential sleeper in this wide open MAC tournament. To get to Cleveland, however, the Eagles will have to take care of their in-state rivals, the Central Michigan Chippewas. Keno Davis is building for the future, which is a good thing because the present isn’t very good outside of super-sophomore PG Chris Fowler (no, not that Chris Fowler).
Colton, RDoc, Stritts, and WaTers all went for a really solid upset here. WaTers has the Chippewas winning again next round. Becks and Stumpf has the most on the line with EMU, as they both have the Eagles beating Buffalo in the quarters before losing in the semis.
Eastern Michigan 72 – Central Michigan 60
Karrington Ward had 20 & 8 for an EMU team that had control of this game through and won going away. Thus ends a disappointing season for a young Chippewa team that did find some things to build upon.
4 people missed a nice upset pick here, including WaTers, who lost two games with CMU. Becks and Stumpf keep alive a semifinalist.
#7 Northern Illinois vs #10 Bowling Green
Finally, some optimism can be called for on the hardcourts at NIU. Former Michigan State point guard and Tom Izzo assistant, Mark Montgomery finally seems to have this program going in the right direction. Not only did they finish 8-10 in conference to earn a home game in the tournament, but they are very young (including outstanding freshman Aaric Armstead). I have always thought that this program, with their facilities and proximity to Chicago, could be a sleeping giant in the MAC, but it just never materialized. This year looks like a step in the right direction. They could be tested to get to Cleveland, though, as Bowling Green comes in reeling with 5 losses in the past 6 games, but they were all to the conference’s top teams. This is an interesting matchup with the winner to go to Cleveland to face the winner of the EMU-CMU game.
11 people (Becks, Bry, Colton, Lazarow, Lohse, Lynch, Mac, RDoc, Scoot, Stumpf, WaTers) have Bowling Green in the upset here. Colton, Mac, and RDoc have them winning again next round. GrossSr has the most to lose with NIU, as he has them all the way to the semis. 7 others (Chris, Dave, GrossJr, J, Lazarow, Stritts, Teddy) have them reaching the quarters before losing to Buffalo.
Northern Illinois 54 – Bowling Green 51 (OT)
It took these great offenses in a thrilling game an extra 5 minutes to get to 105 points combined, but NIU hangs on at home, despite a ridiculous three at the buzzer by Jehvon Clarke to send the game to overtime. It is hard to qualify it as madness, though, when a buzzer-beating three ties the game at 49. An ugly overtime period went the way of the Huskies and they move on to Cleveland for the first time in a long time and will take on 6th-seeded Eastern Michigan on Wednesday.
11 people missed the upset here, including Colton, Mac, and RDoc, who lose a pair of game here. GrossSr keeps alive a semifinalist, while 7 others keep alive a quarterfinalist.
#8 Miami (OH) vs #9 Kent State
What in the world happened to Kent State this year? They were supposed to be right there in the thick of this conference race, but they just couldn’t get out of their own way. Close losses and head-scratching no-shows paved the way towards being the most disappointing team in the MAC. They have a shot at redemption here, but it will have to be on the road against, albeit, a highly-beatable Miami team, who just so happened to sweep the Golden Flashes in two close games this year. The winner of this game as a Cleveland date with the Ohio-Ball State winner.
Only 10 people (Colton, J, Lazarow, Lynch, Mac, RDoc, Scoot, Stritts, Teddy, WaTers) went with the home team here with J the only one to have the Redhawks winning again next round. Alexi, Becks, Gersh, GrossJr, and PapaCim have Kent State going to the quarters. Becks and GrossJr went a step further and has them beating Akron in the quarters before losing to Western Michigan in the semis.
Miami (OH) 71 – Kent State 64
And the disappointing 2013-14 season for Kent State is officially over. A back-and-forth game throughout the first half was opened up by the home team to start the second half and they held on down the stretch. 17 turnovers doomed the Golden Flashes. Miami moves on to Cleveland to try and take down #5 Ohio.
Only 10 people got this one right here. J keeps alive a quarterfinalist. There was some minor bracket-busting here with the Kent loss, as Becks and GrossJr lost a semifinalist and 3 others lost a quarterfinalist.
CTC UPDATE
Championship Picks
- #1 Western Michigan (6) – GrossJr, GrossSr, Lynch, Primm, Stri, Stumpf
- #2 Toledo (12)
- #3 Buffalo (7) – Alexi, Colton, Dave, Mac, PapaCim, RDoc, Teddy
Biggest Upsets
- R1 – #11 Central Michigan (Colton, RDoc, Stritts, WaTers)
- R2 – #11 Central Michigan (WaTers)
- QF – #9 Kent State (Becks, GrossJr)
- SF – #4 Akron (Dave, Scoot)
Previous CTC Champions
- 2008 – Doogan
- 2009 – Doogan
- 2010 – Teddy (perfect)
- 2011 – Doogan, J
- 2012 – Mac
- 2013 – J
2014 Scores
