The 2024–25 Mid-American Conference men's basketball season will be the season for Mid-American Conference men's basketball teams. It will begin with practices in October 2024, followed by the start of the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play will begin in January 2024 and conclude in March 2024. The 2025 MAC tournament will be held at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio for the 26th consecutive season. This will be the conference's last season with 12 members as it will see its first change in membership since 2005 with the addition of UMass.
Akron won the regular season championship with a 17–1 conference record. Nate Johnson of Akron was player of the year. Akron defeated Bowling Green and Toledo in the MAC tournament and then Miami in the final
Head coaches
Coaching changes There have been no coaching changes since the end of the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.
Coaches Team Head coach Previous job Years at school Overall record School record MAC record MAC titles MAC Tournament titles NCAA tournaments NCAA Final Fours NCAA ChampionshipsAkron John Groce Illinois8 1 2 2 0 0Ball State Michael Lewis 3 0 0 0 0 0Bowling Green Todd Simon Southern Utah2 0 0 0 0 0Buffalo George Halcovage Villanova (Assoc. HC)2 0 0 0 0 0Central Michigan Tony Barbee Kentucky (Asst.)4 0 0 0 0 0Eastern Michigan Stan Heath Lakeland Magic4 0 0 0 0 0Kent State Rob Senderoff Kent State (Asst.)14 1 2 2 0 0Miami Travis Steele Xavier3 0 0 0 0 0Northern Illinois Rashon Burno Arizona State (Asst.) 4 0 0 0 0 0Ohio Jeff Boals Stony Brook 6 0 1 1 0 0Toledo Tod Kowalczyk Green Bay 15 5 0 0 0 0Western Michigan Dwayne Stephens 3 0 0 0 0 0 Notes: Appearances, titles, etc. are from time with current school only. Years at school includes 2024–25 season. MAC records are from time at current school only. All records are through the beginning of the season.
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Preseason
The MAC Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tip-Off was held on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Each team had their head coach and a student athlete from both the men's and women's basketball team for interviews.
MAC Men's Basketball Preview Coaches & Student-Athletes Akron: Head Coach John Groce & Nate Johnson (R-Junior, Guard) Ball State: Head Coach Michael Lewis & Payton Sparks (Senior, Center) Bowling Green: Head Coach Todd Simon & Trey Thomas (Senior, Guard) Buffalo: Head Coach George Halcovage III & Noah Batchelor (Junior, Forward) Central Michigan: Head Coach Tony Barbee & Anthony Pritchard (Senior, Guard) Eastern Michigan: Head Coach Stan Heath & Jalin Billingsley (Senior, Forward) Kent State: Head Coach Rob Senderoff & VonCameron Davis (R-Senior, Forward) Miami: Head Coach Travis Steele & Eian Elmer (Sophomore, Wing) Northern Illinois: Head Coach Rashon Burno & Quentin Jones (Sophomore, Guard) Ohio: Head Coach Jeff Boals & AJ Clayton (Senior, Forward) Toledo: Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk & Javan Simmons (Sophomore, Forward) Western Michigan: Head Coach Dwayne Stephens & JaVaughn Hannah (Junior, Guard)
Preseason men's basketball coaches poll +Men's Basketball Preseason Poll Place Team Points First place votes 1. Ohio 121 11 2. Akron 106 1 3. Kent State 99 -- 4. Toledo 95 -- 5. Bowling Green 73 -- 6. Miami 72 -- 7. Ball State 67 -- 8. Central Michigan 55 -- 9. Eastern Michigan 36 -- 10. Western Michigan 33 -- 11. Northern Illinois 24 -- 12. Buffalo 11 -- MAC Tournament Champions:Ohio (8), Kent State (3), Toledo (1)
Source
MAC Preseason All-Conference
Honor Recipient Preseason All-MAC First TeamPeyton Sparks, Center, Akron, Sr.Anthony Pritchard, Guard, Central Michigan, Sr.VonCameron Davis, Forward, Kent State, R-Sr.AJ Clayton, Forward, Ohio, Sr.Javon Simmons, Forward, Toledo, Jr. Preseason All-MAC Second TeamIsaiah Gray, Guard, Akron, Sr.Jalen Sullinger, Guard, Kent State, Sr.Shereef Mitchell, Guard, Ohio, Grad.AJ Brown, Guard, Ohio, R-So..Isaiah Adams, Guard, Toledo, 5th Source
Regular season
Rankings
