Street and Smith say...

[Panthers to the Bone]

http://valleytalk.net/showthread.php?t=2098

1. Creighton (17th nationally)
2. Wichita St
3. Southern Illinois
4. Missouri St
5. Northern Iowa
6. Illinois St
7. Evansville
8. Drake
9. Bradley
10. Indiana St

Stout (1st team all-conference, best rebounder, best shot-blocker)
Eglseder (Top Impact Freshman)

[Matt Trump]

Seems about right where people expect us to be.

[unigriff]

damn Nate Funk

[panther2317]

Street and Smith's has nailed it. Except I'd like to see UNI either claw it's way to #3 or drop 1 spot to #6. The #3 vs. #6 game in St. Louis gives people from Cedar Falls all day to get to the Savvis Center on Friday as it's an 8:30 PM tip-off

[TravelingPanther]

I think these writers are stupid. I read Lindy's and Street and Smith's. 5th place in the Valley? I know it's tough, but I think we are top 3 with a small perfromance from the newbies.

[Beaker416]

I'd like to see UNI in the top 3, and I don't think it's impossible. However, I do think putting us at #5 is probably the best preseason guess, and it's tough until we see how all the recruits adapt to Jake's system. This team reminds me a lot of the 2004 team with Gruber and Schniderman dominating down low. If we can find that 3rd person, the "Eric Crawford" type player, and I think Travo has a shot to fill that role, we will be very dangerous.

[panther2317]

Please remember that we finished 6th last season and we lost Ben Jacobson the player as well as our former head coach who had a lot to do with 3 straight NCAA appearances. People across the country don't expect a lot from the Panthers this season. That's 'ok' people. It's nice to fly under the radar.

[DrewDog]

3rd to 5th is realistic. If the team gels and a few of players step up, we could push SIU and Creighton. This season is a chance for some guys to step out from the shadows, so it will be interesting how they respond. I also hope that all of us fans go into this season with realistic expectations for this year's team and do not put too much pressure on the team. I cannot wait to pick out our seats in the McLeod Center and for the season to begin!

[TravelingPanther]

I guess I don't even care about the pick, I just hate that these writers don't realize that this team could easily be as good, if not better than previous years.

In my honest opinion, McDermott made a lot of bad personel decisions when it came to playing time, and I've heard the same thing from a few of the players. That Georgetown game would've gone a lot better if Travis had gotten some more playing time during the season. He had those clutch 3's against Bucknell, yet in games where we were walking away with the game he would barely play. Get the kid some minutes to get comfortable with the offensive sets and to mesh with everyone some more, and I think we beat Georgetown. (It obviously will help having 4 players above 6'6" this year as well).

[panther2317]

I know where you're coming from Rob, but they're not looking at 'how good a team could be', they look at the returners and make a prediction. They (just like coaches and fans) don't know how much (if any) newcomers will contribute. Not to mention we've had a coaching change and outsiders will (most of the time) look at that as a loss for the team that had the coach hired away.

Don't get frustrated Rob...it's all very subjective. We think there's a great mix of returners and newcomers...but that's very subjective as well. Street and Smith's is being very realistic in my opinion. Also, remember that 3rd - 6th place last year was separated by 1 game in the loss column...so it's not going to be a runaway.

[Panthers to the Bone]

Remember the Valley returns 37 of the 50 starters on the MVC teams. It's going to be a very tough year. With freshmen usually 'hitting the wall' in late January, it's often hard to put so much pressure and minutes on freshmen early and often.

[Hime_Peterson]

I think if UNI gets good perimeter play this year, they will have a very nice season and should make it to the NCAA's again---I think the MVC will be a 4-5bid league. I also don't think they'll miss a beat in terms of coaching.

However, Street and Smith is right on with their prognostication.

A pre-season prediction has to be based on what has been seen.

The four teams ranked above UNI in this pre-season poll all finished higher than UNI last year, and all have more key returning players.

[TH1974]

I agree completely with 2317.

[SA4UNI]

I like flying under the radar, and being a "surprise" team. With some decent perimeter play, and some solid "D" we should go quite far.

[Panthers to the Bone]

http://www.profantasysports.com/easycite/ros.php?PID=4325

Nate Funk is back. Last year’s leading candidate for player of the year in the Missouri Valley Conference had his season stolen by a shoulder injury. He redshirted and now has another chance to be the MVC’s player of the year. Of course, he’ll have competition in what was perhaps the top non-power conference in the NCAA’s last year, sending four teams to the Big Dance, two of which made the Sweet Sixteen. The conference is filled with scorers (like Funk and Missouri State’s Blake Ahearn), rebounders (such as Northern Iowa’s Grant Stout), and multitalented players (like Ahearn’s teammate Nathan Bilyeu). As has been my way recently, let’s take a look at the top ten fantasy prospects, starting at the bottom of the list and working our way up.... (there's more just check out the link...more on Stout)