MAC Championship Buffalo vs. Central Michigan CBSSN 11AM

[eebmg]

Seems like a fun matchup between two Tournament level sides and I enjoy the CBSSN coverage.

According the Creme, even if Buffalo (2 seed) loses, they are currently in the tournament as one of "the last 4 in"

 

[Plebe]

Seems like a fun matchup between two Tournament level sides and I enjoy the CBSSN coverage.

According the Creme, even if Buffalo (2 seed) loses, they are currently in the tournament as one of "the last 4 in"

It's possible, but I'm not at all convinced.
Buffalo's best wins are over fellow bubble teams Central Michigan, Nebraska, and Ball State.
But they have two very bad losses to #146 Northern Illinois and #230 Niagara.

Central Michigan, if they were to lose, has perhaps the stronger case because their worst loss is to Duquesne.

 

[eebmg]

I know the "bad losses to weaker teams" metric is very strong and maybe stronger than " the best wins" metric but I wish it was not the case. In a long drawn out season, when playing a weaker opponent, there could be many underlying reasons a team may not play to their level including but not limited to lack of motivation / overconfidence. Since that is not something that normally happens in the Tournament where the teams are focused to their highest level (we hope), I would like to judge teams more on "their best wins" since this is a closer metric to tournament play.

 

[Plebe]

I know the "bad losses to weaker teams" metric is very strong and maybe stronger than " the best wins" metric but I wish it was not the case. In a long drawn out season, when playing a weaker opponent, there could be many underlying reasons a team may not play to their level including but not limited to lack of motivation / overconfidence. Since that is not something that normally happens in the Tournament where the teams are focused to their highest level (we hope), I would like to judge teams more on "their best wins" since this is a closer metric to tournament play.

I don't believe it is stronger. The committee typically rewards a team for quality wins more than it punishes for bad losses. And they will sooner take a team with a mixture of good wins and bad losses over a team that has no bad losses but never punched above its weight. "Ability to elevate" is one of the committee's criteria.

 

[WLT1717]

Love these kinds of games and discovering flat-out ballers like Presley Hudson.

 

[eebmg]

CMU up 43-40 at half. CMU led by as much as 15 but Buffalo coming back with strong second quarter. CMU had multiple close games in the tournament while Buffalo won their games comfortably. Can't really get a feel for this game. 50-50 for me.

 

[Plebe]

This is a pretty good game. I've hardly seen these teams this season, but they are legitimate contenders for at-large consideration, whichever one loses.

Micaela Kelly of CM is very impressive.

 

[Plebe]

This kid for Buffalo who just went down with the ankle injury, Stephanie Reid, is all heart and grit. Hope she'll be okay.

But Central Michigan is in the driver's seat, up 8 with 2:00 to play.

And just as I say that, Buffalo gets a steal and layup to cut it to 6 with about 1:45 to play. Timeout CMU.