Mid-American Conference March Madness Outlook and Tournament Betting Preview

It’s championship week in college basketball, and NCAA Basketball Tournament spots are on the line. Cleveland, Ohio, will once again be the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament site. This league consistently produces some incredible drama throughout the entire season, which should be the case in the tournament. 

The state of Ohio will be well represented this week, and there are pretty good odds that a team from this state will win the automatic bid. Only the top eight teams are eligible to participate in the MAC Tournament, and that should eliminate some early blowouts. 

A Look at the Odds

Before discussing the teams set to take the floor this week, we need to look at the updated betting odds to win the MAC Championship. These odds will continue to change throughout the week, but here are the odds prior to game one:

• Toledo +135
• Ohio +250
• Kent State +450
• Buffalo +650
• Akron +800
• Miami (OH) +2500
• Ball State +3300
• Central Michigan +10000

The Toledo Rockets won the regular-season crown in the MAC with a 17-3 record, giving them the number one seed. Toledo is the current betting favorite to win the tournament, but the odds might not be as spread out as you would think.

Following Toledo is a group of four teams, and all four of them could realistically make a run to the title. Ohio, Kent State, Buffalo, and Akron have all taken turns beating up on each other this season, but each school can go on a big run. 

The odds really start to change after the first five teams on the list and don’t expect to see any major upsets this week. There could always be an upset or two in the first round, but you aren’t going to see one of the bottom three teams winning the title.

Central Michigan is the lone participant from Michigan this season, and they still have low odds to win the title. The state of Ohio has emerged as a hotbed for MAC basketball, and those rivalries will play out in the conference tournament as well. 

Can the Bobcats Pull it Off?

The standings and the current betting odds to win the tournament don’t necessarily match up, but they are close. The Ohio Bobcats and the Akron Zips finished in a tie for third place during the regular season, but the Bobcats are the second-biggest favorites to win it all. 

Toledo looks like the clear favorite heading into the tournament, but Ohio won’t be a team scared to play against their rival. The Rockets have a loaded roster, but don’t be surprised to see a real challenge from the Bobcats. 

Only one team from the MAC will be playing in the NCAA Tournament, which will make every game this week even that much more important. There are several teams that can win this tournament, but it’s going to come down to either Toledo or Ohio in the title game. 

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