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By Sam, March 17, 2009 12:41 am

#4 Gonzaga vs. #13 Akron

Well for the 9th consecutive season the MAC will place only one team into the NCAA tournament. Akron is hoping to end the streak of 5 straight seasons of one and done for the conference as well. It is not going to be easy as they are facing a powerhouse Gonzaga team. The experts in Las Vegas have Gonzaga as an 11.5 point favorite and its hard to argue with that number. As good as Akron played in the MAC tournament they are about to enter a whole new world playing this Gonzaga team. Physically there is nobody Akron can put on the court that can match up with Josh Heytvelt. Tyler Hansborough is still having nightmares about going up against Heytvelt in the preseason NIT at MSG 2 years ago. Akron will have to do a good job denying the entry pass with their smaller front court players because if gets the ball down low its pretty much game over. Even if he misses a few he can play volleyball with the backboard and eventually get it to go.

The McKnights and Nate Linhart are going to have to expend so much energy on defense their offensive game might rely heavily on making jump shots. If that is the case then G Darryl Roberts and G Steve McNees are going to need to be lights out on the perimeter. Both are streaky shooters who are capable of a big day, but neither have ever been in an NCAA tournament game before.

Akron got stronger as they got deeper into the MAC tournament. They are a program that has been hungry for this moment for a long time now, having not been to the big dance since 1986 and getting excruciatingly close the last 2 seasons before finally breaking through this season. As much as I would love for Akron to pull one out and start the MAC resurgence I just can’t see it happening against this Gonzaga team. They have too many weapons and pose big match up problems for the Zips. Gonzaga wins this one, but Akron might have taken a significant step towards becoming a mid major program on the rise just by getting to this point.

My Pick: Gonzaga

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By Sam, March 14, 2009 10:39 pm

#3 Buffalo vs. #5 Akron

Buffalo has taken care of business in this tournament with a tough win over a gritty and experienced Kent State team, and a workman like effort over Ball State in the semis. They are primed and ready to take that NCAA tournament bid tonight after having been the best team in the conference for much of the year. If that is going to happen though they are going to need another big game from F Max Bodreau. This goofball has been playing really well in this tournament and has lead the Bulls in scoring in each of their two wins. He is going to need to continue his increased scoring output against Akron’s excellent post defense for Buffalo to be successful. The Bulls are a tenacious defensive team who play decent offense. Their emphasis on good team defense should help them in this one as Akron is more athletic at just about every position. The zips have also been relying on hot outside shooting in this tournament. Getting after Akron’s shooters especially G Steve McNees who is a streaky shooter in the midst of a career hot streak is going to be a big key for Buffalo. They have to keep up the defensive pressure against the Zips and not let them get out to a big lead early. Buffalo can’t play Akron from behind. They need to open up a lead, control the pace, and not let Akron make one of their big runs. This is Akron’s fourth game in five days their are going to be a little bit tired unless they are able to get out and score some uncontested baskets on the break, or hit some open three pointers, then they can get by on adrenaline.  

Reggie Weatherspoon is a far better tactician than Keith Dambrot and has consistently gotten more out of the talent he has on his roster. Even though Dambrot has been to the last two MAC finals he has failed to seal the deal either time including an embarrassing loss in 2006 to a Miami team they dominated in the regular season. Dambrot has failed to find the winning formula with better teams than this one. I look for a big game out of Bull’s G Rodney Pierce on both ends of the floor which will help lead to another Akron collapse in Cleveland.

My Pick: Buffalo

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By Rhett, March 13, 2009 5:39 am

Wow.

That’s the easiest way to sum up the Connecticut vs Syracuse Big East Tournament Quarterfinal game that JUST ended. I counted six overtimes, but there could have been more. I also counted two teams worth of guts and heart, neither wanting to flinch and lose a game they must have known was going to be memorable, and an instant classic. Final Score, Orange 127, Huskies 117

Syracuse – Jonny Flynn, man among men. 34 points, 11 assists, 5 steals, and countless possessions ground out. Amazing ball handles into the lane to free up dunks and lay ups for his team, or finishing / getting fouled himself. Andy Rautins – Crazy good three point shooter, including a huge one in the 6th overtime that finally put some separation between the two teams once and for all.

Connecticut – Stanley Robinson, beast all night. It’s too bad he fouled out early. This was his coming out party. Look forward to seeing him play more in the future. AJ Price – kept moving, ball in his hands, going around screens. How hard is it to drive the lane in a 5th OT when you know you’re going to get hammered because you’ve been killed all night?

This scratches the surface. 7 man rotations were turned into 9 and 10 man rotations. 7 total players fouled out. They nearly played two full games. I know they’ll be suffering, but I’ll be pulling for the Orangemen tomorrow against West Virgina.

