UBinMD Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 26 minutes ago, Big 4 Hoops Blogger said: UMass has won 11 NCAA Tournament games and has reached the Final Four, Elite Eight and a Sweet 16 and now they're in the MAC. They have the most basketball history of anyone in our conference. They also went to the NIT Finals in 2008 and NIT Semifinals in 2012. They pay Frank Martin over $1.6 million They're leaving the 8th ranked KenPom conference for the 24th ranked league. They spend money and have a good academic reputation. This is a good move for the MAC. A big reason their football is awful is because they've been independent and recently jumped up to FBS 12 years ago. It's not easy for Northeast Schools in poor recruiting areas to be successful at football. We know that being UB fans lol Don’t dispute those stats, however their last NCAA appearance was 2014, they haven’t achieved Sweet 16 let alone Round of 32 since 1996 (note the 1996 season that ended in the final 4 was vacated). They haven’t won the conference tournament since 1996, they were last regular season champs in 2007. Will they be Top 4 in the MAC? Probably and should paying their coach close to double the normal going rate for a MAC coach. Potentially their coach may bail knowing their basketball future will be less bright and his recruiting may take a dip. We have had 2 slighter better than average players jump the MAC to A-10 in the last few years just from UB. All this said, I don’t see this move doing much to change the image of the MAC. I do appreciate your optimistic outlook of this move and I will grant you it is better than nothing, which is the usual course of the MAC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big 4 Hoops Blogger Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 (edited) 14 minutes ago, UBinMD said: Ok, I will reserve judgement until 2025, but it doesn’t make the MAC a 2 bid league or anything of that level. Also, by this logic St Bonaventure would be #1 in the MAC as well. What does their NIL situation look like? They apparently spend a lot of money on athletics, however: They have 9 men’s sports/10 women’s sports. This includes expensive sports such as hockey and lacrosse. UB has 6 men’s sports/8 women’s sports. UMASS: $43.9 million = $2.3 million per sport Buffalo: $31.0 million = $2.2 million per sport Obviously I’m aware each sport isn’t allocated equally but it’s interesting to me nonetheless. Correct! This doesn’t make the MAC a 2 bid league but it improves the overall strength of the league and give the conference a better chance of at-large berths into the NCAA Tournament (very unlikely) and the NIT (more probable). I’d lump UMass in with Akron, Kent State, UB, Ohio and Toledo. They’re good this year but they’ll likely be among the group above during most seasons. Where this move will have more importance is if it’s a combo move with other teams in play. That’s one way to really improve the strength of the league basketball wise. If I told most mid-major college basketball fans the MAC was adding UMass and WKU, they’d say that’s great for the league. Edited February 27 by Big 4 Hoops Blogger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rma Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 14 minutes ago, UBinMD said: Also, by this logic St Bonaventure would be #1 in the MAC as well. They would be near the top in men's basketball but they're a one trick pony. Bare minimum resources to other programs, especially women's programs. Our softball team, lead by a rotating set of coaches, that up until this year rotated their home field with a high school field, a D2 softball field, and a swamp, was 3-5 against them in the past 10 years. The other sports we both compete in aren't nearly as competitive for Bona as the softball series is. Our soccer team is 5-2 the last 10 years, women's basketball 8-2, women's tennis 12-0 (last loss to Bona was September 2000). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big 4 Hoops Blogger Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 (edited) 12 minutes ago, UBinMD said: Don’t dispute those stats, however their last NCAA appearance was 2014, they haven’t achieved Sweet 16 let alone Round of 32 since 1996 (note the 1996 season that ended in the final 4 was vacated). They haven’t won the conference tournament since 1996, they were last regular season champs in 2007. Will they be Top 4 in the MAC? Probably and should paying their coach close to double the normal going rate for a MAC coach. Potentially their coach may bail knowing their basketball future will be less bright and his recruiting may take a dip. We have had 2 slighter better than average players jump the MAC to A-10 in the last few years just from UB. All this said, I don’t see this move doing much to change the image of the MAC. I do appreciate your optimistic outlook of this move and I will grant you it is better than nothing, which is the usual course of the MAC While you’re right about their lack of tournament success, they’ve had five Top 86 KenPom seasons since 2007. While they have more resources in the A10, they’ve also had a much tougher road playing in a Top 10 league most years. Simply adding them to the MAC won’t drastically change the image of the league but they’ll be a tough team if they continue to spend the same way they currently are. If they reduce their budget, then they could be just another MAC school but I’m assuming they’re making this move because of football and the assumption they’ll be successful in basketball taking a step down. Edited February 27 by Big 4 Hoops Blogger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKBullsfan Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 UMass welcome to the MAC and…our state of Ohio favored MAC conference refs especially around tournament time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuchMany Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 12 minutes ago, MKBullsfan said: UMass welcome to the MAC and…our state of Ohio favored MAC conference refs especially around tournament time. Hey at least we aren't the east coast black sheep cousins anymore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee4three Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 UMass joining has to be a good thing for UB right? Either it signals an expanding MAC that includes more schools like UB or the top of the MAC or maybe it gives UB a partner to join another current conference more east coast based or one that doesn't even exist yet Personally feel UB should be in a conference more east coast/atlantic based, heck even our recruiting seems to be headed that direction in recent years 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooklynBull Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 11 hours ago, UBinMD said: Marcus Camby is currently 49 years old, Julius Erving just turned 74. His last two choices for college were UB and UMass. He went to UMass because they hired his high school coach as an assistant. This per former UB man's and women's