2024 MAC Predictions

[Bearkitten]

Kitten successfully called Ball State’s 3-1 win over Miami in Oxford Tuesday night and Buffalo’s 3-2 victory over Akron in the Zips Rhodes Arena. BSU moves to 2-3 with the win and Miami stays winless at 0-5. Buffalo stands at 4-1 while Akron falls to 3-2. Kitten’s record improves to 19-9 on the season.
4 matches set for Thursday night there will likely be a couple hum dingers. Kitten’s predictions are below.
Toledo (3-2) over Central Michigan (4-1) 3-2.
Bowling Green (5-0) over Eastern Michigan (4-1) 3-0
Western Michigan (1-3) over Ohio (2-2) 3-0.
Northern Illinois (0-4) over Kent State (0-4) 3-1

[4theloveofvb]

Great to see Jason Oliver back on the sidelines last night for Toledo's 4 set win over CMU.

[Bearkitten]

Eastern Michigan upset the applecart with a stunning 3-2 victory over undefeated Bowling Green in BG’s Stroh Center Thursday night. It was the first time the Eagles have defeated the Falcons since 2015. The win vaults EMU into a 1st place tie with BG with a 5-1 MAC record. That was the only match Kitten incorrectly picked as Kitten scored on Western Michigan’s sweep over Ohio, Northern Illinois sweep over Kent State in a battle of winless MAC teams and Toledo’s sweep of Central Michigan. The victory throws the Rockets into a tie for 3rd with the Chips with 4-2 records.
6 matches are on the schedule Friday and Kitten’s picks are below.

Ball State over Akron 3-1
Toledo over Eastern Michigan 3-1
Bowling Green over Central Michigan 3-2
Western Michigan over Kent State 3-0
Buffalo over Miami 3-2
Ohio over Northern Illinois 3-2

[Bearkitten]

Kitten came within a Central Michigan 3-2 upset over Bowling Green in the Stroh Center from having a perfect MACtion record on the night improving his record to 27-10 on the season. The MAC race has really tightened up with Buffalo taking over 1sr place in the MAC with a 5-1 record. However, Kitten predicts the Bulls will be stampeded at Ball State tonight throwing the MAC into a 5-way tie for 1st place between the Buffalo, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Toledo. Matches of note from last night was winless Miami’s near upset over Buffalo after the RedHawks led the match 2-1 and Ball State’s thrashing of Akron 3-0 evening the Cardinals record at 3-3 heading into tonight’s showdown with Buffalo. Below are Kitten’s picks for Saturday.

Ball State over Buffalo 3-0
Akron over Miami 3-2.

[Bearkitten]

Hats off to Scott Smith and his Buffalo Bulls for taking over 1st place in the MAC for the 1st time in school history with a historical victory over Ball State in Muncie, where the Bulls had never tasted victory and dropped 15 consecutive matches. With the victory. Buffalo moves into sole possession of 1st place in the MAC with a 6-1 record. However, there are 4 teams nipping at the Bulls heals in 2nd place with Toledo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green in a 5-2 log jam.
4 MACtion matches slated for Thursday and 2 should be real humdingers! Kitten’s predictions for Thursday are below.

Buffalo over Bowling Green 3-2
Western Michigan over Central Michigan 3-1
Toledo over Akron 3-1
Eastern Michigan over Northern Illinois 3-1

[n00b]

I think the MAC needs to expand their tournament. Two years ago, Western Michigan finished 7th and missed out with the same roster that led them to an undefeated conference championship the next season. And every season NIVC-caliber teams are getting left out. This year, it's Ohio and Ball State that are on the bubble. Even Western Michigan isn't safe. It might not be true in every conference, but I think the 7th place team in the MAC actually has a shot to win the tournament in most years.

[vbman100]

Oct 17, 2024 10:51:10 GMT -5 n00b said:

I think the MAC needs to expand their tournament. Two years ago, Western Michigan finished 7th and missed out with the same roster that led them to an undefeated conference championship the next season. And every season NIVC-caliber teams are getting left out. This year, it's Ohio and Ball State that are on the bubble. Even Western Michigan isn't safe. It might not be true in every conference, but I think the 7th place team in the MAC actually has a shot to win the tournament in most years.

Generally, it's the coaches in the conference who make that decision. They must think it is not worth it to have more teams.

My experience with it is it hurts RPI usually for the bubble teams when making it an 8 team tournament.

Having the 1 vs 8 and 2 vs 7 matchup can affect that opponents W-L % for the 1 and 2 seeds. And making them play 3 matches in 3 days is also not ideal heading into the playoffs.

[n00b]

Oct 17, 2024 12:25:14 GMT -5 vbman100 said:

Oct 17, 2024 10:51:10 GMT -5 n00b said:

I think the MAC needs to expand their tournament. Two years ago, Western Michigan finished 7th and missed out with the same roster that led them to an undefeated conference championship the next season. And every season NIVC-caliber teams are getting left out. This year, it's Ohio and Ball State that are on the bubble. Even Western Michigan isn't safe. It might not be true in every conference, but I think the 7th place team in the MAC actually has a shot to win the tournament in most years.