This is why the Big East is the best conference. It’s full of tough teams, coaches who’ve been through the wars, and the best players in the country. I am lucky to live on the west coast, so I won’t be rubbing the sleep out of my eyes while I talk about this game tomorrow.

So good night, or good morning, where ever you are, I hope you had the chance to take this in.

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By Sam, March 12, 2009 3:11 am

#2 Ball State vs. #7 Central Michigan

A far better match up on the gridiron than it is on the hardwood this battle between 2 of the 3 West division champs promises to be an ugly, poorly attended, slugfest. Ohio based MAC fans have little respect for the quality of  basketball played in the West Division, and will not be watching with great interest as they would expect either of these teams to be dispatched rather quickly in the next round by Buffalo who lead the stronger half of the MAC for most of the year. Despite the indifference of many MAC fans these two sub .500 squads will bring pride and intensity into this game, as both are in the midst of modest turnarounds for their once pitiful programs.

Ball State was on their way to a nice little season inching above the .500 mark and walking away with the West. Their last 3 games were a nightmare though and they lost to Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, and Eastern Michigan by the thinnest of margins, leaving them with a losing record and in a log jam at the top of the West division. It is hard to know what effect those kind of outcomes can have on a teams confidence. I look for them to bonce back emotionally and play a solid game in large part because of the leadership provided by G Brandon Lampley, and the spark they get from freshman F Jarrod Jones . I really like the way Brandon Lampley plays the game, he has is the quintessential MAC player; tough, undersized (6′ even), without a natural position, and always where he needs to be. Plus you have to admire any senior at Ball State who could survive the three coaching changes and bitter feuds in that program.

Central Michigan is playing well at the right time of year, and Marcus Vann is just so good when he wants to be that I am tempted to pick an upset here. The rumor that Vann has a stomach flue makes me reluctant to go through with that, as well as the memory of Central’s 44 point offensive output in Muncie just a few weeks ago (Ball State’s last win and Central’s last loss). I like the resiliency of Ball State alot more than I like a flue infected one man show that is Marcus Vann.

My Pick: Ball State

#3 Buffalo vs. #6 Kent State
I have not now nor have I ever been a part of the Buffalo Bull’s bandwagon. A hot start and the only decent non conference showing by a MAC team turned this traditional also ran into the conferences front runner for the better part of the season. They didn’t respond well giving up a sizable lead that cost them an outright title and the #1 seed to Bowling Green. Included in that mini collapse was a loss to the Golden Flashes just one short week ago. In that game Kent State’s experienced backcourt duo of Chris Singeltary, and Al Fischer both had big games with 19 and 15 points respectively.

The experience of the Flashes and the home court advantage they get by playing at the Q is invaluable. While Buffalo has overachieved all season, the Golden Flashes are just beginning to adjust to new coach Geno Ford and starting to regain their old form. Kent State has alot of pride and a MAC record long 20 win season streak that they are looking to extend. Al Fischer leads the way to another MAC tournament win for this group.

My pick:  Kent State

#1 Bowling Green vs. #9 Ohio

The 2008-2009 Bowling Green Falcons are without question the worst team ever seeded #1 in the Mid American Conference Tournament. It isn’t even close. They have lost games this year to: Savannah State, Central Arkansas, and Eastern Michigan. I find it very hard to praise this team, but they have  more  MAC wins than all but one other team in this conference including two wins over Ohio the last of which was a 75-41 beat down on the last day of the regular season.  They have senior leadership with all conference players G Brian Moten and F Nate Miller and a couple extra days off under their belt.  So as skeptical as I am of Bowling Green’s championship credentials I cant deny that they are clearly superior to Ohio.

My Pick: Bowling Green

#4 Miami vs. #5 Akron

A rematch of the of the classic championship game from two years ago this clash of styles promises to be the game of the day. The crafty veteran strategist Charlie Coles will try and teach yet another lesson in basketball to Akron’s semi retarded Keith Dambrot. Dambrot is of course famous for “coaching,” LeBron James in High school but he is also known around the MAC for having some of the conferences most talented teams and an empty trophy case.  Charlie Coles is famous for both leading Wally Szerbeack and company to the Sweet Sixteen in 1999 and having a massive heart attack in Kalamazoo a year earlier where he lay legally dead for two minutes before being revived. So if Coles doesn’t keel over between now and then, and if Dambrot doesn’t get lost on his way to the arena this will be a very intreguing coaching match up.

The teams on the court are pretty evenly matched. I would give a slight edge to Akron for pure athletic talent especially in the front court where Brett and Chris McKnight are a formidable duo. Miami isn’t void of talent either as they sport the MACPOY Michael Bramos however he does his damage on the wing and not in the blocks. This game will come down to the decision making of the guards and the abilities of the coaches to adjust. Advantage to Miami in each case. Akron is also coming off of an overtime game played late into Tuesday evening. That short recovery time can’t help their bigs.

