David Coit (NIU) and Zid Powell (Buffalo) are the two former JUCO stalwarts doing serious damage at the D-I level this season. Each boasts high-octane scoring guards capable of exploding at any moment. A six-day layoff is a sigh of relief, but there's no guarantee either will be at 100% for the Tuesday opener.īuffalo and Northern Illinois warrant a mention, too. Ohio's lost two of its last three games, and Ball State, crippled by critical injuries, is 1-4 in its last five contests.īall State's perimeter catalyst, Jarron Coleman, is still dealing with turf toe, while his interior bookend, Payton Sparks, turned both ankles in the Cardinals' regular-season finale. However, neither is firing on all cylinders at the moment. They're sandwiched between the big three of Toledo, Kent State and Akron but are a cut above the rest of the conference. Alas, Kent is far from bulletproof, too - the Flashes are 0-4 against Toledo and Akron this season, and it's unlikely they dodge them again in the eight-team tournament.īall State and Ohio feel like the "middlemen" in this league. The Golden Flashes put together a jaw-dropping nonconference resume, including a near victory over No. Somewhere in between lies Kent State, the most complete and well-rounded team in the MAC. Enrique Freeman is a baron in the painted area, while Xavier Castaneda is a scoring machine in the backcourt. The reigning MAC Tournament champions are built to win in postseason formats, specifically when the game comes to a screeching half. The team that ruined Toledo's run last year is Akron, coached by longtime MAC maestro John Groce, who rose to prominence with his memorable 2012 Sweet 16 run at Ohio. Toledo is riding a 15-game win streak into the tournament - the longest in the nation - but that guarantees nothing in this topsy-turvy field. Tod Kowalczyk is one of the best coaches in the mid-major kingdom, but he'll be under the microscope this postseason. However, the Rockets will hope to avoid the déjà vu of the 20 MAC Tournament flameouts. Toledo is the odds-on favorite to win the MAC Tournament after securing its third straight regular-season title.
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