Nearly a week after the Ball State men's basketball team's season came to a halt, the Mid-American Conference has crowned its champion and will be sending one team to the field of 65 for the NCAA Tournament.
After claiming the regular season crown, Central Michigan defeated two-time defending tournament champion Kent State Saturday night, 77-67, in the championship game in Cleveland. It marked the first time Central has won the tournament crown since the 1987 season.
Along with capturing both championships, the team was handed several individual awards as well.
Junior Chris Kaman captured the MAC Player of the Year honor after leading the league in field goal percentage at 63 percent. The 7-foot center also led the conference in blocked shots (84) and was also second in scoring, rebounding and double-doubles.
Not only did the NBA prospect earn the Player of the Year nod, he also captured the Defensive Player of the Year. He is the second player since the creation of the Defensive Player of the Year award to win both in the same season. The other player to do so was Bonzi Wells of Ball State in 1998.
Chippewas head coach Jay Smith was also honored by being named MAC Coach of the Year. Smith led CMU to an overall 21-6 record and 14-4 league slate a year after the Chippewas went 9-19.
As if that wasn't enough, Central also captured the first-ever Sixth Man Award. Whitney Robinson took that honor after averaging seven points in 17 minutes of play a game off of the bench.
Ball State was not left completely behind in the post season honors. Senior Chris Williams was named to the All-MAC first team after leading the conference in scoring the majority of the season. Williams finished the season averaging just over 24 points a game.
Voting for the All-MAC team was by the 13 head coaches around the league. Rounding out the All-MAC team was Kaman, Antonio Gates of Kent State, Marcus Smallwood of Northern Illinois, and Brandon Hunter of Ohio.
Gates and Hunter trailed Kaman in the Player of the Year votes as Gates had 15 votes and Hunter had seven. Kaman was named on 37 ballots.
While it was a successful beginning to March Madness for Central Michigan, Ball State's madness ended rather abruptly.
After fighting for the last month of play to try to secure a first round home game in the opening round of the MAC Tournament, Ball State did indeed get to play in Worthen Arena.
The Cardinals were slotted with the No. 8 seed and took on Bowling Green, the No. 9 seed in the tournament.
At first glance it appeared to be a match up that was in Ball State's favor considering the Cardinals had defeated the Falcons just four games earlier, 94-73.
However, the first half of play in last Monday's first round game against Bowling Green proved to be the end of the Cardinals' season.
Bowling Green outscored the Cardinals 43-26 in the first half after Ball State shot a mere 23 percent from the field. That compared to Bowling Green's 60-percent shooting in the first half.
Ball State battled back, but it was simply too little too late as Ball State's season ended with a 90-81 loss to Bowling Green.
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