2017–18 Mid-American Conference men's basketball season

The 2017–18 Mid-American Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2017, followed by the start of the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play began in January 2018 and concluded in March 2018. Buffalo won the regular season title with a conference record of 15-3. Buffalo also won the MAC tournament and represented the MAC in the NCAA tournament where they defeated No. 4-seeded Arizona in the first round^[1] before falling to Kentucky in the second round.^[2]

2017–18 Mid-American Conference men's basketball season
League	NCAA Division I
Sport	Basketball
Number of teams	12
Regular season
League champions	Buffalo
Runners-up	Toledo
Season MVP	Tre’Shaun Fletcher
Tournament
Champions	Buffalo
Runners-up	Toledo
Finals MVP	Wes Clark
Mid-American men's basketball seasons
← 2016–17 2018–19 →

2017–18 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
East
Buffalo †	15	–	3		.833			27	–	9		.750
Kent State	9	–	9		.500			17	–	17		.500
Miami (OH)	8	–	10		.444			16	–	18		.471
Bowling Green	7	–	11		.389			16	–	16		.500
Ohio	7	–	11		.389			14	–	17		.452
Akron	6	–	12		.333			14	–	18		.438
West
Toledo	13	–	5		.722			23	–	11		.676
Eastern Michigan	11	–	7		.611			22	–	13		.629
Ball State	10	–	8		.556			19	–	13		.594
Western Michigan	9	–	9		.500			17	–	15		.531
Central Michigan	7	–	11		.389			21	–	15		.583
Northern Illinois	6	–	12		.333			13	–	19		.406
† 2018 MAC tournament winner

Preseason awards

The preseason poll and league awards were announced by the league office on October 26, 2017.^[3]

Preseason men's basketball poll

(First place votes in parentheses)

East Division

1. Buffalo 166 (24)
2. Kent State 139 (2)
3. Ohio 127 (3)
4. Akron 84 (1)
5. Bowling Green 82
6. Miami 32

West Division

1. Western Michigan 169 (22)
2. Ball State 156 (8)
3. Toledo 107
4. Eastern Michigan 103
5. Northern Illinois 57
6. Central Michigan 38

Tournament champs

Western Michigan (10), Buffalo (9), Ball State (5), Kent State (2), Toledo (2), Bowling Green (1), Miami (1)

Honors

Honor	Recipient
Preseason All-MAC East	C.J. Massinburg, Buffalo, Jr., Guard
	Nick Perkins, Buffalo, Jr., Forward
	Jaylin Walker, Kent State, Jr., Guard
	Jordan Dartis, Ohio, Jr., Guard
	Jason Carter, Ohio, So., Forward
Preseason All-MAC West	James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan, Jr., Forward/Center
	Thomas Wilder, Western Michigan, Sr., Guard
	Tayler Persons, Ball State, Jr., Guard
	Jaelan Sanford, Toledo, Jr., Guard
	Eugene German, Northern Illinois, So., Guard

Postseason

Mid–American tournament

Main article: 2018 MAC men's basketball tournament

NCAA tournament

Main article: 2018 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament

Postseason awards

^[4][5]

1. Coach of the Year: Nate Oats, Buffalo
2. Player of the Year: Tre’Shaun Fletcher, Toledo
3. Freshman of the Year: Nike Sibande, Miami
4. Defensive Player of the Year: Tim Bond, Eastern Michigan
5. Sixth Man of the Year: Nick Perkins, Buffalo

Honors

Honor	Recipient
Postseason All-MAC First Team	Tre’Shaun Fletcher, Sr., G, Toledo
	C.J. Massinburg, Jr., G, Buffalo
	Nick Perkins, Jr., F, Buffalo
	James Thompson IV, Jr., F/C, Eastern Michigan
	Thomas Wilder, Sr., G, Western Michigan
Postseason All-MAC Second Team	Eugene German, So., G, Northern Illinois
	Jeremy Harris, Jr., G, Buffalo
	Tayler Persons, Jr., G, Ball State
	Jaelan Sanford, Jr., G, Toledo
	Demajeo Wiggins, Jr., F, Bowling Green
Postseason All-MAC Third Team	Wes Clark, Sr., G, Buffalo
	Elijah Minnie, R-Jr., F, Eastern Michigan
	Trey Moses, Jr., C, Ball State
	Darrian Ringo, Jr., G, Miami
	Jaylin Walker, Jr., G, Kent State
Postseason All-MAC Honorable Mention	Jordan Dartis, Jr., G, Ohio
	Daniel Utomi, So., F, Akron
	Justin Turner, R-Fr., G, Bowling Green
	Nike Sibande, Fr., G, Miami
	Paul Jackson, R-Jr., G, Eastern Michigan
All-MAC Freshman Team	Dalonte Brown, Fr., F, Miami
	Marreon Jackson, Fr., G, Toledo
	Teyvion Kirk, Fr., G, Ohio
	Nike Sibande, Fr., G, Miami
	Justin Turner, R-Fr., G, Bowling Green
All-MAC Defensive Team	Tim Bond, Sr., G, Eastern Michigan
	Davonta Jordan, So., G, Buffalo
	Bryce Moore, Jr., G, Western Michigan
	Darrian Ringo, Jr., G, Miami
	James Thompson IV, Jr., F/C, Eastern Michigan

See also

2017–18 Mid-American Conference women's basketball season

References

1. "No Bull: Buffalo pulls off big upset, knocks off Arizona". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
2. "Not happening here: Kentucky stops Buffalo cold, 95-75". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
3. "2017-18 MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL & ALL-MAC TEAMS RELEASED". getsomemaction.com. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
4. "TOLEDO'S FLETCHER, BUFFALO'S OATS RECEIVE TOP MAC HONORS".
5. "MIAMI'S SIBANDE, BUFFALO'S PERKINS & EMU'S BOND EARN MAC HONORS".