It didn’t take long for the men’s MAC Tournament to be flipped upside down from the very first tip at 11 a.m. ET at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
In the first game of the quarterfinals, the eighth-seeded and defending-champion Kent State Golden Flashes defeated the top-seeded Toledo Rockets in a stunner with a 67-59 victory.
Kent State might’ve been the lowest seed in the MAC Tournament, but the Flashes knew there was a clean slate in Cleveland. As last year’s winner, they weren’t coming to be one and done.
Hear from VonCameron Davis, Mike Bekelja and Rob Senderoff. #MACtion @HoopIndustry pic.twitter.com/xwcBPvAVKb
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) March 14, 2024
Following that, the Bowling Green State Falcons toppled the Central Michigan Chippewas by a final of 66-56 with the fifth seed besting the fourth.
Enrique Freeman celebrates with his Akron Zips teammates vs. the Miami Redhawks. (Photo Credit: Wesley Seyfang/HSLD Sports Media)
Hit by the seventh-seeded Miami Redhawks early, the Akron Zips responded with a strong second half for the second seed to advance, 75-63.
It didn’t matter how the regular season ended for the Akron Zips, but rather the focus and preparation they had this week before facing Miami.
John Groce credits his seniors, particularly Greg Tribble, Ali Ali & Enrique Freeman for establishing that. @HoopIndustry #MACtion pic.twitter.com/tflcPgbdlj
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) March 14, 2024
Shereef Mitchell leads the Ohio Bobcats’ fastbreak vs. Western Michigan. ((Photo Credit: Wesley Seyfang/HSLD Sports Media)
And in our last game of the evening, the third-seeded Ohio Bobcats suffocated the sixth-seeded Western Michigan Broncos in a rout, 82-55.
“Everything is intensified in March.”
The Ohio Bobcats have won 7 in a row & are the hottest team in the Mid-American Conference. Asked OU senior Miles Brown about that momentum. Shereef Mitchell & Jeff Boals also talked after the win vs. Western Michigan. #MACtion @HoopIndustry pic.twitter.com/lAZMvKcNyb
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) March 15, 2024
The Flashes and Falcons will meet to start the men’s semifinals at 5 p.m. ET, then the Zips and Bobcats will do battle afterward to determine who meets in the MAC Tournament Finals on Saturday.
Men’s MAC Tourney Day 1 ✅
Great time today, let’s make tomorrow’s semifinals even better! #MACtion @HoopIndustry pic.twitter.com/ojYKSrAowY
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) March 15, 2024
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