Next season

[freddycat68]

Because why not?

I see a mess up top with BU/DU/UNI/MSU/LUC in the mix with UNI and BU maybe a HAIR ahead in that grouping.

Then Valpo/UE.

Then ISUr/ISUb/SIU battling for relevance, which every one of them is capable of achieving.

I think another crazy season awaits. Fun times!

[BCPanther]

Extremely early look at 2019-20--

1-UNI- Everything back. AJ Green a year older. Phyfe back.
2-Bradley- Most everything back. Elijah Childs a year older
3-Loyola- Can Krutwig get into better shape? Life without Mullins.
4-Missouri State- Year 2 is always harder but good foundation there
5-Illinois State- Still very talented. Yarbrough leaving addition by subtraction
6-Drake- Year 2 is always harder. Everybody in new role.
7-Evansville- Lots of talent coming on board. Really McCarty's first year
8-Valpo- Lottich with lots to prove. Javon Freeman a year older.
9-Indiana State- Lansing is getting another year. So yeah....
10-Southern Illinois- Total rebuild. Barry left the cupboard bare.

I feel like I'm too high on Loyola and too low on Drake but this is a first guess that I'll change 84 times between now and then.

[ahunte1]

Let's just hope everybody had a better nonconference season than this year!

[Blers]

This is always fun.

1. Missouri State- Lots of talent coming back and coming into the program. Curious how the new offense will fair in the MVC
2. UNI- Panthers featured a pretty young team this year, Green will get better; and i like McDonnell/Dahl in the paint. DPOY type player in Brown
3. Drake- Thomas, Wilkins and the Murphy twins. Really like the core and Devries as a coach, watch out if Norton does get the sixth year (i doubt it but still).
4. Loyola- Krutwig/Williamson's team, Kaifes is a stud and the team gets desperately needed shooters; need an experienced pg, and youth will need to learn how to win games.
5. Bradley- Not sure how to feel about Bradley. I think they lose a great glue guy/leader in DLO, toughness in Luqman, and a mismatch guy in Van Bree... Brown, Childs, Kennel, and Henry are a great core but they'll be very freshman heavy off the bench, especially at guard.
6. Evansville- My dark horse...some real talent coming in. Next years Drake?
7. Indiana State- Barnes/Key/Neese on paper may be the best guard trio in the league...but until ISU proves they can put it together i struggle putting them here
8. Illinois State- Like LU need a pg; talented transfers coming in... but from losing teams. Wouldn't surprise me if they play better without Yarb though.
9. Valpo- They have a lot coming back and should compete... but as of now I could see the transfer bug hitting them hard.
10. Southern- Lots TBD on this roster, but in fairness it didn't stop Drake or MSU

[Sir Sci]

I don't think I could make an exact prediction in terms of standings, but these are the tiers I see teams falling into as of right now:

Should compete for conference championship: UNI, Missouri State, and Bradley
Still good and in the top half of the conference: Drake and Loyola
The middle teams capable of surprising everyone: Valpo and Evansville
Too many questions to expect big things: Illinois State, Indiana State, SIU

[musiccitybulldog]

Drake
Missouri State
UNI
Loyola
Bradley
Southern Illinois
Indiana State
Illinois State
Evansville
Valpo

[goramblers2011]

Shot in the dark:

1. Loyola (shooters with Kaifes, Hall, Wojcik; POY favorite in Krutwig; top recruiting class in the conference...but...I am extremely biased)
2. UNI
3. MoSt
4. Bradley
5. Drake
6. Valpo
7. Indiana State
8. Evansville
9. Illinois State
10. Southern Illinois

[tribecalledquest]

Shot in the dark:

1. Loyola (shooters with Kaifes, Hall, Wojcik; POY favorite in Krutwig; top recruiting class in the conference...but...I am extremely biased)
2. UNI
3. MoSt
4. Bradley
5. Drake
6. Valpo
7. Indiana State
8. Evansville
9. Illinois State
10. Southern Illinois

As we saw this year with so many key players/transfers coming in the spring lets hold off on "top recruiting class" stuff.

[goramblers2011]

Shot in the dark:

1. Loyola (shooters with Kaifes, Hall, Wojcik; POY favorite in Krutwig; top recruiting class in the conference...but...I am extremely biased)
2. UNI
3. MoSt
4. Bradley
5. Drake
6. Valpo
7. Indiana State
8. Evansville
9. Illinois State
10. Southern Illinois

As we saw this year with so many key players/transfers coming in the spring lets hold off on "top recruiting class" stuff.

Top rated recruiting class of high school seniors at this point in time*

Better?

[freddycat68]

Newbies: that's always hard to gauge. BU next season returns Brown, Childs, Kennell, Henry, Bar, Boya, Hodgson, and if you believe the people "in the know," brings in Wardle's "best recruiting class." That includes some more international flavor, but supposedly a higher level than what he's brought in so far. That's nice to hear, but we'll see what happens. To my mind the combo of Brown and Childs puts BU in the title hunt with a decent supporting cast, and if we get another Ja'Shon Henry or 2 in the next bunch, that's just a pleasant surprise.