We're still reeling from getting into a fight with the makeup lady after my most recent (re: "first") video, we had important MACsketball last night!
Impact: The Zips regular season title just took a big hit. A surprising second-straight loss cuts their lead in the MAC East to one game (behind Buffalo). All the credit in the world goes to the Bulls, who looked in control for much of the game and forced Akron into some curious desperation shots way before they were necessary. Additionally, Mitchell Watt may have gained all the ground in the world in the MAC Player of the Year race.
Akron still has this in the bag if they win at Kent State on Saturday, not an easy thing, or if Buffalo is tripped up at home by Bowling Green. If neither of those things happen, Buffalo is your outright #1 seed.
Impact: In the most Eastern Michigan-like fashion possible, a Darrell Lampley driving layup — ho hum — gave the Eagles the win in the final seconds to help them clinch their first ever MAC West division outright (they went to divisions in the 97-98 season).
And seeding is very much at stake for the Eagles. If they win at Toledo on Saturday and get outside help, the best they can do is a #3 seed. Right now they're at #5 and in the opening round. In last year's tournament format they would've already been a #2 by virtue of winning the division. WMU's glimmer of a chance at winning the division went away but they continue to play onward for a first-round home game.
Impact: The Golden Flashes have assured themselves a first-round bye with this impressive victory, building a lead so cavernous not even a sizzling-hit shooting streak from OHIO was able to crush it. The Bobcats still need to guarantee themselves at least a #4 seed if they can knock off Miami in Millett Hall on Saturday. Meanwhile, KSU can vie for position but I think they'd rather see the Zips NOT win a regular season title, which they can help cultivate on their home wood.
Impact: The Falcons will host a first-round game and the RedHawks are going to play on the road in that same round. That's really about it. BG had to win to keep the first-round bye hopes alive, but KSU pretty much quashed that hope. The silver lining is that the game will be as a #5 or #6 seed, meaning they'd face either Central Michigan or Northern Illinois.
Impact: The Cards are no longer on a losing streak. Seriously, losing nine in a row is tough as heck to endure. Beating NIU on Saturday assures them a decent chance at being their first-round opponent. Meanwhile, the Chips continue to falter, and I don't think anybody wants to play EMU or BGSU in the first round, but that seems to be their first-round fate.
Impact: The Huskies are still a lock for the #12 seed but all they can do is finish the season strong. They were able to depose Toledo as "most dangerous bad team" on Senior Night, even though UT didn't play half-bad. So maybe NIU isn't a guaranteed victory in the MACT, but it sure as heck might give a team pause before beating them by 20. Toledo still holds a #7 seed by virtue of holding a tiebreaker over WMU, however they need to win vs. Eastern Michigan in the finale to secure that.