2025–26 Mid-American Conference men's basketball season

The 2025–26 Mid-American Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2025, followed by the start of the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play will begin in December 2025 and conclude in March 2026. The 2026 MAC tournament was held at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio for the 27th consecutive season. The conference saw its first change in membership since 2005 with the addition of UMass It will also be the last MAC season for Northern Illinois, which will rejoin the Horizon League in 2026 after a nearly 30-year absence.

Miami won the regular season championship with an 18–0 record. They became the first MAC team to complete a perfect regular season with a 31–0 overall record. Miami's Peter Suder and Travis Steele won Player of the Year and Coach of the Year respectively.

Eighth seed UMass upset 20th ranked Miami in the quarterfinals of the MAC tournament. Second seeded Akron defeated Buffalo, Kent State, and Toledo to win their third straight MAC tournament title to advance to the 2026 NCAA tournament. Tavari Johnson of Akron was named tournament MVP.

Miami received at at-large bid to the NCAA tournament field and were placed the in First Four with an 11 seed against SMU. Miami joined Akron in the round of 64 with a 89–79 win. Akron lost to Texas Tech in the first round. Miami lost their round of 64 game to Tennessee Kent State lost to Illinois State in the first round of the NIT.

Head coaches

Coaching changes

Central Michigan After four seasons and a 49–75 overall record, Central Michigan fired Tony Barbee on April 3, 2025. On Monday, April 14, 2025, Central Michigan named Andy Bronkema the new head coach.

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 Illinois9 2 3 3 0 0Ball State Michael Lewis 4 0 0 0 0 0Bowling Green Todd Simon Southern Utah3 0 0 0 0 0Buffalo George Halcovage Villanova (Assoc. HC)3 0 0 0 0 0Central Michigan Andy Bronkema Ferris State1 0 0 0 0 0Eastern Michigan Stan Heath Lakeland Magic5 0 0 0 0 0Kent State Rob Senderoff Kent State (Asst.)15 1 2 2 0 0Miami Travis Steele Xavier4 0 0 0 0 0Northern Illinois Rashon Burno Arizona State (Asst.) 5 0 0 0 0 0Ohio Jeff Boals Stony Brook 7 0 1 1 0 0Toledo Tod Kowalczyk Green Bay 16 5 0 0 0 0UMassFrank MartinSouth Carolina 4 00000Western Michigan Dwayne Stephens 4 0 0 0 0 0 Notes: Appearances, titles, etc. are from time with current school only. Years at school includes 2025–26 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 21, 2025. 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 & Tavari Johnson (Senior, Guard) Ball State: Head Coach Michael Lewis & Juwan Maxey (Senior, Guard) Bowling Green: Head Coach Todd Simon & Javontae Campbell (Senior, Guard) Buffalo: Head Coach George Halcovage III & Angelo Brizzi (Grad., Guard) Central Michigan: Head Coach Andy Bronkema & Phat Phat Brooks (Sophomore, Guard) Eastern Michigan: Head Coach Stan Heath & Mak Manciel (Senior, Guard) Kent State: Head Coach Rob Senderoff & Delrecco Gillespie (Senior, Forward) Miami: Head Coach Travis Steele & Peter Suder (Senior, Guard) Northern Illinois: Head Coach Rashon Burno & Dylan Ducommun (Freshman, Guard) Ohio: Head Coach Jeff Boals & Jackson Paveletzke (Senior, Guard) Toledo: Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk & Sonny Wilson (Junior, Guard) Western Michigan: Head Coach Dwayne Stephens & Max Burton (R-Junior, Forward)

Preseason men's basketball coaches poll +Men's Basketball Preseason Poll Place Team Points First place votes 1. Akron 143 11 2. Miami 133 2 3. Kent State 122 -- 4. Ohio 108 -- 5. UMass 98 -- 6. Toledo 95 -- 7. Bowling Green 73 -- 8. Ball State 62 -- 9. Eastern Michigan 52 -- 10. Western Michigan 46 -- 11. Buffalo 37 -- 12. Central Michigan 31 -- 13. Northern Illinois 14 -- MAC Tournament Champions:Akron (8), Miami (2), Kent State (1), Ohio (1), UMass (1)

Source

MAC Preseason All-Conference

Honor Recipient Preseason All-MAC First TeamTavari Johnson, Senior, Guard, AkronJavontae Campbell, Senior, Guard, Bowling GreenDelrecco Gillespie, Senior, Forward, Kent StatePeter Suder, Senior, Guard, MiamiJackson Paveletzke, Senior, Guard, Ohio Preseason All-MAC Second TeamEvan Mahaffey, Senior, Wing, AkronShammah Scott, Graduate Student, Guard, AkronDaniel Hankins-Sanford, Senior, Forward, UMassJavan Simmons, Redshirt Junior, Forward, OhioSonny Wilson, Junior, Guard, Toledo 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 C Ball State AP C Bowling Green AP C Buffalo AP RV RV C Central Michigan AP C Eastern Michigan AP C Kent State AP C Miami AP RV RV RV RV RV RV 25 24 23 23 22 21 19 RV RVC RV RV RV RV 25 24 24 23 25 20 RV RV Northern Illinois AP C Ohio AP C Toledo AP C UMass 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 UMass Western Michiganvs. Akron—0–20–10–20–20–20–21–00–10–10–10–10–2vs. Ball State2–0—1–02–00–21–01–01–00–21–11–01–10–1vs. Bowling Green1–00–1—1–01–00–22–02–00–10–11–10–21–1vs. Buffalo2–00–20–1—1–00–11–02–01–12–01–01–10–1vs. Central Michigan2–02–00–10–1—1–11–11–01–11–01–01–01–1vs. Eastern Michigan2–00–12–01–01–1—2–01–00–11–01–01–12–0vs. Kent State2–00–10–20–11–10–2—1–00–20–10–20–10–1vs. Miami (OH)0–10–10–20–20–10–10–1—0–10–20–20–20–2 vs. Northern Illinois1–02–01–01–11–11–02–01–0—2–02–00–10–1vs. Ohio1–01–11–00–20–10–11–02–00–2—2–01–10–1vs. Toledo1–00–11–10–10–10–12–02–00–20–2—1–00–2vs. UMass1–01–12–01–10–11–11–02–01–01–10–1—0–1vs. Western Michigan2–01–01–11–01–10–21–02–01–01–02–01–0—Total17–17–119–97–116–124–1414–418–04–149–911–77–114–14

