CLEVELAND — It was one of the earliest events canceled in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, one year later, MACtion is back in Cleveland.
The Mid-American Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments tip off this week from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, with the winners eventually moving on to the Division I NCAA Men's and Women's Tournaments. Due to financial cuts, only eight of the 12 teams will participate in each bracket, but the state of Ohio will still be well-represented.
All six of the state's MAC program's made the men's tourney, including Northeast Ohio's Akron and Kent State. The quarterfinals will also feature two All-Ohio matchups, with the Golden Flashes taking on the Ohio Bobcats and the Zips facing the Bowling Green Falcons.
KSU also made it on the women's side, and will play Buffalo in Wednesdays quarterfinals. However, Akron failed to receive an invite, having finished 11th in the league this season.
Most MAC programs have not welcomed any fans to games this year due to coronavirus concerns, but the conference has decided to allow a limited number of supporters in for each day of tournament action. Under an order recently issued by the Ohio Department of Health, the arena would be permitted to be filled to 25% of its normal capacity, but officials are unlikely to get near that number for the time being. Tickets can be purchased here.
Check out all of this week's participants and game times below:
MEN'S TOURNAMENT
Quarterfinals - Thursday
- (8) Ball State (10-12) vs. (1) Toledo (20-7) - 11 a.m.
- (5) Ohio (13-7) vs. (4) Kent State (15-7) - approx. 1:30 p.m.
- (7) Miami, OH (12-10) vs. (2) Buffalo (14-7) - approx. 4 p.m.
- (6) Bowling Green (14-10) vs. (3) Akron (14-7) - approx. 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals - Friday
- Ball State/Toledo vs. Ohio/Kent State - 5 p.m.
- Miami, OH/Buffalo vs. Bowling Green/Akron - approx. 7:30 p.m.
Championship - Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT
Quarterfinals - Wednesday
- (8) Eastern Michigan (10-9) vs. (1) Bowling Green (18-5) - 11 a.m.
- (5) Kent State (11-8) vs. (4) Buffalo (14-8) - approx. 1:30 p.m.
- (7) Northern Illinois (12-11) vs. (2) Central Michigan (15-8) - approx. 4 p.m.
- (6) Ball State (14-10) vs. (3) Ohio (13-7) - approx. 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals - Friday
- Eastern Michigan/Bowling Green vs. Kent State/Buffalo - 11 a.m.
- Northern Illinois/Central Michigan vs. Ball State/Ohio - approx. 1:30 p.m.
Championship - Saturday, 11 a.m.
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A look back to last spring, when the MAC was forced to cancel its basketball tournaments: