What Is 2020 MAC men's basketball tournament

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2020 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament was canceled on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, just after the quarterfinals began. It was the first time since 1947 the tournament did not crown a champion.

Key Facts

The 2020 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament began on March 11, 2020, with first-round games.
It was canceled on March 12, 2020, after only two quarterfinal games were completed.
The Mid-American Conference canceled all remaining winter and spring championships due to COVID-19.
Kent State was the No. 1 seed in the East Division; Akron was the No. 1 seed in the West Division.
No champion was crowned for the first time since the tournament began in 1947.

Overview

The 2020 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament was the annual postseason event for the Mid-American Conference (MAC), designed to determine the conference's automatic qualifier for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Scheduled to run from March 11 to March 14, 2020, the tournament featured 12 teams from the conference's two divisions.

However, the event was abruptly canceled on March 12, 2020, following growing concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus. This marked the first time in the tournament's history, dating back to 1947, that no champion was crowned.

Format: The tournament followed a single-elimination format with 12 teams, seeded based on regular-season conference records and divisional standings.
Location: Games were held at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, a traditional neutral-site venue for the MAC Tournament since 2000.
Teams: The top six teams from the East and West divisions qualified, with Kent State (14–4 MAC record) and Akron (15–3) earning top seeds.
Games played: Only four games were completed, including first-round matchups and two quarterfinals, before the cancellation.
Impact: The cancellation affected NCAA Tournament eligibility, as the MAC lost its automatic bid, impacting teams like Akron and Kent State.

How It Works

The MAC Men's Basketball Tournament determines which team earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament through a structured postseason format.

Eligibility: All 12 MAC member schools are eligible, but only the top six from each division qualify based on regular-season conference win percentage.
Seeding: Teams are seeded 1 through 6 in each division, with the top seed facing the sixth seed in the first round of divisional matchups.
Game Format: The tournament uses a single-elimination format, with all games played at a neutral site in Cleveland, Ohio.
Championship Game: The winners of the East and West division brackets meet in the final, typically held on a Saturday in mid-March.
Automatic Bid: The tournament champion receives the MAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, regardless of regular-season performance.
Travel and Logistics: Teams travel to Cleveland after the regular season ends, with the event spanning four days from Tuesday to Saturday.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 2020 MAC Tournament with recent editions, highlighting the impact of the cancellation.

Year	Champion	Location	Games Completed	Notes
2020	None	Cleveland, OH	4	Canceled due to COVID-19 after quarterfinals began.
2019	Akron	Cleveland, OH	7	Akron defeated Buffalo 64–59 in the final.
2018	Buffalo	Cleveland, OH	7	Buffalo won 87–73 over Toledo; earned NCAA bid.
2017	Ohio	Cleveland, OH	7	Ohio defeated Buffalo 82–71 in championship game.
2016	Ohio	Cleveland, OH	7	Ohio beat Akron 62–61 in a one-point final.

The 2020 cancellation disrupted a long-standing tradition and left teams without a chance to compete for the NCAA Tournament. Unlike previous years, where the tournament concluded successfully, the pandemic forced the MAC to suspend all championships, aligning with NCAA and national health guidance. This decision mirrored actions taken by other conferences and ultimately led to the cancellation of the entire 2020 NCAA Tournament.

Why It Matters

The cancellation of the 2020 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament had far-reaching implications for student-athletes, programs, and the broader college sports landscape.

Player Impact: Seniors lost their final collegiate games without closure, affecting emotional and athletic milestones.
Recruiting: Programs like Akron and Kent State missed opportunities to showcase success on a national stage.
Revenue Loss: The MAC and its schools lost significant revenue from ticket sales, broadcasting, and NCAA Tournament units.
Historical Anomaly: The 2020 event is the only year since 1947 without a champion, creating a unique gap in conference history.
Precedent: The decision set a precedent for handling public health crises in college athletics, influencing future emergency planning.
NCAA Bid: No team received the automatic bid, leaving MAC teams out of the 2020 NCAA Tournament entirely.

The 2020 MAC Tournament cancellation underscored the vulnerability of college sports to external crises and highlighted the importance of athlete well-being over competition. It remains a significant moment in MAC history and a reminder of the unprecedented challenges posed by the global pandemic.