Ohio vs. Miami

Ohio (No. 4)

Coach: Tim O’Shea, 7th season, 119-93 overall

Player to watch: Bitter from lackluster exits from the two previous tournaments, marquee big man Leon Williams will be playing to be remembered by this tournament, and he’ll continue his habit of leading the way — through defenders — for Ohio.

X-factor: Sure seniors Williams and Bubba Walther will do everything they can to propel the Bobcats in Cleveland, but the player who has the ability to push them over the edge is Jerome Tillman. If Tillman’s on, it will be extremely difficult for opponents to stifle all of Ohio’s offensive options.

Last MAC Championship: 2005

Why they’ll win: They’re easily one of the most talented teams in the conference and have depth that other programs don’t.

Why they won’t: Ohio is horribly inconsistent, and it’s impossible to tell if they can string together three straight wins — especially because they have to go through Kent State to reach the final.

Miami (No. 5)

Coach: Long-time assistant Jermaine Henderson (2-0) holds the reigns, as the RedHawks play without the legendary Charlie Coles (207-155).

Player to watch: Tim Pollitz is the unquestioned leader of the RedHawks and if he does well, usually the whole team follows suit.

X-factor: Junior college transfer guard Kenny Hayes found his stride in the latter half of the MAC regular season and can cause significant damage from 3-point range.

Last MAC Championship: 2007

Why they’ll win: The RedHawks know they can win when they’re least expected to, like, oh, last year. And Miami has already found motivation playing for Coles, who will not return the rest of this season because of health problems.

Why they won’t: The RedHawks win big one game then struggle the next. Their inconsistency will play a major role if teams cut off Pollitz inside.

Western Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan

Western Michigan (No. 2)

Coach: Steve Hawkins, 5th season, 95-62

Last MAC Championship: 2004

Player to Watch: Guard David Kool has come into his own in his sophomore season as one of the top players in the conference.

X-Factor: Forward Joe Reitz has one last chance to show fans that he, and not Akron’s Jeremiah Wood or Ohio’s Leon Williams, is the best big man in the MAC.

Why they’ll win: The Broncos are the dark horse in this year’s tournament, and they did not have a bad year themselves, knocking off Akron, Miami and Davidson.

Why they won’t: The Broncos struggled away from Kalamazoo, posting just an 8-10 record on the road, and playing in Cleveland will be just like a road game.

Eastern Michigan (No. 7)

Coach: Charles E. Ramsey, 3rd season, 33-47

Last MAC Championship: 1998

Player to Watch: Guard Carlos Medlock has been the most consistent scorer all season, scoring in double figures in all but four games.

X-Factor: Forward Jesse Bunkley has to be an inside threat to give his team a chance at advancing.

Why they’ll win: The Eagles can make it rain from 3-point range, finishing second in the conference with 245 3-point field goals made.

Why they won’t: The Eagles lack a dominant low-post scorer, severely hindering their chances if opponents are able to shut down their guard play.

Central Michigan vs. Akron

Central Michigan (No. 6)

Coach: Ernie Zeigler, 2nd season, 26-45

Last MAC Championship: 2003

Player to Watch: Guard Giordan Watson has been solid throughout his entire career, also finishing first in the MAC with 4.5 assists per game.

X Factor: Forward Nate Minnoy, a transfer from Purdue, is not afraid to get physical with some of the MAC’s most physical players, weighing 260 pounds.

Why they’ll win: Lots of luck. The Chippewas better pick their four-leaf clovers and bring their lucky rabbit’s feet.

Why they won’t: The Chippewas have been the Jekyll and Hyde of the MAC all season, and with their shaky track record, winning more than a game in the tournament seems highly unlikely.

Akron (No. 3)

Coach: Keith Dambrot, 4th season, 197-106

Player to Watch: Forward Jeremiah Wood has made up for his lack of size to help combat the absence of Romeo Travis up front.

X-factor: Guard Cedrick Middleton has averaged 15.8 points per game over his last six contests.

Last MAC Championship: Akron has not won a MAC title since the tournament began in 1980.

Why they’ll win: The Zips boast the most experience in the MAC and also have last season’s defeat to Miami in the MAC championship to avenge.

Why they won’t: Akron has not been able to beat the Golden Flashes this season, including a defeat at home last week on a last-second shot by Al Fisher.

Kent State vs. Toledo

Kent State (No. 1)

Coach: Jim Christian, 6th season, 137-57 overall

Player to watch: MAC Player of the Year Al Fisher has consistently carried the Golden Flashes this season. Expect him to do it again in the tournament.

X-factor: If a battle with Haminn Quaintance inside doesn’t terrify the Golden Flashes’ opponents, nothing will.

Last MAC Championship: 2006

Why they’ll win: As the number one seed, they are expected to come out with a victory.

Why they won’t: Some teams are fed up with all the “Kent State has already guaranteed itself a bid to the NCAA Tournament talk” and forces the Golden Flashes to earn an at-large bid.

Toledo (No. 1)

Coach: Stan Joplin, 12th season, 203-154 overall

Player to watch: Junior guard Tyrone Kent, who, believe it or not, leads the MAC in scoring with 17.1 points per game.

X-factor: The Rockets are surprisingly pesky with their MAC best 8.89 steals per game, led by guard Jonathan Amos, who averages 2.54 a game.

Last MAC Championship: 1980

Why they’ll win: Every other team gets amnesia and forgets they’re playing in a conference tournament with an NCAA Tournament bid on the line.

Why they won’t: All five of their starters play at least 30 minutes a game and the Rockets won’t have the depth to be the first MAC team to win four games in four days for the title.