KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO) --  On Monday night at University Arena the Western Michigan Men’s basketball team opens the MAC Tournament in first round play against Ball State. The Broncos enter the tournament as the 8^th seed after finishing the regular season with a 6-10 conference record.  

This is the first season under the new tournament format that has been widely unpopular throughout the MAC. In previous seasons the top 2 teams in each division would receive automatic byes to the quarterfinals. This year all teams are seeded based on conference record with the top 2 teams receiving byes all the way to the semifinals. The 3^rd and 4^th seeds receive byes to the quarterfinals.  Teams that do not receive a bye will have to win 5 games in 6 days to become MAC Champion.  

If the Broncos beat Ball State on Monday, they would face the winner of Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois in Cleveland on Wednesday at 7pm.