2024 MAC men's basketball tournament

The 2024 Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament was the postseason men's basketball tournament for the Mid-American Conference (MAC) held March 14–16, 2024. The entire tournament was played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] Akron defeated Miami and Ohio in the MAC tournament and then Kent State in the final[2][3][4][5] Enrique Freeman was the MVP.

2024 MAC men's basketball tournament
ClassificationDivision I
Season2023–24
Teams8
SiteRocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Cleveland, Ohio
ChampionsAkron (5th title)
Winning coachJohn Groce (4th title)
MVPEnrique Freeman (Akron)
TelevisionESPN+, CBSSN, ESPN2
MAC men's basketball tournaments
← 2023
2025 →
2023–24 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Toledo 14 4   .778 20 12   .625
Akron 13 5   .722 24 11   .686
Ohio 13 5   .722 20 13   .606
Central Michigan 12 6   .667 18 14   .563
Bowling Green 10 8   .556 20 14   .588
Western Michigan 9 9   .500 12 20   .375
Miami (OH) 9 9   .500 15 17   .469
Kent State 8 10   .444 17 17   .500
Ball State 7 11   .389 15 16   .484
Eastern Michigan 6 12   .333 13 18   .419
Northern Illinois 5 13   .278 11 20   .355
Buffalo 2 16   .111 4 27   .129
2024 MAC tournament winner

Format

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As with the 2021, 2022, and 2023 tournament only the top eight teams qualified. The winner of the tournament received the MAC's automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA tournament.[6]

Venue

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The 2024 MAC tournament was held at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for the 25th consecutive season. The venue, located in downtown Cleveland at One Center Court, is the home of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and has a seating capacity for basketball of 19,432.[7][8]

Seeds

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Eight out of the 12 MAC teams qualified for the tournament. Teams were seeded by record within the conference, with a tiebreaker system to seed teams with identical conference records.[9]

Seed School Conference
record
Tiebreaker
1 Toledo 14–4
2 Akron 13–5 1–1 vs Toledo
3 Ohio 13–5 0–2 vs Toledo
4 Central Michigan 12–6
5 Bowling Green 10–8
6 Western Michigan 9–9 2–0 vs Miami (OH)
7 Miami (OH) 9–9 0–2 vs Western Michigan
8 Kent State 8–10
DNQ Ball State 7–11
DNQ Eastern Michigan 6–12
DNQ Northern Illinois 5–13
DNQ Buffalo 2–16

Schedule

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Session Game Time* Matchup Score Attendance Television
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 14 – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
1 1 11:00 am No. 1 Toledo vs. No. 8 Kent State 59–67 7,854 ESPN+
2 30 mins after Game 1 No. 4 Central Michigan vs. No. 5 Bowling Green 56–66
3 30 mins after Game 2 No. 2 Akron vs. No. 7 Miami (OH) 75–63
4 30 mins after Game 3 No. 3 Ohio vs. No. 6 Western Michigan 82–55
Semifinals – Friday, March 15 – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
2 5 5:00 pm No. 8 Kent State vs. No. 5 Bowling Green 73–60 7,802 CBSSN
6 7:30 pm No. 2 Akron vs. No. 3 Ohio 65–62
Championship – Saturday, March 16 – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
3 7 7:30 pm No. 8 Kent State vs. No. 2 Akron 61-62 7,955 ESPN2
*Game times in ET. ()-Rankings denote tournament seeding.

Source[10]

Bracket

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Quarterfinals
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Semifinals
Friday, March 15, 2024
Championship
Saturday, March 16, 2024
         
1 Toledo 59
8 Kent State 67
8 Kent State 73
5 Bowling Green 60
4 Central Michigan 56
5 Bowling Green 66
8 Kent State 61
2 Akron 62
2 Akron 75
7 Miami (OH) 63
2 Akron 65
3 Ohio 62
3 Ohio 82
6 Western Michigan 55

All-Tournament team

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Tournament MVPEnrique Freeman

Player Team
Ali Ali Akron
Enrique Freeman Akron
VonCameron Davis Kent State
Jalen Sullinger Kent State
Jaylin Hunter Ohio

Source

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "MAC Tournament staying in downtown Cleveland through 2030". Cleveland 19 News. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  2. ^ "MAC basketball tournament bracket set; Miami RedHawks face Akron in first round". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  3. ^ "Akron 75, Miami 63". ESPN. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  4. ^ "Akron 65, Ohio 62". ESPN. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  5. ^ "Akron vs. Kent State". ESPN. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  6. ^ "MAC eliminating and scaling back postseason tournaments". AP. May 12, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  7. ^ "About". Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  8. ^ "A-Z Guide". Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  9. ^ "Tie-Breaker Procedures". Mid-American Conference. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  10. ^ "2024 MAC Men's Basketball Championship". Mid-American Conference. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
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