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MAC Tournament Preview

Season In Review
MACtion is back in basketball this year, with the conference having its highest rating in the KenPom era. Led by Buffalo, who you may remember from their upset of Arizona last season, the conference is the deepest it has been for as long as I can remember. The Bulls lost three total games and won at West Virginia and Syracuse this season, and rolled through the MAC this year at 16-2. We also saw four other teams win double digit games in the conference, which is a good sign for the conference, and there is a lot of depth with teams like Northern Illinois, Akron, and Ball State all very capable teams. Toledo was also very good this season, losing just one game during the non-conference, so Buffalo doesn't have this wrapped up. This should be a very fun and competitive tournament, and I am very excited for some of the matchups.

Bracket


Contenders
Buffalo (28-3, 16-2)
The Bulls are beginning to build a bit of a dynasty in Buffalo, building off a first round upset over Arizona and Deandre Ayton last season to have a very successful season this year. They made noise early in the year beating West Virginia in overtime, winning the Belfast Classic in Ireland over San Francisco, and in the Carrier Dome against Syracuse. Their only non-conference loss was to Marquette when Markus Howard dropped 45. They then steamrolled through the MAC, only losing two games in the conference and they did it with their offense. They play at one of the fastest paces in the nation and are incredibly efficient especially inside the arc. On the other side of the court, they do a great job of forcing turnovers, which allows them to play at their quick pace, and they do a good job rebounding as well. They have some senior stars like CJ Massinburg and Nick Perkins who should have big tournaments, they have won nine straight games, and they will be heavy favorites for the MAC title.

Toledo (25-6, 13-5)
The Rockets quietly had a big season, losing just once in non-conference play and six times all season. While they don't have any headliner wins, they took down good teams like UC Irvine, Penn, Akron, and Bowling Green, and they are poised for a big tournament. While they aren't great at any one thing, they also don't have any glaring weaknesses. They have a solid defense, really limiting their opponents both from behind the arc and in the paint. They also do a pretty good job offensively, using a balanced offensive attack and sharing the ball really well. I like this team a lot, and while they got swept by Buffalo, they played them close in their most recent game and I think they could take them down.

Sleeper Team
Ball State (15-16, 6-12)
The Cardinals has a disappointing season, as they were projected to be one of the top teams in the conference, but instead, they went just 6-12 in the MAC, which was their worst season since 2015. A large reason for that is their bad three point shooting, as they went 27.9% from deep during MAC play and 32.4% on the year. However, they still have a lot of talent, and their top four players are just as talented as any other in the league. Taylor Persons is one of the best players in the MAC, and they have really good size as well. They took down Toledo and Akron in conference play, and if you want a deep sleeper that can cause anarchy in the MAC Tournament, this is your pick.

Players to Watch
CJ Massinburg
Stats: 18.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 48.2/41.5/78.3
Buffalo has the best team in the conference, and they are led by CJ Massinburg. You may have heard of him after he scored 43 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, including making 9 threes, in an overtime win against West Virginia. He is a good shooter, having made 41.5% of his threes, but the senior can score in a variety of ways. He is also very good on the glass, and he also a good defender. He is probably the best player in the conference, and he's been coming on strong of late. He had back to back double doubles at the end of February and beginning of March, with 23 and 10 against Akron and 20 and 10 against Miami. I expect him to ball out throughout the tournament, and he will be a key piece of their championship run.

Justin Turner
Stats: 18.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 47.8/37.7/72
Bowling Green exceeded expectations this season, and Turner was a big reason why. The sophomore followed up a solid campaign last season by leading the team in points, assists, and steals. He scored in double digits in every game this season, and he became one of the better scorers in the conference. He was third in the MAC in scoring and thirteenth in three point shooting, which makes him a dynamic threat for the Falcons. He recently had a career high 34 points against Northern Illinois, and he could average 20+ through this tournament as the Falcons look to contend for the MAC title.

Jaylin Walker
Stats: 21.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 38.9/39.3/80.8
Walker went from being a good scorer to an elite one, leading the conference in scoring this season with the Golden Flashes. Despite missing the first five games of the season, Walker still scored 25+ points 11 times, and passed 30 three times. He mysteriously missed the last game of the year, but if he is playing, watch out. He's a guy to watch if he's playing, as he could lead Kent State back to the NCAA Tournament.

My All Conference Teams
First Team
G: Jaylin Walker, Kent State
G: CJ Massinburg, Buffalo
G: Eugene German, Northern Illinois
G: Justin Turner, Bowling Green
F: Nick Perkins, Buffalo

Second Team
G: Larry Austin Jr, Central Michigan
G: Taylor Persons, Ball State
G: Jaelen Sanford, Toledo
F: Demajeo Wiggins, Bowling Green
F: James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan

My Pick: Buffalo over Toledo
I just can't pick against Buffalo. The Bulls have been incredible throughout the season, and they are the heavy favorite in the tournament. While I like some other teams like Toledo and Bowling Green, there is just no one that has the mix of talent level, coaching, and style of play that can compare to this team, and I think they can go deep into the NCAA Tournament.

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