Bobcat Attack - Ohio Basketball - Official MAC Tournament Quarterfinals Thread: Western Michigan

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Topic: Official MAC Tournament Quarterfinals Thread: Western Michigan

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Ted Thompson

3/9/2024 7:43 PM

Use this thread to talk about anything game-related. For away games, we may have a separate travel thread.

Date: Thursday March 14th, 2024 6:30 PM

Opponent: Western Michigan (12-19, 9-9 MAC)

Site: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland

TV/Streaming: ESPN+

Radio: Ohio Radio, The Varsity Network App (free)

WMU statistics, roster and media guide

WMU message board: Bronco Stampede

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M.D.W.S.T

3/9/2024 8:11 PM

Hard to believe we were two games under .500 at this point.

I don’t think for a single second they don’t think they have the upper hand in this game. They’re gonna come out guns blazing. We’re a much different team. Playing far more confident. I think we win, but it’ll be a battle.

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greencat

3/9/2024 9:12 PM

Team Rankings .com says 80% chance of a Bobcats win.

Not sure their software knows about Miles Brown's injury though.

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berniebobcat

3/9/2024 9:21 PM

Looking over Western’s schedule and results, they too have come on strongly in the second half of the season. You could make the argument that at this point they are better than Akron, the top seed in their bracket. Let’s hope we can keep up the momentum. The encouraging thing for us is how balanced we’ve become with Mitchell , Hadaway and at times Sheldon stepping up as Hunter struggles. Even Cornish has begun to look like a division 1 player.

I am impressed with the coaching staff’s work. A number of young players were question marks at the beginning of the year compared with where they are now. Player development has been remarkable.

Last Edited: 3/9/2024 9:23:38 PM by berniebobcat

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GraffZ06

3/9/2024 10:45 PM

Torvik (which ignores injuries) shows 81% chance of Ohio victory. Spread is 10pts 79-69.

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Bobcat1998

3/10/2024 11:09 AM

This matchup scares me due to their bigs, including wing Crump. Hoping OUr guards can turn them over.

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FearLeon

3/10/2024 11:46 AM

Bobcat1998 wrote:expand_more

This matchup scares me due to their bigs, including wing Crump. Hoping OUr guards can turn them over.

I know many wanted WMU a week ago, but I just hate this matchup. And now we have to assume one of our best defenders isn't playing (Miles), so yeah, I'm concerned.

Last Edited: 3/10/2024 11:46:46 AM by FearLeon

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GraffZ06

3/10/2024 1:28 PM

Western is 12-19. They're ranked in the 300s.

They beat us by 2 on their home court, in a game we had every opportunity and really should have won.

We would have beat them by 15+ in Athens.

Miles injury is a big blow. If he plays I'm not concerned at all.
If he doesn't, we could lose to anyone.

But this is tournament time. If you're complaining about playing a 20 loss team ranked in the 300s then you're not very confident in your team.

If we lose it would be a BAD loss. One of Boals worst in his tenure here.

Last Edited: 3/10/2024 1:29:39 PM by GraffZ06

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Bobcat1996

3/10/2024 2:05 PM

Bobcats will beat Western and with the way Akron is struggling they will beat them also, if the Zips can win their initial game in Cleveland.

Last Edited: 3/10/2024 2:08:10 PM by Bobcat1996

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FearLeon

3/10/2024 3:11 PM

GraffZ06 wrote:expand_more

If you're complaining about playing a 20 loss team ranked in the 300s then you're not very confident in your team.

Not complaining. Just saying if I had my choice of Miami or Western right now, I'm taking Miami 10 out of 10 times. I think Western is going to more of handful than people think. And yes...I hope we win by 20 and I'm dead wrong.

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GraffZ06

3/10/2024 4:39 PM

FearLeon wrote:expand_more

GraffZ06 wrote:expand_more

If you're complaining about playing a 20 loss team ranked in the 300s then you're not very confident in your team.

Point is, Western is NOT a good basketball team. Every bad basketball you get to play in March is a blessing because you're normally playing the absolute best of the best. Miami stinks too, but playing a team back-to-back is never fun/easy. Toledo gets the pleasure of Kent again.

Given our options of opponents were Miami, BG, Kent and WMU - I'd rank them 1. WMU 2. Miami (due to the back-to-back) 3. Kent (never an easy out in Cleveland) 4. BG (I legit think they'd beat us 8/10 times).

This should be a W.