basketball coach and former AD, Ed Muto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooklynBull Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 11 hours ago, UBinMD said: Marcus Camby is currently 49 years old, Julius Erving just turned 74. His last two choices for college were UB and UMass. He went to UMass because they hired his high school coach as an assistant. This per former UB man's and women's basketball coach and former AD, Ed Muto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooklynBull Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 (edited) 12 hours ago, UBinMD said: Marcus Camby is currently 49 years old, Julius Erving just turned 74. His last two choices for college were UB and UMass. He went to UMass because they hired his high school coach as an assistant. This per former UB man's and women's basketball coach and former AD, Ed Muto. Sprry for the triple post. It did not look like the first attempt was posted. Edited February 27 by BrooklynBull 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBinMD Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 5 minutes ago, BrooklynBull said: Julius Erving just turned 74. His last two choices for college were UB and UMass. He went to UMass because they hired his high school coach as an assistant. This per former UB man's and women's basketball coach and former AD, Ed Muto. That is a cool fun fact! I may use this in future discussions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBlearns Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 On paper it seems like a great move for everything except football. Their basketball program (while no, it's not Gonzaga) will raise the overall tides of the conference and they'll compete at a high level. Academically it seems like a slam dunk and gives UB an academic peer in the conference. Football doesn't move the needle much, but overall I think this is a pretty nice get for the MAC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC_UBfan Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 12 hours ago, Big 4 Hoops Blogger said: UMass has won 11 NCAA Tournament games and has reached the Final Four, Elite Eight and a Sweet 16 and now they're in the MAC. They have the most basketball history of anyone in our conference. They also went to the NIT Finals in 2008 and NIT Semifinals in 2012. They pay Frank Martin over $1.6 million They're leaving the 8th ranked KenPom conference for the 24th ranked league. They spend money and have a good academic reputation. This is a good move for the MAC. A big reason their football is awful is because they've been independent and recently jumped up to FBS 12 years ago. It's not easy for Northeast Schools in poor recruiting areas to be successful at football. We know that being UB fans lol Huge fan of Frank Martin heck of a coach and serious recruiter. He took University of South Carolina to final 4 during his 10yrs there. This is his second year at UMass and already +2 in conference play. His style of play and overall experience MAC MBB is on notice when they officially join. The good thing though he has reset the market for MAC MBB coaches and staff salaries. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird96 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 NIU beat Toledo on their home court tonight. Previously with 3 MAC wins, now 2 full games ahead of UB for DFL. Maybe there’s hope for the Bulls when they play the Rockets on Saturday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue03 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 10 hours ago, Bluebird96 said: NIU beat Toledo on their home court tonight. Previously with 3 MAC wins, now 2 full games ahead of UB for DFL. Maybe there’s hope for the Bulls when they play the Rockets on Saturday? Or NIU made them mad and we’re about to feel the heat from it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchcountry7 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Anytime you add a team to the conference that is both in your geographic region and is historically at a level that would put them higher than the median program in the conference, you've got a massive win! UMass to the MAC is great for UB basketball. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clodney Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 BGSU, Western Michigan, Miami, and UMASS... only 2 more and we can make our own hockey conference! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooklynBull Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 2 hours ago, clodney said: BGSU, Western Michigan, Miami, and UMASS... only 2 more and we can make our own hockey conference! We could make the ACC happy and take Notre Dame out of the Big 10 and then find one other school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird96 Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 10 hours ago, Blue03 said: Or NIU made them mad and we’re about to feel the heat from it Unfortunately I think this is more likely than not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue03 Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 16 hours ago, clodney said: BGSU, Western Michigan, Miami, and UMASS... only 2 more and we can make our own hockey conference! Can we repurpose center for the arts for this? I think the middle part with the vaulted ceiling all lit up would make a cool rink. I want a hockey team so bad, we’d suck the first few years being outrecruited and without a conference, but it would be so much fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rma Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 4 minutes ago, Blue03 said: Can we repurpose center for the arts for this? I think the middle part with the vaulted ceiling all lit up would make a cool rink. I want a hockey team so bad, we’d suck the first few years being outrecruited and without a conference, but it would be so much fun. Call up Jeremy Jacobs and get him to fund it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue03 Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 9 minutes ago, rma said: Call up Jeremy Jacobs and get him to fund it I don’t care if it’s Jimmy John’s, I want hockey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBinMD Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 1 hour ago, Blue03 said: I don’t care if it’s Jimmy John’s, I want hockey Jimmies Johns Arena 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird96 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Tight game between BG and Ohio on CBSSN. Each team just seems to have the kind of athletic players that UB lacks at the moment. Looking forward to a day when we can compete with even these middle tier MAC teams on a consistent basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBinMD Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 Did Eastern Michigan really only score 37 points against Miami? Miami only scored 52. That must have been a snoozer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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