MAC–SBC Challenge The third installment of the MAC–SBC Challenge scheduling alliance was announced on July 1, 2025. All 13 men's and women's Mid-American Conference teams will play 13 men's and women's teams in the Sun Belt Conference.

+ MAC–SBC Challenge men's basketballFirst roundNovember 3, 2025 MAC (home) Score Score SBC (away)Akron 85 71 James MadisonBall State 75 64 LouisianaBowling Green 83 48 Texas StateBuffalo 85 79 Southern MissCentral Michigan 82 66 Appalachian StateEastern Michigan 71 49 Georgia StateKent State 97 103 TroyMiami (OH) 87 72 Old DominionNorthern Illinois 102 82 Louisiana MonroeOhio 85 89 Arkansas StateToledo 74 76 South AlabamaUMass 72 78 MarshallWestern Michigan 76 71 Coastal Carolina First round 9 4 Source

Second roundFebruary 7, 2026 MAC (away) Score Score SBC (home)Akron 69 79 TroyBall State 73 68 Louisiana-MonroeBowling Green 74 91 Arkansas StateBuffalo 69 81 South AlabamaCentral Michigan 80 85 LouisianaEastern Michigan 60 65 Appalachian StateKent State 65 66 Southern MississippiMiami (OH) 90 74 MarshallNorthern Illinois 75 74 Georgia StateOhio 72 78 Old DominionToledo 71 73 James MadisonUMass 91 94 Coastal CarolinaWestern Michigan 61 77 Texas State Second round 3 10 Source Total wins 12 14

Postseason

Mid–American Tournament

Eighth seed UMass upset 20th ranked Miami in the quarterfinals of the MAC tournament. Second seeded Akron defeated Buffalo, Kent State, and Toledo to win their third straight MAC tournament title to advance to the 2026 NCAA tournament.

NCAA tournament

Miami received an at-large bid to the NCAA field and earned a spot in the round of 64 with a preliminary round win over SMU.

Seed Region School First Four First round Second round Sweet 16 Elite Eight Final Four Championship 11 Midwest Miami (OH) W 89–79 vs. SMU L 56–78 vs. Tennessee 12 Midwest Akron Bye L 71–91 vs. Texas Tech W–L (%):Total:

National Invitation tournament

Kent State accepted an NIT bid and lost to Illinois State in the first round.

School First round Second Round Quarterfinal Semifinal Championship Kent State L 58–79 vs. Illinois State W–L (%): Total:

All-MAC awards

Mid-American men's basketball weekly awards

WeekPlayer(s) of the WeekSchoolNov 10Javontae CampbellMorgan SaffordBowling GreenKent StateNov 17Delrecco GillespieKent StateNov 24Daniel FreitagMohammad HabhabBuffaloEastern MichiganDec 1Daniel Freitag (2)BuffaloDec 8Tavari JohnsonJavontae Campbell (2)AkronBowling GreenDec 15Marcus Banks Jr.UMassDec 22Brant ByersMiamiDec 29Ryan SabolBuffaloJan 5Javontae Campbell (3)Bowling GreenJan 12Jackson PaveletzkeOhioJan 19Delrecco Gillespie (2)Kent StateJan 26Amani LylesAkronFeb 2Tavari Johnson (2)AkronFeb 9Marcus Banks Jr. (2)UMassFeb 16Delrecco Gillespie (3)Kent StateFeb 23Tavari Johnson (3)Luke SkaljacAkronMiamiMar 2Shammah ScottAkronMar 9

Postseason awards 2026 Mid-American Men's Basketball Individual Awards Award Recipient(s)Player of the Year Peter Suder, MiamiCoach of the Year Travis Steele, MiamiDefensive Player of the Year Javontae Campbell, Bowling GreenFreshman of the Year Leroy Blyden Jr., ToledoSixth Man Award Shammah Scott, Akron

All-MAC Honors 2026 Mid-American Men's Basketball All-Conference Teams First Team Second Team Third Team Honorable Mention All-Defensive Freshman TeamTavari Johnson, AkronAmani Lyles, AkronJavontae Campbell, Bowling GreenDelrecco Gillespie, Kent StatePeter Suder, MiamiLeonardo Bettiol, UMassBrant Byers, MiamiEian Elmer, MiamiJackson Paveletzke, OhioSonny Wilson, ToledoShammah Scott, AkronRyan Sabol, BuffaloMarcus Banks Jr., UMassLuke Skaljac, MiamiLeroy Blyden Jr., ToledoEvan Mahaffey, AkronDaniel Freitag, BuffaloMorgan Safford, Kent StateAntwone Woolfolk, MiamiJavan Simmons, ToledoAmani Lyles, AkronEvan Mahaffey, AkronJavontae Campbell, Bowling GreenNathan Claerbaut, Central MichiganDelrecco Gillespie, Kent StateEric Mahaffey, AkronMohammad Habhab, Eastern MichiganQuinn Woidke, Kent StateDanny Carbuccia, UMassLeroy Blyden Jr., Toledo

See also 2025–26 Mid-American Conference women's basketball season

References