Are we a 1 bid conference?

[Newsbreaker]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

My question is whether a team like Creighton, Bradley, or ISU(r) is better than the 5th/6th place teams from the Big 10, Minnesota and Ohio State. I think both would be lucky to split with the MVC top teams. But I bet both Big 10 teams will make the dance.

Normally we've (as a league) shown your thoughts to be true during non-conference play. This year we have not, and your position require assumptions that are, for this year at least, on similar foundation to those of Big Ten fans who think the 5th place Big Ten team would rule the day in the MVC.

Note that by RPI (realtimerpi) Ohio State is 53rd, 2nd best compared to MVC teams, with Illinois State a few places behind.

[jman2004]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

My question is whether a team like Creighton, Bradley, or ISU(r) is better than the 5th/6th place teams from the Big 10, Minnesota and Ohio State. I think both would be lucky to split with the MVC top teams. But I bet both Big 10 teams will make the dance.

Minnesota will not make the dance. The Big Ten will only get 4, maybe 5 teams in. Purdue, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan State, and maybe, just maybe Ohio State. Each one of them would probably fair pretty well in our conference this season.

[Matt Trump]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

Normally we've (as a league) shown your thoughts to be true during non-conference play. This year we have not...

That is the fundamental piece to the entire argument of "is the MVC down". The nonconference success was not there this year. Its a 1 bid league if Drake runs the table in the tourney.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

That is the fundamental piece to the entire argument of "is the MVC down". The nonconference success was not there this year. Its a 1 bid league if Drake runs the table in the tourney.

While I agree with most who contend that if Drake wins in St. Louis we are a 1-bid league, I think the argument that the Valley is down is misleading.

Yes, we don't have any of the marquee wins that we have had in the past few years, but we also have had limited opportunities to get them as well. Most of the teams we have played have either been at the upper level of BcS or bottom, very little opportunity to show a separation with the middle-pack BcS schools head-to-head.

Valley vs BcS Conferences:

ACC: no games
Big East: 2-0, wins over mid to bottom DePaul and Cincinnati
Big 10: 2-6, both wins over Iowa and losses to Indiana (2), Iowa (1), Michigan State (1), and Purdue (2)
Big 12: 4-1, 3 wins over Iowa State, 1 over Nebraska, loss to Baylor
Pac 10: 0-1, SIU loss to USC in California
SEC: 2-3, wins over LSU and Miss St, losses to Bama, Arkansas, and Vandy

Overall versus BcS: 10-11

Seems to me, we held our own against the $$$ Conferences. 9 Home games (6-3), 4 Road games (2-2), 8 Neutral (2-6)

Against the next tier conferences:

A-10: 4-3
Colonial: 3-1
C-USA: 1-1
Horizon: 7-6 (with 4 BB games coming)
Mountain West: 1-1
West Coast: 1-1
WAC: 0-1 (with SIU hosting Nevada for BB)

We are "down" because we haven't beaten any big names or have 4 or 5 schools run off 10-1, 9-2 non con schedules. Doesn't mean a lot of schools would want to play us though. I think we are feeling a little backlash from more recent success. Gary Williams is still having phone issues to the mid-west.

[06panther10]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

Ok let me ask you this then, Do you think there is a team in our conference that you would put money on to make a deep run in the tourny if they made it in? I think many people would have predicted that teams like SIU in the past few years would have made a good run in the tourny, and they did. I dont think you can really say that with confidence about any teams in our league this year. We will be back though.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

Ok let me ask you this then, Do you think there is a team in our conference that you would put money on to make a deep run in the tourny if they made it in? I think many people would have predicted that teams like SIU in the past few years would have made a good run in the tourny, and they did. I dont think you can really say that with confidence about any teams in our league this year. We will be back though.

Oh I agree. Drake could be in trouble depending on how they get seeded. They get a 5-6 they can move on. They slide to an 7-10 because of perceived weakness in the conference, they could be in trouble.

Illinois State needs to get back to playing the defense they were early in the year.

Bradley can be the most scary because of their guards and their ability to shoot, but they have a deficiency in the post.

Creighton could be scary as well, but they are as young and inconsistent as we are and Altman has struggled to get past the first round even when he had some veteran teams.

The biggest problem any of the Valley teams has to face is the 10+ day lay-off between St. Louis and the NCAA's. Any team that gets on a run through Arch Madness will have to find a way to sustain that.

[GonzoCat]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

Ok let me ask you this then, Do you think there is a team in our conference that you would put money on to make a deep run in the tourny if they made it in? I think many people would have predicted that teams like SIU in the past few years would have made a good run in the tourny, and they did. I dont think you can really say that with confidence about any teams in our league this year. We will be back though.

I am just as confident of Drake making a run in the tourney as I have ever been of any MVC team. I never predicted SIU to go far because I always figured they would get called for the hundreds of fouls they commit in a game but don't get called for in the Valley.

Anyway sweet 16 is the furthest any MVC team has gone in modern history I believe. I could easily see Drake doing that, and the worse seed they get perhaps the better. I'm pretty sure no Tom Davis coached team ever lost a first round game in 20 appearances or whatever. I believe he will pass that secret along to Keno this year. Win the first game and take over a higher seed, makes winning the second game easier.

[UNIAlum95]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

Ok let me ask you this then, Do you think there is a team in our conference that you would put money on to make a deep run in the tourny if they made it in? I think many people would have predicted that teams like SIU in the past few years would have made a good run in the tourny, and they did. I dont think you can really say that with confidence about any teams in our league this year. We will be back though.

What 5th or 6th place team in a BCS conference is going to make a run. All the argument is that the 2nd/3rd place team in the MVC is just as deserving of a bid as the 5th/6th place team in a league like the Big 10.

[jman2004]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

What 5th or 6th place team in a BCS conference is going to make a run. All the argument is that the 2nd/3rd place team in the MVC is just as deserving of a bid as the 5th/6th place team in a league like the Big 10.

I don't think so this year. I wouldn't take Creighton, Illinois State, or Bradley against any of the top 4 or 5 from the Big Ten (Purdue, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan State, or even Ohio State). No way, not this year. Those next three MVC teams are way too inconsistent to scare anyone this year. Creighton lost to Evansville, then turned around and backed it up with a 30 point loss. Pathetic.

I root for the Valley more than any other conference, just like most on here. But I can also see the light. The Valley is down compared to recent years, there's no "ifs" "ands" or "buts" about it.

[clenz]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

Ok let me ask you this then, Do you think there is a team in our conference that you would put money on to make a deep run in the tourny if they made it in? I think many people would have predicted that teams like SIU in the past few years would have made a good run in the tourny, and they did. I dont think you can really say that with confidence about any teams in our league this year. We will be back though.

Most other years I would take a 3rd place valley team over a 5th or 6th place B10 team, but I don't think I can do that this year

[06panther10]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

Anyway sweet 16 is the furthest any MVC team has gone in modern history I believe.

SIU made it to the elite-8 last year did it not? I think they did but i may be wrong. Lost to Kansas in that round I thought.

[UNI MadCat]

Re: Are we a 1 bid conference?

SIU made it to the elite-8 last year did it not? I think they did but i may be wrong. Lost to Kansas in that round I thought.

Lost to Kansas in the 3rd (Sweet 16) round.