Generally, it's the coaches in the conference who make that decision. They must think it is not worth it to have more teams.

My experience with it is it hurts RPI usually for the bubble teams when making it an 8 team tournament.

Having the 1 vs 8 and 2 vs 7 matchup can affect that opponents W-L % for the 1 and 2 seeds. And making them play 3 matches in 3 days is also not ideal heading into the playoffs.

Pre-COVID, the MAC tournament was 8 teams with double-byes for the 1 and 2 seed.

Day 1:
#5 vs #8
#6 vs #7

Day 2:
#4 vs #5/#8
#3 vs #6/#7

Day 3:
#1 vs #4/#5/#8
#2 vs #3/#6/#7

Day 4: Championship

I'm guessing the conference made the cut for budgetary reasons.

[trojansc]

MAC Standings are absolutely bonkers to me.

[n00b]

Oct 17, 2024 16:53:05 GMT -5 trojansc said:

MAC Standings are absolutely bonkers to me.

Part of it is a product of the back-to-back format. You see some VERY unbalanced schedules half way through conference play.

For example, Eastern Michigan DID upset Bowling Green, but their four other wins are against cellar dwellers Kent St (2x) and Miami (2x). Meanwhile, Ball St has already played BG (2x), Central Michigan (2x) and Buffalo.

[n00b]

Pablo projects:

Toledo 13.5-4.5 (host)
Bowling Green 12.64-5.4 (bye)
Buffalo 12.62-5.4
Central Michigan 12.5-5.5
Western Michigan 11.6-6.4
Ball State 11.2-6.8

-----

Ohio 10.3-7.7
Akron 9.0-9.0
Eastern Michigan 7.7-10.3
Northern Illinois 3.5-14.5
Miami 2.9-15.1
Kent State 0.5-17.5

[Bearkitten]

History in the making! With Bowling Green’s blistering sweep of Buffalo last night, there is now an incredible 5-way tie for 1st place in the MAC. Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Bowling Green and Toledo are deadlocked in 1st place heading into Friday’s matches. The big question around the MAC is “what is going at Western Michigan?” The Broncos return 6 starters from a team that went 18-0 a year ago and were swept by Central Michigan last night and now stand 3-4 in the MAC! WMU is in early danger of not qualifying for the 6 team MAC tournament. 6 matches scheduled for tonight and Kitten’s predictions are below.

Toledo over Buffalo 3-2
BSU over Ohio 3-2
CMU over Northern Illinois 3-1
Bowling Green over Akron 3-1
Miami over Kent State 3-2
Western Michigan over Eastern Michigan 3-0

[Bearkitten]

And then there were 3! Bowling Green, Buffalo and Central Michigan all 7-2, now lead the MAC pack at the midway point of the conference season by virtue of their victories last evening. Eastern Michigan and Toledo both (6-3), quickly fell from a tie from 1st to a tie for 4th with their losses last night. BG swept Akron on the road in Rhodes Arena, Buffalo swept a very hot Toledo team on the Bulls home boards and Central Michigan had an easy time sweeping Northern Illinois (1-8) in Mount Pleasant. In other MAC matches, Ball State (4-4) won a ding dong battle over Ohio (3-4) defeating the Bobcats 3-2 in Athens. Miami under 1st year coach Dan Gwitt, picked up their 1st MAC win of the season with a thrilling road victory over winless Kent State (0-8) while Western Michigan (4-4) buried previously 1st place Eastern Michigan 3-0. Kitten hit on 5 of 6 matches correctly to run his record to 36-13. Only 2 matches to be played in the MAC tonight and Kitten’s picks are below.

Ball State over Kent State 3-0
Ohio over Miami 3-1

[Bearkitten]

MACtion returns to action with 3 matches to be played Tuesday night. Kent State (0-8) will be looking for its 1st MAC win of the year hoping to upset Ohio (4-5) in Athens. Western Michigan (4-4) is hosting Northern Illinois (1-7) in Kalamazoo while league leader Buffalo (7-2) will meet middle of the pack Akron (4-5). The Zips are dropping in the standings like a falling knife after getting off to a hot start. UB is currently in a 3-way tie with Bowling Green Central Michigan. Below are Kitten’s predictions for tonight.

Ohio over Kent State 3-1
Western Michigan over NIU 3-0
Buffalo over Akron 3-0

[Bearkitten]

Kitten is riding a hot streak correctly picking 10 of the past 11 MAC matches. Buffalo (8-2) has taken a 1 game lead for 1st place ahead of Central Michigan and Bowling Green who currently reside at 7-2. Toledo and Eastern Michigan are in a dead heat for 4th and 5th at 6-3. Ball State and Western Michigan are now above .500 and tied for 6th and 7th place at 5-4 heading into the 2nd half of the MAC season. 2 matches slated for Thursday night. Kitten’s predictions are below.
Western Michigan over Akron 3-0
Toledo over Miami 3-1