It's MAC Season

[inthescoop]

First game as a ranked team and Miami OH are underdogs at Kent State

[Steve81]

Miami is now 20-0 after beating a close one with Kent State.

I also get upset with some of our losses and tend to recover after a day or so to my default, generally optimistic self.

This is from Cleveland, who has encouraged me to still go.

Idk about our team. May have to cancel my trip to Cleveland if they keep this crap up. It's a lot of money and to see they are still having trouble at the end of games.

If you're a college basketball fan ... even if UMASS doesn't make the cut ... still consider coming. Seeing all the top MAC teams on a neutral court will give you a true measure of how close UMass is to the top of the list.

I think you will be surprised at both the talent level, variety in style, and quality of play MAC teams will showcase.

Watching several of your games both non-conference and MAC, you have the size and physicality to easily compete in the MAC. Just don't have enough shooters/scorers.

The other learning curve is quality of play the final four minutes. Just looking at MAC scores should tell you very few MAC wins are by double digits. The vast majority are two possession (6-points or less) games at the finish.

It's not the A-10. But IT IS a very entertaining league to watch and play in.

[Quann]

First game as a ranked team and Miami OH are underdogs at Kent State

Still undefeated after an OT win.

[inthescoop]

First game as a ranked team and Miami OH are underdogs at Kent State

Still undefeated after an OT win.

I watched the game, Miami OH started up big and then in the 2nd, Kent State had their best half of the season up until a minute left. Miami OH was down 4 with a minute left and forced the game to OT. Kent State was pretty exhausted once we hit OT and Miami then cruised.

We love to cry NIL but Miami OH is another team with low NIL donations and still managed to get their entire team back. Why? Because they respect their coach and what they've built at Miami OH. Everyone is disciplined and they know their role and they are told how important that role is for the team to be complete as a whole

[Steve81]

Was pretty surprised by what BeatWestern posted and using the Net as of February 1st.

As most of the you realize, MAC MBB is back competing very well this season.

As of games played through Feb. 1, the MAC is ranked as the #15 conference with an average comp of 192.84. This includes NIU with its current NET of #304.

When NIU is removed from the conference NET, the MAC climbs to 160.61, which would place it as the #10 conference in the country, ahead of the American.

Now if you add Illinois State (currently #69) and Western Kentucky (currently #164), the MAC NET would move to 151.43 and be the #9 rated conference. The MAC would surpass the MVC, which would be losing one of its top programs to the MAC.

Idk, if Illinois State and Western Kentucky would move to the MAC in 2027, but interesting if it happened.

[inthescoop]

^Neither are exciting adds. Rick Stansbury did make things exciting for the Hilltoppers again, known for that side cash. Any chance UConn joins the MAC in just football?

[stevemaz]

I think in a few years when UConn finally leaves Big East and they add Dayton and Saint Louis, the MAC will surpass the A10. Mac likely surpasses A10 even if those two stay because of FBS football.

[MikeUMA]

Any chance UConn joins the MAC in just football?

It seems the MAC doesn't want football only members. We did that for a few years in the early 2010s, then they told us it's either all-in or leave.

MAC has some affiliates, but all in non-revenue sports.

[Juice Stand]

how do you all like the "top 8" format for the MAC tournament? Leaving out 5 teams is a lot, and it might be nice if they added a 9th or 10th team, giving the top of the league a bye, but I like it. It gives the regular season some added interest. We've been told all year, even by Frank, that it's a one-bid league so some fans are just sitting and waiting to see how we do in March, but I've been invested in watching the standings. I'm keen to see if we can get the 4/5 spot so we can avoid Miami, Akron, and Kent St until the 2nd round.

[Plano Minuteman]

how do you all like the "top 8" format for the MAC tournament? Leaving out 5 teams is a lot, and it might be nice if they added a 9th or 10th team, giving the top of the league a bye, but I like it. It gives the regular season some added interest. We've been told all year, even by Frank, that it's a one-bid league so some fans are just sitting and waiting to see how we do in March, but I've been invested in watching the standings. I'm keen to see if we can get the 4/5 spot so we can avoid Miami, Akron, and Kent St until the 2nd round.

