With the MAC Season opening today, which team(s) do you think have the best chance of cutting down the Nets in Cleveland in March based on non-conference play, roster makeup, coaching, etc? With that said, while I think Toledo’s Starting 5 is the most balanced in the league, their lack of (current) depth could be its ultimate downfall like late last season when it appeared they ran out of gas such as their road loss at lowly CMU, MAC Tournament loss to OU and NIT loss to Richmond. The X factor might be the availability of 6-10 AJ Edu who is working to get back to play in February after missing better parts of the last 3 seasons with various knee injuries. If available, Edu would provide much needed depth in the interior, especially his defense and rebounding skills. I also like OU a lot, but they seem to have the same depth issues that Toledo has. You also cannot count out Buffalo with players like Williams and Mballa who provide unique matchup problems for everyone. Another factor in who wins the Tournament is which team(s) can manage COVID the best and have everybody available to play throughout the regular and post seasons! Hopefully we can have a full season!

You can go ahead and eliminate WMU, NIU, CMU, EMU, and Ball State from the conversation. I don't think there is really any great team remaining among the remaining 7. Any of them can win it depending on health and how they progress throughout the season.

(12-28-2021 03:52 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  You can go ahead and eliminate WMU, NIU, CMU, EMU, and Ball State from the conversation. I don't think there is really any great team remaining among the remaining 7. Any of them can win it depending on health and how they progress throughout the season.

Might as well eliminate Toledo and BG as they have 2 of the 3 largest droughts among teams who have reached the dance.

I dont think EMU is eliminated... by chance id go

20% Ohio (4:1)
18% UB (114:25)
16% UT (21:4)
12% Akron (22:3)
10% Kent (9:1)
8% BG (23:2)
8% Miami (23:2)
5% EMU (18:1)
2% Ball State (49:1)
<1% NIU (150:1)
<1% WMU (350:1)
<1% CMU (500:1)

All I know is it won't be my team.

Despite the perplexing loss to Canisius, I would still pick UB. I agree the top is closely bunched together, but I think UB has the highest ceiling of any team in the conference.

Edit: Well this didn’t age well

(12-28-2021 04:47 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  ...
18% UB (114:25)
...

WHAT is this???

Also, 41:9 would be better.

I don’t see this UB squad doing anything this year. Poorly coached and no cohesion in the roster. Just a few good players trying to do it on their own and not much else. Oats squads played like a team and were bulldogs on defense. They’ve completely abandoned that identity.

(12-29-2021 04:28 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  

(12-28-2021 04:47 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  ...
18% UB (114:25)
...

WHAT is this???

Also, 41:9 would be better.

Couldn't figure out what 4.56:1 is, ha.

(12-28-2021 02:05 PM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  With the MAC Season opening today, which team(s) do you think have the best chance of cutting down the Nets in Cleveland in March based on non-conference play, roster makeup, coaching, etc? With that said, while I think Toledo’s Starting 5 is the most balanced in the league, their lack of (current) depth could be its ultimate downfall like late last season when it appeared they ran out of gas such as their road loss at lowly CMU, MAC Tournament loss to OU and NIT loss to Richmond. The X factor might be the availability of 6-10 AJ Edu who is working to get back to play in February after missing better parts of the last 3 seasons with various knee injuries. If available, Edu would provide much needed depth in the interior, especially his defense and rebounding skills. I also like OU a lot, but they seem to have the same depth issues that Toledo has. You also cannot count out Buffalo with players like Williams and Mballa who provide unique matchup problems for everyone. Another factor in who wins the Tournament is which team(s) can manage COVID the best and have everybody available to play throughout the regular and post seasons! Hopefully we can have a full season!

I agree that Buffalo, Ohio, and Toledo have a lack of depth. Do believe that Toledo is the best of the three given that they have a terrific offensive system.

The only other MAC team that matches those teams few outstanding talented players is EMU.

Don’t be misled by EMU’s 5-6 record in conference play as EMU should have had a 8-3 non-conference record, and didn’t because it squandered leads in the second-half in three of those games (N.Kentucky, UC Diego, and Valpo), by failing to defend the three-point line.

Should also be noted that EMU played the third strongest non-conference schedule of any team in the MAC, and did outscore Indiana 41-32 in the second-half.

EMU does have in six players, the deepest and most athletic talent of any Oppenheimer in in the MAC. The six players are MScott, Farrakhan, McBride, Golson, N.Scott, and Spottsville.

EMU may well open MAC play with a 3-0 record. If so. we’ll have to see what happens from then on in MAC play.

EMU’s HC Stan Heath has been experimenting playing both big and small ball. Playing big has not worked, and has kept EMU’s scoring down. Believe that if Heath commits to playing small ball and unleashes EMU’s potent offense and defense, EMU will be a formidable MAC opponent.

He will also need to devise a defense that can effectively challenge Toledo’s potent offense.