MAC Tournament Picks: Best Bets & Sleepers
Odds, best bets and sleeper picks for which team will win the 2023 Mid-American Men’s Basketball Conference Championship
Kate Constable - Mar 2, 2023, 1:35pm EST
2023 Mid-American Conference Championship Odds
Conference tournament time is here and BetQL is your source for best bets, sharp picks, public data, historical trends and so much more every single day for every single game!
The way that the MAC Tournament works is a bit different from other conferences. The top eight teams in the standings are placed in the bracket and earn a trip to Cleveland, while the season is over for the bottom four teams. If the season were to end today, that would mean that Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Western Michigan would all be going home. Tough season for Michigan teams!
With one game left on the regular-season schedule, it's likely that Toldeo will earn the No. 1 seed when the tournament begins on March 9. The Rockets were voted second in the preseason standings and MAC tournament projections. They're led by forwards JT Shumate and Setric Millner who rank second and third on the team in scoring respectively. Toledo hasn't won the MAC tournament since 1980 and lost in the championship game in 2014 and 2018.
2023 Mid-American Conference Championship Picks & Predictions
Mid-American Winner Best Bet: Akron
The Zips are likely to finish third in the conference standings which means they'll probably see either Buffalo or Northern Illinois in the opening round. They've easily beaten both of those teams this season and should be able to cruise to the semifinals. Akron is one of the more balanced teams in the conference. The Zips rank second in scoring defense and in assist/turnover ratio. They take great care of the ball and lead the league in three-pointers made. Despite playing at one of the slower paces in the MAC, they still average more than 70 points per game because of how efficient their offense is. With the ability to excel in multiple areas, Akron makes a great case as to why it can win next weekend and secure its second-straight MAC Tournament championship.
Mid-American Winner Sleeper Pick: Ball State
Ball State is an interesting team because two of its four conference losses have come against Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan, two of the worst teams in the MAC. Meanwhile, it has wins over Toledo, Akron and Kent State. The Cardinals are a great defensive rebounding team and have the size to compete with any team in the frontcourt. They are also a very good three-point shooting team that can beat you from outside on any given night. The value is going to be there on the Cardinals and as long as they don't play down to their opponent, they'll have a shot at a good tournament run.
Mid-American Winner Deep Sleeper Pick: Miami Ohio
As long as Miami-OH beats Buffalo on Friday, it should be safely in the tournament bracket, securing the eighth and final spot. That would mark the Redhawks fifth-straight win. I'm sure you've heard someone say that winning in tournament settings is all about peaking at the right time. I'd say winning five consecutive games and six of your last eight is a perfect example of a team playing its best heading into the postseason. Miami-OH has done all of this after a terrible start to conference play, having lost nine of its first 10 games. Talk about a turnaround! The Cardinals are likely to have the longest odds of anyone in the tournament, but that just means you're going to get great value on the hottest team in the MAC.
Want More Conference Tournament Picks?
We have picks and predictions for all of our favorite Conference Tournaments happening this month. Check out our other prediction articles below and see which teams we think are the best bet to win and a few sleeper teams you can catch longshot odds on:
American Athletic Conference Tournament Picks
Conference USA Tournament Picks
Sun Belt Conference Tournament Picks
Colonial Conference Tournament Picks