My Pick: Miami

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By Rhett, March 11, 2009 3:59 pm

This has been a great year of College Basketball. I can’t remember a time when there has been as much parity in the game. No clear cut two or three teams threatening to run away with everything. Last year we saw all four #1 seeds advance to the Final Four. It is certainly possible this year, however, I feel there are a pool of 8 potential serious contenders to cut down the nets in front of me in Detroit next month. (In no particular order you homers)

1. Connecticut:  Why they will –  All world big man Hasheem Thabeet will always give them a chance. A coach and program who’s been there before and knows how to get it done in March. Balanced scoring with four players averaging 13ppg. Why they won’t – One of those players is Jerome Dyson, who isn’t about to sniff a pair of sneakers for the rest of the year. Oh,  they can’t beat Pittsburgh either.

2. Pittsburgh:  Why they will - Best big man in the country hands down. DeJuan Blair is an animal who plays with fire, wants to be the best and has shown he can be against anybody in the nation. Why they won’t – Lost three road games this year, two that should have been won easily IMO, (@ Villanova, @ Providence). This shows me they are prone to overlook teams. Haven’t been there before.

3. Oklahoma: Why they will – Blake Griffin is a monster. Enough said. Why they won’t – The Sooners have stumbled as of late, with and without Blake.

4. Michigan State: Why they will – Battle tested coach who’s gotten it done before. Younger talented players have learned a lot with bad losses this season (I hope). Peaking at the right time. Why they won’t – The Spartans have been horribly inconsistent all year. No killer instinct. Young players tend to show their true colors in pressure situations.

5. Louisville: Why they will – Terrence Williams. Guy does it all, and Rick Pitino should write this guy into his will. Deep team with shooters off the bench (Jerry Smith, Andre McGee) provide a lift when often maligned Edgar Sosa wants to dribble the ball off his foot 50 times a game. Why they won’t – Any team that gets blown out by Notre Dame by 30+ points has to have something wrong with its head. That, and Pitino won’t be wearing his white suit until the Kentucky Derby.

6. North Carolina: Why they will – They play an amazing brand of basketball based solely on being faster than everybody else, and less on true talent. Roy Williams has asked God and the following day he found a quarter in his shoe. Why they won’t – Ty Lawson’s toes are falling off. The walking pelvic gyration that is Tyler Hansbrough is a hot head.

7. Memphis: Why they will – Freakishly athletic. Abnormal. They could seriously be aliens. Tyreke Evans is a beast. How do you guard this guy? He’s closer to being a power forward than a center. Calapari is a good coach, you just wonder how long he’ll be able to stay in CUSA with these bottom feeders. He’s made a mockery of the conference. Why they won’t - Haven’t played with the big boys since the start of the season. That Gonzaga win in Spokane was nice, but hardly like running through a Big East or Big Ten schedule.

8. Kansas: Why they will – Sherron Collins. Guy is lightning in a bottle. Plays fast and hard for 40 mins. Clutch (as shown several times this year). Watching him play you can tell he enjoys his roll on this team. Why they won’t – Inexperienced and young. You have to put in your dues before you gain the success. Two of these players even played last year for Kansas. Oh, Bill Self hasn’t tithed enough this year. For Shame!

See you next year: Duke, Villanova, Wake forest, and anybody from the Pac-10. You’re all garbage. Especially Duke. No true big man front court player. Everybody takes charges too often. I don’t see it happening. I love Villanova, but they just don’t have the horses to run with the guys on the list.

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By Sam, March 10, 2009 4:30 pm

#7 Central Michigan vs. #10 Eastern Michigan:

This is really a tough game to figure out. Eastern is playing their best basketball all season right now winning 4 in a row (half of their win total) going in to this game. Central has been surging for the last month as well including a come from behind win over rival Western Michigan that earned them a share of the MAC West title. Having a share of the MAC West title is kind of like having a share of Citibank right now with the 3 co champions all well below .500 overall, but it still counts for something when your program has been down as long CMU’s.

Eastern won two very close games in the regular season this year against the Chips; one in double OT and the other with clutch free throw shooting in the last few seconds. It is difficult to see those two wins giving the Eagles an advantage in this one since the margin was so razor thin. If anything I feel like the emotional edge is with CMU since it is so difficult to beat a team 3 times in one season. I also like Marcus Vann CMU’s big PF a whole lot. This guy plays a very physical style in the post, one that Eagle forward Brandon Bowdry is often reluctant to play preferring to float on the perimeter and look for chances to fire up a three pointer which he rarely makes. Vann should dominate inside putting pressure on EMU’s inferior backcourt to score which should spell the end of Eastern’s season.  The only chance the Eagles have is if on again off again head case Justin Dobbins shows up and has a big game to counter Vann’s aggressiveness. I just don’t see it happening.

