TOLEDO - As basketball practices continue and the first games approach, only one thing is certain in the Mid-American Conference. The Buffalo Bulls men's team will be horrible, especially if head coach Tim Cohane's comments at the MAC's Media Days at the SeaGate Centre in Toledo are any evidence.

"My name is Tim Cohane," said Cohane as he settled down in front of the microphone to speak to the media. "I'm the head coach at Buffalo. And my team stinks."

Such candidness was a breath of fresh Maumee River air. Most coaches could only dance around the inquiries into which teams might be the favorites, mainly because they really don't know. No one does. Still, the media - even the two jokers who gave first-place votes to the lowly Buffalo - tried to place the NCAA Tournament tickets in the winners' hands Tuesday and yesterday.

On Tuesday, the Ohio women's team wasn't surprised by any first-place votes. The Bobcats were picked to finish fourth in the MAC East Division. Yesterday, the enigma known as the Ohio men's team, which somehow has confused enough prognosticators to be picked anywhere from first to last in pre-season publications, was picked to finish fifth in the East.

Also Tuesday, Toledo received 20 of 35 votes to win the women's MAC Tournament at the SeaGate Centre in March.

"I think we're a good team," Toledo coach Mark Ehlen said. "I don't think we're a great team. If people want to choose us, that's great. I know it's going to be awfully tough. You've got to get by Kent to win."

The Rockets received 210 points overall to win the West. Following were Central Michigan, 134; Ball State, 121; Western Michigan, 120; Eastern Michigan, 80 and Northern Illinois, 70.

In the East, defending champion Kent received 242 points to win the division (32 first-place votes). Following were Bowling Green, 192 (2); Akron, 145 (1); Ohio, 136; Marshall, 100; Miami, 97 and Buffalo, 70.

The view of who might win for the women is clouded by the five new head coaches in the conference. Cheryl Dozier takes over for the MAC's newest member, Buffalo. At Bowling Green, Deanne Knoblauch replaces Jaci Clark, who left for Dayton. Suzy Merchant will lead Eastern as it enters a new arena, the 8,824 seat Convocation Center. In Oxford, Maria Fantanarosa enters her first year for the RedHawks, while in DeKalb, Carol Hammerle joins Northern Illinois.

"There's a real mix in there," Ohio head coach Marsha Reall said. "We don't know what to expect. It's going to be hard to know right off."

The men's race might have been an even tougher choice for media members, who spent the two days carrying around large duffel bags full of media guides. Power has shifted from the West, dominated last season by Bonzi Wells' Ball State, Earl Boykins' Eastern Michigan and the NCAA Tournament's surprise, Western Michigan.

Now, it's all Miami. Sports Illustrated has tabbed the RedHawks as a top-25 team, and with two All-MAC first teamers, Wally Szczerbiak and Damon Frierson, Miami might be that good or better. Either way, it was an easy choice to win the MAC.

The RedHawks received 41 of 51 votes to win the MAC Tournament. They also got 371 points in the MAC East (45 first-place). In second was Akron, 307 (5); Marshall, 216 (1); Bowling Green, 209 (2); Ohio, 200; Kent, 167 and Buffalo, 70 (2).

The Bobcats have the disadvantage of traveling to Oxford to face Miami, which doesn't come to Athens. But in a division that sees five teams return all five starters - only Ohio and Buffalo lost starters - the Bobcats might have the advantage of being the dark horse, or at least a semi-shaded one.

"We're happy to be back in the saddle," Ohio head coach Larry Hunter said. "Last year (Ohio went 5-21) wasn't a real fun year. When you have the year that we had, you need to regroup a little bit. That's what we've done."

The entire West might have to regroup after this season. Toledo received 300 points to win the division (33 first-place votes). Following were Northern Illinois, 244 (13); Ball State, 202 (5); Western, 188 (4); Eastern, 112 and Central, 109.