It was a busy week in the MAC women’s basketball conference as the top four teams were maneuvering for the top seeds. All four top seeds including Ball State, Buffalo, Toledo, and Kent State played one of the other top seeds so it made for some thrilling hoops.
Let’s take a look at these top four teams and see how they faired.
Ball State Cardinals
The Cardinals came into the week the top seed with an undefeated record in conference play. The reality and wear and tear of a challenging conference schedule finally caught up to them. I’d noted that several of their recent games before this week had been closer than expected as they were playing lesser opponents.
Last Wednesday, they had a big matchup with the Toledo Rockets at Toledo and lost 70-66. It was a close game throughout. The Cardinals led at the break. Then the Rockets stormed out to a nine-point lead. However, Ball State bounced back to tie the game late but the Rockets, with the home crowd behind them, were able to keep the Cardinals grounded.
This past Saturday they returned home to play the Kent State Golden Flashes and suffered a second loss in conference play. Kent State won 60-54 and it was a bit of an upset because the Cardinals had been so strong in conference play all season. Kent State was also coming off an away game loss to Buffalo the previous Wednesday.
Buffalo Bulls
Buffalo is probably the hottest team in the league as they won two more games this past week. First, they beat Kent State in a home game and then they went on the road and beat a surging Miami of Ohio team.
The Bulls of Buffalo beat Kent State 76-70 and then on Saturday beat Miami 68-54. The Bulls are now 22-4 and are entering the discussion of being one of the best teams ever from Buffalo. Back during the 2017-2018 season, Buffalo had their best season ever, going 29-6 overall and falling to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game. There’s a lot of basketball to be played but Buffalo has their eyes squarely on a MAC title and a run in the “Big Dance”.
Toledo Rockets
Besides Buffalo, Toledo is the other hot team in the league. They beat Ball State earlier in the week. Maybe that win took a lot of energy out of the squad because they went to Bowling Green on Saturday and lost to their rival 81-72.
Kent State Golden Flashes
The Golden Flashes had an up-and-down week of basketball. They went to Buffalo last Wednesday and lost a very close game 76-70. Then they went to Ball State and upset them 60-54. Kent State has had a bit of a roller coaster of a season. They are though the champs of the league going back to last season and will be ready to battle in Cleveland.
Here are the seedings and records in league play for the tourney set for March 12-15 in Cleveland
- Ball State (12-2)
- Buffalo (11-3)
- Toledo (10-4)
- Kent State (9-5)
- Miami (8-6)
- Bowling Green (8-6)
- Central Michigan (7-7)
- Western Michigan (6-8)
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