MVC Basketball Thus Far:

[Panther789]

A quick look at the Valley as it stands coming into Sunday.

1. Illinois State - 6-0

Their best win was probably at Wright State, which at the time figured to be a very big win. Wright State was picked to finish 2nd in the Horizon, but is now 0-4 with losses to Central Michigan, Sam Houston State, and Miami of Ohio.

2. Evansville - 3-1 with a 16 point loss at Butler.

3. Bradley - 4-2 with a loss at Florida and a loss to UMKC on a nuetral court.

4. UNI - 4-2 - you know the story.

5. Creighton 3-2 with a nice come from behind win vs New Mexico and tough losses at Arkansas-Little Rock and Nebraska.

6. WSU - 3-2 with a nice win over Siena and losses to UMKC and Georgetown.

7. Drake - 2-2 with loses to Butler and Vandy. They play New Mexico later today.

8. Missouri State - 2-2 with a win over Arkansas and losses to Utah and Auburn.

9. SIU - 2-3 with losses to Duke, UCLA and Western Kentucky

10. Indiana State - 0-4 without too much to celebrate at this point.

Difficult to tell where we will fall in the Conference RPI rankings this year, but I think its fairly safe to say the MVC will not be ahead of any of the BCS conferences. My guess is that we end up in the 8-10 range.

[BUBraves2006]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

Bradley's loss to UMKC was on a neutral site (Ft. Myers, Fla.) but it doesn't make it any less awful.

I think all of these records show that the conference is completely up for grabs as it doesn't appear anyone will be dominant.

Sad to say, we may be a one bid league again.

[Panther789]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

Bradley's loss to UMKC was on a neutral site (Ft. Myers, Fla.) but it doesn't make it any less awful.

I think all of these records show that the conference is completely up for grabs as it doesn't appear anyone will be dominant.

Sad to say, we may be a one bid league again.

Thanks for the info, and I think all of your points are pretty accurate.

[jman2004]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

Sad to say, we may be a one bid league again.

I don't think so. Let the season play out.

If this conference can remain at least 8th in total RPI, we'll get 2 teams in the tournament.

It's early. Let conference play begin. Then the contenders will start to separate themselves.

[BCPanther]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

We stayed 8th in RPI last year and got one team.

I hate to say it, but I think this is a one bid league...

[jman2004]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

We stayed 8th in RPI last year and got one team.

I hate to say it, but I think this is a one bid league...

True . . .

I should've added a clause to that prediction. As long as we're 8th in RPI, and as long as the same team that wins the regular season conference does NOT win the Valley tourney . . . I think we'll be a two bid league, as what would've happened last year.

[terri]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

I think Southern Illinois is the best team in the conference despite their record.

[clenz]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

WSU has looked pretty good against their two ranked opponents

[Panther Cat]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

After the early goings it is still tough to even guess where thing will fall into place. My feelings is that the best teams are in this order.........

1. Creighton - still a good team, need some more consitency
2. Bradley - I still think they are a good team, but have one terrible loss
3. Illinois State - Playing very well, but I want to see them play someone first
4. SIU - They are playing a lot better than I though they would
5. UNI - Inconsitent, but have the pieces for a good season
6. Drake - Don't have a bad loss, but not really an impressive win either
7. Wichita State - Biggest surprise in my opinion
8. Evansville - Decent team, but still have a ways to go
9. Missouri State - Mediocore team right now
10. Indiana State - will be another long season in Terre Haute


This is just my feelings early, but I could easily seeing it finish nothing like this. It might not seem like it, but this conference is once again very strong top to bottom. Besides Indiana State (which we have trouble with every year) there isn't any team you can mark down as a easy win. Should be fun to watch it unfold.

[jman2004]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

Besides Indiana State (which we have trouble with every year) there isn't any team you can mark down as a easy win. Should be fun to watch it unfold.

The way this conference is, it's pretty naive to say that even Indiana State is an easy win. There will be NO easy wins this season in conference play. Every win will be earned. IMHO, all teams are pretty equally mediocre.

Illinois State would be my team to beat.

[Panther Cat]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

The way this conference is, it's pretty naive to say that even Indiana State is an easy win. There will be NO easy wins this season in conference play. Every win will be earned. IMHO, all teams are pretty equally mediocre.

Illinois State would be my team to beat.

Indiana State is by far the worst team in the Valley. We might struggle with them because we always do at their place. But they aren't very good, and by far the worst team in the conference. I think you'd find it difficult to find someone who wouldn't think they aren't at the bottom. I don't think it's naive calling a spade a spade.

[williebat]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

After the early goings it is still tough to even guess where thing will fall into place. My feelings is that the best teams are in this order.........

1. Creighton - still a good team, need some more consitency
2. Bradley - I still think they are a good team, but have one terrible loss
3. Illinois State - Playing very well, but I want to see them play someone first
4. SIU - They are playing a lot better than I though they would
5. UNI - Inconsitent, but have the pieces for a good season
6. Drake - Don't have a bad loss, but not really an impressive win either
7. Wichita State - Biggest surprise in my opinion
8. Evansville - Decent team, but still have a ways to go
9. Missouri State - Mediocore team right now
10. Indiana State - will be another long season in Terre Haute


This is just my feelings early, but I could easily seeing it finish nothing like this. It might not seem like it, but this conference is once again very strong top to bottom. Besides Indiana State (which we have trouble with every year) there isn't any team you can mark down as a easy win. Should be fun to watch it unfold.

Lets hope UNI can finish # 1 but.....
I think I would rank them:
1. Creighton- because of stinnett NCAA tourney bound
2. Illinois state- they are due and fired up over last humiliation in mvc finals NCAA tourney bound
3. WSU- with their fans and they seems to be hanging in there who knows
4. SIU- They always find a way to win. Tough schedule will be good for them down the road.
5. Bradley- Look for a surprise finish here
6.UNI- Who knows, Jake makes some bad in game coaching decisions at times and that embarrassing loss to MArquette makes me wonder. ISU and Iowa games will tell us more.
7. evansville
8. MO state
9. Drake
10. ISU

[jman2004]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

Indiana State is by far the worst team in the Valley. We might struggle with them because we always do at their place. But they aren't very good, and by far the worst team in the conference. I think you'd find it difficult to find someone who wouldn't think they aren't at the bottom. I don't think it's naive calling a spade a spade.

You weren't simply calling a "spade a spade" though. You were marking them on the calendar as an easy win.

I agree with you, they are probably the weakest team in the conference.

But that doesn't mean they'll be an easy win for anybody.

[Panther789]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

We stayed 8th in RPI last year and got one team.

I hate to say it, but I think this is a one bid league...

Unfortunately, a few weeks later and it looks like you might be right here.

It is getting very hard to imagine someone in this league getting an at-large bid right now.

Oh well, we will just have to steal the automatic birth and represent the Valley well.

[geezr]

Re: MVC Basketball Thus Far:

NI has road wins over the likes of Creighton and SIU and an impressive home win against WSU. I guess I would have expected more "votes" for top "4". I haven't followed NI basketball in prior years (followed Moran's team in H.S.), but there seems to be lingering negative views from recent years.