I like it a lot. Definitely adds a lot more meaning to the regular season. Why give teams a shot at the NCAAs when they've sucked all year?
I was not a fan of the A-10 version, I am anti-double bye.

[chuff]

Having survived a half year in the MAC, I still don't see anything good coming from it. Frankly, the reason for a school spending millions on college sports is for the PR. You are associated with the teams you play. Bamford described our association with the MAC as being associated with "similarly situated public research universities”. Obvious hogwash. They aren’t situated similarly geographically. But more importantly, only UMass and Buffalo are top-tier research Universities, R1. In the US News rankings of National Universities, and Top Public Schools, UMass is ranked 64 and 29, respectively. Buffalo is 75 and 36, so same league. The rest average 272 and 156, with the next highest being Ohio Univ. at 198 and 109. They don't have the same aspirations as UMass. Academically at least, we don't want to be identified with the Directional Michigans etc. But that's what happens when they're who you play.

Also, most people who pay any attention to UMass couldn't care less about playing a Central Michigan. They won't go to game. If you want to more or less give up on top-tier conferences, they might go to Holy Cross, or Maine, or UNH, but Central Michigan? No. Regionalism counts.

Bamford has it all wrong. We need a completely different vision for UMass sports if it's to accomplish the goal of being a positive representation of the school.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Having survived a half year in the MAC, I still don't see anything good coming from it. Frankly, the reason for a school spending millions on college sports is for the PR. You are associated with the teams you play. Bamford described our association with the MAC as being associated with "similarly situated public research universities”. Obvious hogwash. They aren’t situated similarly geographically. But more importantly, only UMass and Buffalo are top-tier research Universities, R1. In the US News rankings of National Universities, and Top Public Schools, UMass is ranked 64 and 29, respectively. Buffalo is 75 and 36, so same league. The rest average 272 and 156, with the next highest being Ohio Univ. at 198 and 109. They don't have the same aspirations as UMass. Academically at least, we don't want to be identified with the Directional Michigans etc. But that's what happens when they're who you play.

Also, most people who pay any attention to UMass couldn't care less about playing a Central Michigan. They won't go to game. If you want to more or less give up on top-tier conferences, they might go to Holy Cross, or Maine, or UNH, but Central Michigan? No. Regionalism counts.

Bamford has it all wrong. We need a completely different vision for UMass sports if it's to accomplish the goal of being a positive representation of the school.

To be fair, the fans weren't really giving a shit about playing many of the A10 teams either. And I don't think the school has given up on playing in a top-tier conference - but due to ineptitude by multiple versions of the athletic department leadership, we are here with the hope this is a stepping stone rather than a landing spot.

I do agree that Regionalism counts to you and me. It doesn't count to college athletics anymore. That's a very unfortunate aspect of this, not that our last conference was keeping with the trend either.

[Juice Stand]

I for one am livid that we no longer get to play like-minded institutions that are at the top of the college basketball landscape like Fordham, La Salle, and Duquesne. Our next home game is against Miami (Ohio???). Who are they, are they even ranked? Hogwash!

I'm kidding of course. I'm a UMass fan first and foremost. I don't really care who we play. I show up to watch UMass, not the opponent. IV is right that the goal is to come to the MAC, win (in hoops and football), and improve our standing in the college landscape. It hasn't happened yet in year 1, but that's the goal.

[Plano Minuteman]

It is shaping up to be a wild year in the MAC at least. Miami OH, Akron, and Kent State won by 2,2, and 3 respectively last night.

[bobolink]

Last night Buffalo, down 2 to Miami, missed a 3 at the buzzer to let Miami escape again. Akron needed a 3 with 9 seconds left to beat EMU by 2. It seems unlikely they can keep escaping like this. Let their losses come vs. UMass! If the MAC tournament started today, the standings would have Buffalo vs Miami again, and Miami might need a miraculous escape again.