This 12 months’ Mid-American Conference women’s basketball season is about to hit the home stretch. So this week’s MAC Power Rankings will do the identical.
Since the MAC girls’ basketball match is much less than a month away, this week’s ranking will ignore divisions and as an alternative awareness on seedings. And this is in particular essential for 2 motives: First, the groups with the pinnacle statistics in the league draw computerized byes into the match quarterfinals, to be played on March 7 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland; and 2d, the teams ranked fifth via eighth will play their first-spherical MAC Tournament video games at domestic.
And wait, there’s more: There is an advantage at the lowest of this web page.
But don’t cheat; first, test out the brand new MAC power ratings for women’s basketball this season. And spoiler alert: These rankings are not flawlessly aligned with the standings.
1) Central Michigan (20-three, 12-0 MAC) – This does no longer marvel you, does it? The Chippewas continue to be the MAC’s lone unbeaten, despite the fact that that mark will acquire a task Wednesday while CMU performs at Buffalo. Even if the Chips lose on the street, they could nonetheless continue to be a recreation beforehand of the Bulls for the event’s top seed. (Last week: 1 West).
2) Buffalo (19-four, 10-2 MAC) – The Bulls continue to be a robust second within the standings – in fact, UB holds a two-recreation lead AND a win over the third-region team. Buffalo can make a claim on the top spot with a win inside the home rematch with Central Michigan on Wednesday. But the Bulls need help if they wish to be the event’s top seed (Last week: 1 East).
Three) Ohio (thirteen-10, 7-five MAC) – Yes, I recognize the Bobcats 1½ games at the back of Ball State in the race for the event’s 1/3 seed. I additionally understand that a brief-handed Ohio squad beat the Cardinals closing week. And I know the Bobcats want help – now not to mention a win at domestic against Buffalo in about per week – to surpass Ball State. If OU gets that win, keep in mind that you read it right here first (Last week: 2 East).
Four) Ball State (20-four, nine-four MAC) – When the Cardinals are “right,” they can beat any time in the convention. Ball State, in reality, proved that within the non-convention with the aid of knocking off Vanderbilt, Purdue, and Western Kentucky. But while shots are not falling and this group isn’t meshing, well, the Cards can be handled. BSU will end inside the top 4, I’m quite confident. But higher than fourth? The Cardinals can also get matters “proper” to do that (Last week: 2 West).
5) Miami (15-9, 7-6 MAC) – I will admit that it shocks me to have the RedHawks so excessive in those rankings. But Miami had won five in a row before suffering an explainable loss at home to Buffalo Saturday. Part of the reason I even have the RedHawks so excessive in those standings is their completing timetable, which incorporates two winnable video games against Kent State in addition to winnable contests at Akron and home against Bowling Green (Last week: 3 East).
6) Toledo (15-10, 6-7 MAC) – Yes, I understand the Rockets are a game behind Western Michigan in the standings. And I will admit that my self-belief is starting to waver as this team has misplaced 3 straight, which includes its 2d consecutive loss at Savage Arena. But if I am proper and Toledo belongs in this spot, the Rockets will prove it in their subsequent two video games as they host Western Michigan on Saturday and Eastern Michigan next Wednesday (Last week: five West).
7) Western Michigan (14-11, 7-6 MAC) – While the Broncos have received two of their last three, the wins got here over Akron and Bowling Green. What’s extra, WMU lost by 10 factors at home to Ball State. If the Broncos need to keep onto the fifth seed they presently own (thanks to winning over Miami), beating Toledo on the road Saturday is a should (Last week: three West).
Eight) Northern Illinois (thirteen-11, five-8 MAC) – Well, my prediction from two weeks ago that the Huskies might win as a minimum in their subsequent four games got here proper: What’s more, NIU did me one higher by using prevailing its remaining 3 contests. Ah, but the accurate instances … Properly, I suppose the Huskies could do nicely to win two in their ultimate 5, a stretch that starts with a domestic sport in opposition to Ball State and a street contest at Central Michigan. NIU’s Feb. 24 game at EMU can be critical (Last week: 6).
Nine) Eastern Michigan (five-7, nine-14 MAC) – This is another example of me going “in opposition to the standings” as we attain the very last stretch. The Eagles are a half of-recreation in the back of Toledo and a 1/2-sport ahead of Northern Illinois, but EMU is tracking within the incorrect direction. Yes, injuries and contamination (and a difficult agenda) have performed an element in a 5-recreation dropping streak. But the Akron loss becomes surprising, and the agenda does now not get less complicated (Last week: four West).
10) Kent State (11-14, 4-9 MAC) – The Golden Flashes now have misplaced 3 in a row, consisting of two home contests. The true news for KSU is that three of its very last 5 games are at domestic, however, the Flashes have contests against Miami in addition to a hard take a look at Ohio and a domestic mission towards Buffalo. Climbing out of the “backside four” will now not be smooth (Last week: four East).
11) Bowling Green (10-14, 2-11 MAC) – The Falcons display glimpses of being a group which can compete for wins in the MAC. But sustaining those “glimpses” over a forty-minute span? That has eluded BG during its current seven-sport losing streak. The “bye” week within the schedule comes at a terrific time, but the very last stretch is daunting because it includes two games with Buffalo and complex road tests at Ohio Saturday and at Miami one week later (Last week: 5 East).
12) Akron (eight-sixteen, 2-11 MAC) – Believe it or now not, I got here near predicting a win for the Zips final week. But I may be honest: I notion Akron could knock off NIU at domestic (a recreation the Zips lost by using 23) and then lose at Eastern Michigan (a sport the Zips received by 12). So no predictions, except for a teaser: Akron’s completing agenda might also offer a few wins for the reason that UA is home towards Buffalo and Ohio and has winnable avenue games against Kent State and Bowling Green (Last week: 6 East).
MAC postseason award winners
■ Player of the 12 months: This award has a number of worthy challengers, along with Courtney Woods of NIU, Lauren Dickerson of Miami, and Jordan Korinek of Kent State. But I assume this yr the award has to go to the best player on the first-class team. The exceptional group is simple: Central Michigan. The nice participant is a lot more difficult: I will go with senior Tinara Moore over juniors Presley Hudson and Reyna Frost.