Pre Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 Wk15 Wk16 Wk17 Wk18 Wk19 Final Akron AP RV RV C Ball State AP C Bowling Green AP C Buffalo AP C Central Michigan AP C Eastern Michigan AP C Kent State AP C Miami AP C Northern Illinois AP C Ohio AP C Toledo AP C Western Michigan AP C
+ Legend Improvement in ranking Drop in ranking Not ranked previous week No change in ranking from previous week RV Received votes but were not ranked in Top 25 of poll т Tied with team above or below also with this symbol
Conference matrix AkronBall StateBowling GreenBuffaloCentral MichiganEastern MichiganKent StateMiami (OH)Northern IllinoisOhioToledo Western Michiganvs. Akron — 0–2 0–1 0–2 0–2 0–1 0–2 0–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–1 vs. Ball State 2–0 — 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–1 0–1 2–0 1–1 1–0 2–0 1–0 vs. Bowling Green 1–0 1–1 — 0–2 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 0–2 1–0 1–1 1–1 vs. Buffalo 2–0 2–0 2–0 — 1–1 1–0 1–0 2–0 0–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 vs. Central Michigan 2–0 1–1 0–1 1–1 — 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 0–2 vs. Eastern Michigan 1–0 1–0 1–1 0–1 1–1 — 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–0 vs. Kent State 2–0 1–0 0–2 0–1 0–1 0–2 — 2–0 0–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 vs. Miami (OH) 1–0 0–2 0–1 0–2 0–1 1–1 0–2 — 0–2 1–1 0–1 1–1 vs. Northern Illinois 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 2–0 — 1–0 1–0 2–0 vs. Ohio 1–1 0–1 0–1 0–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–1 — 2–0 1–1 vs. Toledo 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–1 1–1 2–0 1–0 0–1 0–2 — 0–1 vs. Western Michigan 1–0 0–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–0 — Total 17–1 7–11 8–10 4–14 7–11 9–9 11–7 14–4 2–16 10–8 10–8 9–9
All-MAC awards
Mid-American men's basketball weekly awards
WeekPlayer(s) of the WeekSchoolNov 11Tyson DunnBuffaloNov 18Sonny WilsonToledoNov 25AJ ClaytonNate JohnsonOhioAkronDec 2Jermahri HillDa’Sean NelsonBall StateEastern MichiganDec 9Derrick ButlerPeter SuderBowling GreenMiamiDec 16Juanse GorositoBall StateDec 23Da’Sean Nelson (2)Eastern MichiganDec 30Javontae CampbellBowling GreenJan 6Da’Sean Nelson (3)Eastern MichiganJan 13AJ Clayton (2)OhioJan 20Amani LylesAkronJan 27Tavari JohnsonAkronFeb 3Payton SparksBall StateFeb 10Sam LewisToledoFeb 17Jalen TerryEastern MichiganFeb 24Jalen Terry (2)Eastern MichiganMar 3Javontae Campbell (2)Chansey Willis Jr.Bowling GreenWestern MichiganMar 10Jalen SullingerJavan SimmonsKent StateToledo
Postseason awards 2025 Mid-American Men's Basketball Individual Awards Award Recipient(s)Player of the Year Nate Johnson, AkronCoach of the Year John GroceDefensive Player of the Year Nate Johnson., AkronFreshman of the Year Brant Byers, MiamiSixth Man Award Shammah Scott., Akron
All-MAC Honors 2025 Mid-American Men's Basketball All-Conference Teams First Team Second Team Third Team Honorable Mention All-Defensive Freshman TeamNate Johnson, AkronTavari Johnson, AkronUgnius Jarusevicius, Central MichiganVonCameron Davis, Kent StatePeter Suder, MiamiDa’Sean Nelson, Eastern MichiganJalen Terry, Eastern MichiganJalen Sullinger, Kent StateSam Lewis, ToledoChansey Willis Jr., Western MichiganJavontae Campbell, Bowling GreenAnthony Pritchard, Central MichiganKam Craft, MiamiAJ Clayton, OhioJackson Paveletzke, OhioSonny Wilson, ToledoIsaiah Gray, AkronJermahri Hill, Ball StatePayton Sparks, Ball StateShereef Mitchell, OhioJavan Simmons, ToledoNate Johnson, AkronJavontae Campbell, Bowling GreenAnthony Pritchard, Central MichiganCli’ron Hornbeak, Kent StateShereef Mitchell, OhioSharron Young, AkronJamai Felt, Bowling GreenBen Michaels, BuffaloBrant Byers, MiamiElijah Elliot, Ohio
Postseason
Mid–American Tournament
Akron defeated Bowling Green, Toledo, Miami to win the MAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament Nate Johnson was the MVP.
NCAA tournament
As a 13 seed, Akron lost their first round matchup in the NCAA tournament to Arizona.
National Invitation tournament
Kent State defeated St. Bonaventure and Stanford in the first two rounds. They then lost to Loyola-Chicago.
See also 2024–25 Mid-American Conference women's basketball season
References