2024-2025 Around the League and Other Games of Interest

[BCPanther]

Does someone want to try to lay out scenarios of who will end up getting the 5-10 seeds?

The most likely order is:

5-Illinois State
6-UIC
7-Murray
8-SIU
9-Evansville
10-Indiana State

Would take some weird stuff on Sunday to really move much off of that.

[06panther10]

Does someone want to try to lay out scenarios of who will end up getting the 5-10 seeds?

Here is Hackman's probability chart.

[asihe_1991]

Watched Bradley/Valpo and Duke Deen is really on one right now. When he is on a shooting streak, it's the closest thing I've seen in the league since AJ. Bradley was really struggling with Valpo until Deen went ahead and hit 4 or 5 threes in a row in the second half.

Last time we played Bradley Deen was in a bit of a shooting funk. I don't think that will be the case this time. You have to pick him up dang near half court.

He was sick the last time we played, too. Will be a whole different game than the first one

[UNIChippewa]

Here is Hackman's probability chart.

So if we're the 2 seed it looks like we'd either play Murray State or Blue ISU or Evansville in the quarters, and I like our chances against any of those teams.

3 seed versus either UIC (whom we've beaten by double digits both times) or Valpo (revenge game factor).

Six of one, half dozen of another kind of scenario IMO. I would love to see us beat Bradley on their own floor, even if it ultimately doesn't mean much, just to keep the momentum going.

[Username]

ESPN has Drake at above a 50% chance of making the tournament if they don't win.

Interestingly enough they did call out both Bradley and Northern Iowa on the bubble watch, but it's basically just saying they have a good chance at a bid because of a good chance at winning the conference tournament.

I do wonder where we'd be with 3 more early season wins and beat Drake last Sunday. Probably on the outside looking in, but still interesting.

[nadf.]

I think Drake is going to get the benefit of the doubt if they get to Sunday. People have really been running with the D2 team thing lately. Those kinds of storylines give the TV networks something to talk about and the networks are the ones running this whole thing.

[Username]

I don't know, Indiana State had the whole Cream Abdul-Jabbar narrative last year and didn't get one.

Drake does have some decent wins, but their metrics and rankings are pretty putrid for a team with 3 losses.

[CletusCat]

I think Drake is going to get the benefit of the doubt if they get to Sunday. People have really been running with the D2 team thing lately. Those kinds of storylines give the TV networks something to talk about and the networks are the ones running this whole thing.

I agree. If they get to Sunday they're in.
In combination with their story and that their win over Vanderbilt is looking really nice with how good the SEC has been this year

[BCPanther]

Also a record number of bid stealers and the strongest bubble in years last year. It was the perfect storm to knock Indiana State to the wrong side.

[nadf.]

I don't know, Indiana State had the whole Cream Abdul-Jabbar narrative last year and didn't get one.

Drake does have some decent wins, but their metrics and rankings are pretty putrid for a team with 3 losses.

All true.

Kaboom

[Username]

Drake is kind of limping into the tournament here

Overtime against last place Missouri state at home after a stinker vs Evansville

I would severely doubt they rested anyone for this game given they still need to win all they can.

[1994grad]

Admittedly, Drake must be one of the best overtime teams in the country. They keep squeaking by some many teams. One would think their time is up for these close games.

[pantherUNIverse]

The fact that we are discussing whether or not Drake is an auto-bid team shows that the whole system is clearly stacked, right? And they have convinced us all to play along. Drake is 27-3 in a good conference with a good non conference schedule. 10 years ago there is 0.0% chance they are left out. RPI has been replaced with BPI and TPI Then NET, then FPQ*Net. I know I'm just making up acronyms, but so are the NCAA/ESPN/boosters. Drake is a #28 team according to what I can find for a RPI # (which is hard to find these days yet was applicable not that long ago). I could care less if Drake makes it to the tourney. In fact I hope we knock them out in the MVC final. But my main gripe is with how stacked the deck is in general. They change ranking systems frequently. Player movement is based on how much money you've got. There are so many biases. How many years before conference champs don't get an auto bid??? Or there is a play in for the DIIAqI (made up subliminal division) champs until they get to face a 10-17 Big10 school.

Frankly I've lost about 64% of my interest in college sports over the past 5 years. But, I wish I still enjoyed it like I used to. I pull for UNI to overcome some stacked odds. I kinda still want to like March Madness. I think the underdog story is possibly alive (on life support). I'll root for Loyola or Drake or St Peter's or Steph Curry or whatever it takes to make the experience unique. But every rule change in favor of the Almighty $ makes it a little less likely, and the whole experience quite a bit more boring outside of the elite few that have countless dollars to buy talent.

Let's see meritocracy become relevant again. F$!# the dollars involved.

At a minimum, can a 27-3 team in a solid conference not be a F-ing bubble team for F sake?

Not because I want to see Drake in it, or UNI in a few years. But because I think it would be more fair.

EIther way, let's take over in STL

[CincyPanther88]

Just for the hell of it, let's say UNI wins Arch Madness. What kind of a seed are we looking at here? My guess would be anywhere from 10-14. Not a lot of great wins on the schedule but I would think our program has a lot of respect and there are people that believe we could win a few games.

[Wxcpanther]

Just for the hell of it, let's say UNI wins Arch Madness. What kind of a seed are we looking at here? My guess would be anywhere from 10-14. Not a lot of great wins on the schedule but I would think our program has a lot of respect and there are people that believe we could win a few games.

I'd guess 13, at worst 14. Being the MVC champ still carries some weight.