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Clown Ohio Fan

3/10/2024 5:10 PM

FearLeon wrote:expand_more

Bobcat1998 wrote:expand_more

This matchup scares me due to their bigs, including wing Crump. Hoping OUr guards can turn them over.

I know many wanted WMU a week ago, but I just hate this matchup. And now we have to assume one of our best defenders isn't playing (Miles), so yeah, I'm concerned.

I mean this in the nicest way possible but you're very bipolar with this team at times and that's okay. We're all fans and emotional.

BUT -- WMU is clearly the worst team in the MAC Tournament. To fear this matchup is essentially saying you have no faith in Ohio.

We could absolutely lose against them but if we do, that's on us and we weren't likely to make a run anyways. I would much rather play WMU than Miami, Kent or BGSU. All three of those teams gave us battles on our home court. Our loss against WMU was on the road when Elmore James went down and we hadn't figured things out yet.

We all wanted a realistic path at winning the MAC Tournament. We now have one. Time to see if they can pull it off!

Last Edited: 3/10/2024 5:12:25 PM by Clown Ohio Fan

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Ted Thompson

3/10/2024 5:47 PM

It's the Cats & Broncos on Thursday in the @MACSports Tournament. Ohio is 6-2, & 2-0 in Cleveland, against @WMUMBB in tourney play. In 2013, OU was the 2 seed and beat WMU 74-63 in the Semifinals. Here's how @RussEisenstein & @robcwv called it on @OhioSP from @Learfield.🎙️😼🐴 pic.twitter.com/irkV0r5063
— Ohio Men’s Basketball (@OhioMBasketball) March 10, 2024

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M.D.W.S.T

3/10/2024 7:24 PM

FormerMember wrote:expand_more

WMU is clearly the worst team in the MAC Tournament.

Clearly? Fresh off an Akron win? You sure about that?

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Clown Ohio Fan

3/10/2024 9:30 PM

M.D.W.S.T wrote:expand_more

FormerMember wrote:expand_more

WMU is clearly the worst team in the MAC Tournament.

Clearly? Fresh off an Akron win? You sure about that?

100% and almost every metric agrees with that. Doesn't mean they're not capable of upsetting us.

Akron has also lost to EMU and Miami. Kent is 100+ spots higher than WMU in KenPom and BG/CMU have winning records while the Broncos are 12-19 and were recently sub-300 in KenPom until they upset the Zips.

Last Edited: 3/10/2024 9:33:10 PM by Clown Ohio Fan

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GraffZ06

3/10/2024 9:59 PM

Torvik: Miami - 242, WMU - 312
KenPom: Miami - 255, WMU - 298
BPI: Miami - 240, WMU - 291
NET: Miami - 237, WMU - 286

Yeah, Miami is definitely better than Western.

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LuckySparrow

3/11/2024 7:36 AM

WMU played decent basketball down the stretch. They will certainly have confidence beating Akron in their season finale.

However, with this Bobcats team I'm not sure matchups matter. We can beat anyone in this league if we shoot well enough from 3 and create turnovers on defense.

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Andrew Ruck

3/11/2024 8:46 AM

We are pre-programmed to think Miami always sucks more than the other thing. Because they do.

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M.D.W.S.T

3/11/2024 9:07 AM

LuckySparrow wrote:expand_more

I think we can beat Akron. I also think we can lose to Buffalo.

Live by the 3, die by the three.

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doubledribble

3/11/2024 9:43 AM

Graft.....There is no such thing as a good loss ...you might as well throw out bad loss also.

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Bobcat110

3/11/2024 12:55 PM

Should be practically a home game for Ohio on Thursday night. No excuses.

Last Edited: 3/11/2024 12:56:08 PM by Bobcat110

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intrpdtrvlr

3/11/2024 2:12 PM

I was born in Kalamazoo, live there, and love my city, but my Ohio University allegiance runs deeper than my WMU association.

Dropping back after a while to say, "Go Bobcats!"

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Bobcat110

3/11/2024 2:19 PM

Interesting tournament odds with Kenpom ranking. Is this the worst MAC tournament field ever?

120. Akron: +165
133. Toledo: + 275
151. Ohio: +350
186. Kent: +700
236. BGSU: +1500
257. Miami: +1800
270. CMU: +2400
297. WMU: +6000

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Andrew Ruck

3/11/2024 4:18 PM

Those are the legit Vegas odds? Wow very surprised Akron is still that high.

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Clown Ohio Fan

3/11/2024 4:25 PM

Bobcat110 wrote:expand_more

This is all you need to know about what everyone else thinks of WMU.