2010 Mid-American Conference Tournament Preview

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

03/06/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Mid-American Conference was a tug-of- war from start to finish and the fireworks continued all the way down to the final regular-season game on Friday.

Kent State and Akron battled for the right to the number one seed in the tournament and more importantly the title of 2010 regular season champions. Although the game was in Akron, the Golden Flashes were too tough for the Zips and claimed the top seed for this tournament. Akron, which won last year's tournament title and has played in the last three championship games, will play as the number three seed in this event. Due to Kent State's victory on Friday, the Miami-Ohio RedHawks fell into the fourth seed, while the West Division champion Central Michigan Chippewas will take part in the fun as the second seed. All four teams earn a bye through the first round, while the remaining eight schools will duke it out on Sunday.

The first matchup Sunday will pit the ninth-seeded Ohio Bobcats against the eighth-seeded Ball State Cardinals. Ohio, which has won this tournament four times, with the last one coming in 2005, struggled through an up and down season as the team finished just 7-9 in league play. However, the Bobcats finished the year with three wins in their last four games, and are one of the more dangerous scoring teams in the conference, averaging 74.1 ppg. As for the Cardinals, they finished the regular season with an 8-8 mark in league play, but the team blew its last three matchups and lost a chance to claim the west division title. Ball State has a rich history in this event, winning the title seven times, but the team has not hoisted the trophy since 2000.

The second matchup in the first round features the 12th-seeded Toledo Rockets will battle the fifth-seeded Buffalo Bulls. The Rockets struggled this season, winning just four games, while finishing a miserable 1-15 in MAC play. Toledo, which lost 20 of its last 21 contests heading into this event, ended the regular season at the bottom of the conference in scoring (54.2 ppg). As for the Bulls, they narrowly missed a first-round bye, However, Buffalo does not enter this tourney on a high note, as the team lost two of its last three regular season tilts. Rodney Pierce and Calvin Betts lead the Bulls this season, as the team looks to corral its first-ever MAC Tournament title.

First round action will continue Sunday when the 10th-seeded Bowling Green Falcons battle the seventh-seeded Western Michigan Broncos. The Falcons had their wings clipped down the stretch and head into the tournament with four losses in their last five matchups. Bowling Green is only producing 62.6 ppg on the year and if the team plans on claiming its first Mid-American Tournament championship that is an area where BGSU will have to improve very quickly. The opponent for the Falcons has an advantage, as the Broncos possess last season's Player of the Year in David Kool. Kool, who led the league in scoring with 21.0 ppg, heads a Western Michigan squad that finished just 8-8 in league play. The Broncos did capture a win in three of their last five games, but for WMU to claim its first title since 2004 the team will need more than Kool to perform at a high level.

The final first-round contest will place the 11th-seeded Northern Illinois Huskies against the sixth-seeded Eastern Michigan Eagles. The Huskies opened league play with four straight wins, but followed their hot start with nine consecutive losses, eight of which came against league foes. The final result for NIU was a meager 6-10 mark in MAC play. As for the Eagles, they put forth a respectable 16-14 overall ledger, but inside league action the team was inconsistent, posting an 8-8 ledger. EMU actually had a chance to claim the West Division title, but a regular-season finale loss to Central Michigan (56-55) at home left the Eagles as the sixth seed. Eastern Michigan has won this tournament on four different occasions, but the last came way back in 1998.

The Golden Flashes needed their last regular season contest to claim their fourth-ever MAC regular season title. Kent State, which has won the league championship in three of the last five seasons, defeated Akron on Friday night, earning the top-seed in the tournament. Kent State finished with 23 wins on the year and posted an impressive 13-3 ledger in conference action. However, and more importantly, the team has been outstanding since the middle of January, winning 13 of its last 14 matchups. The Golden Flashes have relied on their play defensively this year, as the team is holding opponents to just 64.0 ppg. Leading the way at the other end of the floor has been Justin Greene, who is netting 13.9 ppg, and collecting a team-best 6.8 rpg for Kent State, which is trying to grab its second tournament title in the last three seasons.

The Chippewas also closed out their regular season with an important matchup, as they took on the Eastern Michigan Eagles to a shot at the west division title. Central Michigan was on the road, but still managed a one point win and with Ball State losing to Western Michigan on the same night, the Chippewas were tabbed the outright west division champs. Although the Chippewas are playing as the two seed, the team did not enjoy an impressive season. In fact, Central Michigan finished with just 15 victories and posted a mediocre 9-7 mark in conference action. Offensively the team was rather pedestrian, averaging 64.7 ppg, but at the same time, CMU possesses a veteran tandem in Jordan Bitzer and Robbie Harman. If Harman and Bitzer and put together a couple impressive matchups then the Chippewas might have a shot for their first title since 2003.

The defending tournament champion Akron Zips blew a chance to play as the top seed when they lost at home to Kent State on Friday. Instead, the Zips will have to try to repeat in this tournament as the third seed, but to Akron the team's seeding is nothing more than a number. The Zips have played in the last three conference tournament titles, and claimed the championship last year with a win over Buffalo (65-53). Akron has used a tenacious defensive approach to the season, and comes into this tournament holding opponents to just 63.8 ppg. However, the team's inconsistency at the offensive end of the floor could cause Akron to fall just short of a repeat run. The Zips are netting 70.2 ppg on the season, which is not terrible, but the team only possesses one double figure score in Brett McKnight, and he is only posting 10.5 ppg.

The fourth seed and the final first-round bye belongs to the Miami-Ohio RedHawks, who captured their fourth tournament title back in 2007. Claiming a fifth title however, could prove to be tough for Miami, which finished with a lackluster 13-17 overall mark. In conference play the team was slightly better, finishing with a 9-7 record, but down the stretch the team faltered, losing four of its last six contests. The RedHawks are defensively sound, holding teams to just 63.7 ppg, but their problems have come offensively. Miami-Ohio finished the regular season netting a poor 62.7 ppg, and currently only have one true scoring threat in Kenny Hayes, who is posting 14.6 ppg.