MAC Sports Blog by VanDelay Sports

In my post nearly a week ago that looked at the MAC East vs. the MAC West games for 2008, I made it very clear that teams in the MAC East needed to post a stellar record against teams in the MAC West in order to maintain their much stronger RPI rankings and keep Kent State, Ohio & Akron alive for a potential at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. We have now completed 2 of the 6 cross-divisional games for each of the MAC’s 12 basketball programs and all I can say is so far, so good.

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Over the weekend, Ohio edged Ball State, Miami topped EMU, Kent State defeated WMU and BG knocked off NIU, but all four were home wins for these MAC East teams. Meanwhile, Akron fell @ CMU and Buffalo remained winless in the MAC losing @ Toledo. While the MAC East went 4-2, they went 0-2 on the road. In mid-week games, Ohio used a strong 2nd hald to crush CMU and Akron did the same to beat Toledo, while BG, Kent & Miami all scored road wins. Only Buffalo lost in midweek play as the Bulls fell at home to WMU in OT. A 5-1 midweek performance with a 2-1 home mark and 3-0 on the road.

Overall, with 12 games in the books and 24 remaining between the MAC East and MAC West in the regular season, the East holds a commanding 9-3 edge going 6-1 at home and 3-2 on the road. Meanwhile, Saturday features 6 MAC match-ups with MAC East teams on the road in 5 of those 6 games. Only Akron plays a home game as they host EMU. Ohio is @ NIU, Miami @ Ball State, Kent @ Toledo, NG @ WMU and Buffalo @ CMU.

Prediction time. The East is clearly the better division, but Akron has already disappointed with their loss @ CMU last weekend, and Ohio is notorious for blowing a road game or two against lesser competition. They already did so @ Bowling Green, and I see them doing the same @ NIU or @ EMU next week. Kent is tough, but Toledo is better than their record indicates. The East goes 3-3 this weekend with Miami, BG and Buffalo all falling. Expect Miami to lose in the final minute of the game while WMU handles BG by 4-8 points and UB continues to struggle. Kent State wins by 10 @ Toledo, Ohio sets the Bobcat faithful up for disappointment by winning @ NIU before losing to EMU this week, and Akron handles the Eagles with a strong 2nd-half run.