Official 2019-20 MVCfans.com Prediction - 5th Place

by **MVCfans** » October 20th, 2019, 3:55 pm

Each week we will open a poll for users to predict the end of season finish for the MVC 2019-20 basketball season. We will work in reverse order, concluding with the predicted MVC champion chosen by our users between the last two teams remaining in week 9.

Evansville was recently selected as the likely 6th place finisher (results: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5401 )

Week 6 - Who will finish in 5th place during the 2019-20 MVC mens basketball season?
-You are choosing the team that you believe will finish in 5th place for this regular season.

Official MVCfans.com - Predictions:
10th Place - Valparaiso
9th Place - Southern Illinois
8th Place - Indiana State
7th Place - Illinois State
6th Place - Evansville
5th Place - ......

**Sponsor**

by **siudawgs** » October 20th, 2019, 5:10 pm

I voted UNI for 5th. Realize they have a lot of guys back and many think they’ll finish higher, but I’m not totally sold on their roster ... guys like Brown and Pickford have nice length and can be disruptive defensively, but seem limited offensively. If Green and Haldeman are playing together a lot, that’s not a very strong defensive backcourt. And to me, the program is somewhat in prove it mode after a few lukewarm years, nice run in STL last year notwithstanding. I thought they might add a grad transfer or other impact recruit to try to get over the hump this offseason, but that didn’t happen.

UNI could certainly contend, especially if Phyfe gives them a big lift offensively, but I like the upside of the other contenders a little more.

by **glm38** » October 20th, 2019, 5:37 pm

I voted drake. I think UNI is due for a good season.

by **TheDrake** » October 20th, 2019, 5:45 pm

I think this will be UNI as well. Assuming Drake gets Tremell back, I think Devries has enough for top 4.

by **Majik45** » October 21st, 2019, 6:44 am

This is where it is hard, as I could see any of the top 5 finishing 5th. I went with Drake as they lost the most from last year. Of course, they lost a bunch of players during the year last year, and they just kept playing well. Reminds me of what Creighton used to do.

by **musiccitybulldog** » October 21st, 2019, 9:55 am

Drake, Loyola and UNI will be the top three. The closest Bradley came to beating Drake was 9 points last year, MSU has lost to Drake both games the last two seasons, the Bears didn't come with in 10 points last year.

All about coaching.

by **MSUDuo** » October 21st, 2019, 10:03 am

musiccitybulldog wrote:Drake, Loyola and UNI will be the top three. The closest Bradley came to beating Drake was 9 points last year, MSU has lost to Drake both games the last two seasons, the Bears didn't come with in 10 points last year.

All about coaching.

Well, in that case, let's just give Loyola the title and be done with it.

by **BuBrave2006** » October 21st, 2019, 10:46 am

MSUDuo wrote:
musiccitybulldog wrote:Drake, Loyola and UNI will be the top three. The closest Bradley came to beating Drake was 9 points last year, MSU has lost to Drake both games the last two seasons, the Bears didn't come with in 10 points last year.

All about coaching.

Well, in that case, let's just give Loyola the title and be done with it.

It took the worst refereed game that I have witnessed in living memory for Drake to beat Bradley in Des Moines last year (seriously, go look up the box score, and it was even worse that it looks on paper).

Also, it's not like Drake lost their three best players or anything off of last years team and had their fourth best player shoot someone in the head. I'm sure they won't have a drop off at all and clearly still consistently beat teams that have significantly improved like Bradley and MSU by double digits.

by **squirrel** » October 21st, 2019, 11:38 am

musiccitybulldog wrote:Drake, Loyola and UNI will be the top three. The closest Bradley came to beating Drake was 9 points last year, MSU has lost to Drake both games the last two seasons, the Bears didn't come with in 10 points last year.

All about coaching.

Since the first meeting last year in Peoria (a 17 point Drake win), counting that game, Drake is 12-4 in Valley games since then, including sharing the conference title. Bradley has gone 12-4 after that game, including winning the conference tournament.

Really the biggest difference this year will be the absence of Nick McGlynn, for whom Bradley seemingly had no ability to contain.

by **ColonialBulldog** » October 21st, 2019, 1:09 pm

BuBrave2006 wrote:
MSUDuo wrote:
musiccitybulldog wrote:Drake, Loyola and UNI will be the top three. The closest Bradley came to beating Drake was 9 points last year, MSU has lost to Drake both games the last two seasons, the Bears didn't come with in 10 points last year.

All about coaching.

Well, in that case, let's just give Loyola the title and be done with it.

It took the worst refereed game that I have witnessed in living memory for Drake to beat Bradley in Des Moines last year (seriously, go look up the box score, and it was even worse that it looks on paper).

Also, it's not like Drake lost their three best players or anything off of last years team and had their fourth best player shoot someone in the head. I'm sure they won't have a drop off at all and clearly still consistently beat teams that have significantly improved like Bradley and MSU by double digits.

Yes, there were a lot more calls in favor of the Bulldogs when Bradley visited Des Moines. I think Drake still wins even if the officiating was a little less in favor of the Bulldogs. Could it have gone the other way? Maybe but I'm a doubtful homer.

To say Drake lost their top three players is disingenuous. No one in the MVC played a game against Norton. The losses of McGlynn and Brady are notable but I am very impressed with how DeVries has filled the voids left by those two seniors.

I'd pick Bradley to finish above UNI right now though. It's too bad Terry has to sit out this year. I think he could help this squad quite a bit.