Thursday March 10 ESPN+
One long session, not two DH’s as in the past
Game 1 11:00 #1 Toledo vs #8 Central Michigan
Game 2 1:30 #4 Akron vs #5 Buffalo
Game 3 4:00 #2 Kent State vs #7 Miami
Game 4 6:30 #3 Ohio vs #6 Ball State
Friday March11 Semifinals CBSSN
Game 5 5:00 Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner
Game 6 7:30 Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner
Saturday March 12 Championship ESPN2
Game 7 7:30 Game 5 winner vs Game 6 winner
We play Kent around 4:00 on Thursday Kent is 21-9 ( 16-4) and is on a 12 game winning streak, including two wins over Toledo. Miami is 14-17 ( 8-12). We are on a 2 game winning streak. Kent won the only matchup 78-65 in Oxford. I would say that unless Dalonte Brown throws caution to the wind and goes all out and gets around 10 rebounds and Mekhi Lairy has a good game our chances are poor. Those two guys, coming off injuries, have not played well at all down the stretch and we need them at their best to make a tournament run.
Kent is led by transfer ( he was a first team all A-10 guard) Sincere Carry18.7ppg/ 4.8 assists, and 4.9 rebounds and F Malique Jacobs at 12 ppg, 3.1 assists/ 7.6 rebounds. They have 3 other guys who average over 8 ppg and have a deep bench. 6-11 Justin Hamilton is a shot blocker. If we win this game, it might get easier in the semifinals as Ohio crawled to the finish and Ball State is very up and down.
I am leaving this afternoon and meeting friends tonight for my favorite week of the year. 14 great college tournament games in 4 days with every team’s season on the line in each game. I have attended every men’s MAC tournament ever and every women’s tournament since they have had the two together. The first Men’s tournament was in Ann Arbor in 1980. If we advance, someone else can do the preview.
Well, if we were to have a good season…Lairy needed to be honorable mention or third team and DD and Dalonte mentioned somewhere as well…alas, that did not happen, in part due to Dalonte’s injury…but thought we’d get more out of Dalonte.
In game 1, CMU was trailing by one, grabbed a rebound off a missed free throw with less than 10 seconds left, ran the length of the floor, attempted a three point bank shot for the win, and missed.
In game 2, Buffalo was trailing Akron by two, got the ball back after Akron free throws with less than 10 seconds left, ran the length of the floor, attempted a three pointer for the win, and missed.
There’s only one team that’s allowed to make that shot in the MAC tournament.
If we play true to form, we’ll keep it close at halftime. Then we’ll make adjustments and fall way behind, only to make a comeback at the end and still lose…