How do changes to the MAC Tournament impact teams?

Editor's note: This column is a guest post written by Kaily "KG" Godek of sMACk Talk, an up-and-coming MAC basketball blog.

With the Mid-American Conference's announcement regarding format changes to the postseason tournament earlier this week, it's worth taking a look at how the changes could affect the future.

Let's go back to the past first; if you take a look at last year’s bracket, adjusting for the new format gives Miami and Akron byes into the semifinal games, with Kent State and Toledo receiving the byes into the quarterfinals.

That would make UMass face Bowling Green and Ohio and Buffalo match up in the first round. These changes gets rid of the potential top seed vs. eight seed upset, like we saw with Miami losing their perfect season to UMass in their quarterfinal matchup. Instead, it means we would not get the opportunity to see the one versus the eight until at least the semifinals– if the eight seed even makes it that deep into the tournament.

Teams who end up being a low seed (5-8) in the revamped format now have to potentially play four games in four days if they want to make the championship game.

If it sounds familiar, it is. This is the same format the MAC used from 2012-2015, which saw a seed no lower than third win it all every season. (The top seed won twice, with the second seed and third seed each winning once.)

These changes clearly benefit the teams that are in the top four to play potentially one or two less games than the rest of the field. This change also adds more of a work load onto the student athletes on the teams who are fifth through eighth. The bottom four teams having to play two games to even try to reach the semifinals, making upsets even tougher.

This move makes the MAC and their tournament start to look similar to other conferences.

The Atlantic 10, for instance, has their tournament setup to incorporate all 14 teams into their five-day tournament all at a neutral site. The Horizon League (which former MAC member NIU recently joined) has all 12 of their teams involved in a five-day tournament, with play-in games on the higher seeds campus prior to the tournament wrapping up at a neutral site.

As of now, the MAC is staying at eight teams in both men's and women's basketball, but the recent changes could present a lane to expand back to having all all 12 teams involved– but that is a conversation for further down the road.

This season, conference games are going to mean even more for seeding before we hit March.

Kaily can be followed on X @kgodek23. Her blog sMACk Talk, which covers both men's and women's basketball, can also be found @smacktalkbb.