My Pick: Central Michigan

#6 Kent State vs. #11 Northern Illinois:

Kent State is another team that has been playing really well this last month of the season. The Golden Flashes are usually among the elite in this conference however thanks to a coaching change and slow start to the season they were passed up by most of their East division rivals early on and not quite able to recover in time falling one game out of a bye, and being forced to play an extra game this week. Kent also benefits from a sizeable home court advantage in this tournament. Most of their fans and alumni are in metropolitan Cleveland so they usually bring a nice contingent of folks to the Q.

Northern Illinois is just a plain lousy team. They do nothing particularly well, and have no sign of improvement from midnight madness through today. They are coached by Ricardo Patton a notorious hot head who provides the only drama in many of NIU’s games as anxious fans wonder if he will be ejected for lighting into an official. This game shouldn’t be close.

My Pick: Kent State

#8 Western Michigan vs. #9 Ohio

After chocking away a 14 point lead and the outright MAC West title (along with the #2 seed and bye into the quarterfinals)in the final 10 minutes of Sunday’s game against Central Michigan the Western Michigan Broncos now draw the only team from the East division that they were able to beat this season in cross divisional play and the only team in the conference playing as bad as they are. This is the only reason I would even entertain the notion of predicting a win for the worst rebounding and worst shooting team in the MAC.

David Kool has not been enough to carry this team this season despite some very impressive individual performances, and he won’t be able to carry them through this tournament.  Not with the horrific rebounding efforts they have been famous for this year. I don’t care who they are playing. I don’t care that Ohio got torched by BGSU on Sunday like a team that has quit on their season. I don’t care that WMU beat them by double digits at their place this season. I refuse to pick a team that is as poor on the glass as WMU. Rebounding is more about desire than talent. Western doesn’t have the desire, and that is why they lose.

My Pick: Ohio

#5 Akron vs. #12 Toledo

Along with Kent Akron brings the largest amount of fans into the Q every season which makes this a virtual home game for the Zips. They are going to need all the support they can get after a very emotional loss to Kent State that ended their regular season and cost them a share of the East division title and the #1 seed in this tournament.  They’ll square off against a Toledo team that has been overmatched for much of the season, competing with only a handful of scholarship players. Toledo doesn’t win much away from home either going 1–17 away from Savage Hall. Senior gurard Tyrone Kent can’t do everything although a big game from him might keep it close…for a while.

My Pick: Akron

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By Rhett, March 7, 2009 11:33 pm

I did a little dancing last night.

This is the scene between games at the WCC tournament, held at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, NV. San Diego beat Loyola Maramount 62-56, and Pepperdine upended Rex Walter’s San Fransisco Don’s 93-85. Two more games for me. It was kind of sad to watch San Diego. I just think back to last year, Brandon Johnson and Gyno Pomare handing it to UConn in the first round. What could have been this year? How crazy would the WCC had been with San Diego putting it’s stamp on things, had Brandon Johnson not had a season ending injury to start the year? Such is life.

Punch tickes for Cornell and Radford, both headed to the touney, with two more to be punched tonight. You’ll find me back at the Orleans arena to take in a few more games for the rest of this weekend. Shout out to UNLV, playing in San Diego vs the Aztecs, a must win game to keep their at large considerations alive. Go Rebels.

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By Rhett, March 6, 2009 8:30 pm

With conference tournaments under way, and the rest of the nation heading into the final weekend of the regular season, if you’re a junkie for NCAA basketball, you’re focused on CBS Sports and ESPN Bracketology for your semi-weekly dose of conjecture and predictions to keep you going until selection Sunday. The big dance is exactly that, a giant choreographed medley of amazing basketball through out the course of a month ending with a grand finale of the best teams slugging it out on the court. Who will those teams be? That’s the question that’s easy to dream about, which is why I am glued to Joe Lunardi’s virtual picture window for the next two weeks.

The point I want to make here is that it’s all meaningless. It’s fun to speculate and dream about great match-ups and who’s in vs who’s out at the current moment. It does not matter. Trip member Sam conversed with me recently about the radio airwaves in Ann Arbor, and the fact that Michigan was “undoubtedly in if the tournament started today”. It is important to know where you are, but more important to understand there is still a large amount of basketball to be played including conference tournament’s and a slugfest of a weekend including a rematch of Pitt and UConn.

So fantasize with me all you want. Salivate over the brackets. Be pissed when Lunardi sends BYU to Philly, cursing us yet again. Dream about seeing your favorite team, but realize that in the end, it’s decided on the hardwood between the players themselves. I wouldn’t want it any other way.