#8 Ronnie Thompson

John Thompson Jr.’s son and JTTIII’s little brother are about the only things on this guys resume that get him work in basketball. He was Brian Ellerbe’s number one assistant at Loyola (MD) and had one horrific season at Ball State compiling a 9-22 record and alienating virtually the entire university community in the process. His brief tenure at Ball State was such a disaster after committing the same NCAA violation twice in the same calendar year, having no on court success, little recruiting success, and not being able to cope in the confines of a dysfunctional athletic department that he did the only thing that his arrogant, entitled, immature mind could come up with…He resigned claiming Muncie, Indiana as a seething hotbed of racial unrest, and filed a lawsuit against the school he had just set the single season loss record for. He brought national attention to Ball State for his wrongness which is no easy task.

The Lowlights:

· Allowed/ directed assistant coaches to observe off season workouts during the summer he was hired. After this violation was reported to the NCAA by the athletic department he did it again the next summer resulting in further punishment from the NCAA

· Posted a school record 22 losses in his only season at Ball State

· Lost 6 players from his roster and 4 of his recruits in his 15 month tenure

· According to star guard Peyton Stovall told his players “not to trust white people,”(coincidentally the roster included no white players even though there were 4 on scholarship when he was hired) and used the N word very liberally

· During the second internal investigation of NCAA violations he reported on receiving racially hostile notes under his office door…which later were shown to be printed in the basketball offices

· After receiving a vote of confidence from the AD and president he sent several carefully worded emails, secretly tape recorded all of his conversation with athletic department officials (for 3 months) and resigned filing a law suite the next day.

· In an interview with ESPN hack Michael Wilbon which his dad sat in on Ronny made some of the following claims:

o That he was instructed not to “socialize,” but to recruit.

o That his wife and child had to flee in the middle of the night for fear of racial violence.

o That he had to purchase basketball’s for practice as the program didn’t have any when he arrived.

#2 Ball State vs, #3 Buffalo

I never thought that Buffalo would make it past Kent State and into this game. I guess I underestimated them. I figured Ball State would end up here by virtue of their good seed, but I never expected them to be much of a challenge in it. I know its dangerous to write off a team like Ball State who has shown resiliancy all year, but I just can’t see a way that they sneak away with this game. Buffalo just has so much more depth that it really amplifies the short turnaround and gives them a strong advantage. The more they win the more dangerous the Bulls become.

My Pick: Buffalo

#1 Bowling Green vs. #5 Akron

Akron showed some heart in taking down the always dangerous Red Hawks last night. The McKnight’s when healthy and playing at the top of their game can’t be matched by any other front court in the conference. Bowling Green is not exceptionally skilled in the block, so I question weather or not they can play a physical game with Akron. This game could very well be determined by how its officiated. Always a scary thought in the MAC. It’s also possible that fatigue could be factor as Akron is on their third game in four days including Tuesday night’s overtime win over Toledo. I think Akron has enough in the tank to end Bowling Green’s improbable run.

My Pick: Akron

#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