Week 3 Non-Con Games Discussion

[MissouriValleyUnite]

https://mvc-sports.com/calendar.aspx?path=mbball


Wednesday
Chi-State @ Loyola 2pm NBCSN-Chicago
UNI @ #19 Richmond 5pm espn+
SIUE @ Valparaiso 6pm espn3
EIU @ Evansville 6pm espn+

Friday
Murray @ SIU 630pm espn3

Saturday
UWGB @ UNI 11am espn+
Evansville @ SLU 2pm NBCSN
Valparaiso @ CMU 330pm espn+
Illinois St @ Balls Tate 6pm espn3
Indiana St @ Purdue 630pm BTN

Sunday
Loyola @ UIC 1pm espn+
AFA @ Drake 1pm Mediacom22/espn+

[Blers]

Very excited to see the Ramblers play UIC. I really think they have a solid squad under Yak this year and it'll be a good barometer for the teams readiness coming off COVID. Porter said post game that the team wasn't even remotely close to back in regards to conditioning yet (they just started practicing again last Wednesday).

Having Kaifes back is huge and Norris started at point and looks to be the real deal. Unsure if he'll start all season or if it was just precautionary given Clemons was a bit banged up... Hope they can add a few tougher games before conference play though.

[Adunk33]

Very excited to see the Ramblers play UIC. I really think they have a solid squad under Yak this year and it'll be a good barometer for the teams readiness coming off COVID.

I've been keeping a close eye on UIC because of his Redbird ties. He was a student-manager back in the late 90s when Muller was a player and on the ISU staff a few years back. He was a critical role in Michigan's final four run and then had great success at Texas before getting the head job at UIC. His story is amazing. From high school history team to D1 head coach in less than a decade is amazing. A lot of Redbird fans that are fed up with Muller would love to see Yak in the role. Yak's trajectory is straight up and I think his next job with be at Northwestern or Depaul. He's got serious Chicago ties.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing the Blers play. Hopefully they'll be able to pick up a couple more noncon games before conference. There's been a lot of talk about how to have success in this crazy season. Though there probably isn't one concrete answer, I think you'll see the teams that have the most success this season have a great presence from upperclassmen. Loyola has 10 juniors and seniors. Experience and understanding how to play through adversity it going to be huge this year.

[Adunk33]

Sources: Duquesne will play Loyola-Chicago in a neutral site game in Indianapolis on December 16th.

-Rothstein

[BCPanther]

UNI played really well for 32 minutes against Richmond tonight but experience caught up and Richmond win by 10.

Actually a lot to be encouraged by tonight. I feel a lot better about an AJ Green-less team than I did going in.

Green Bay in Cedar Falls Saturday morning before a mid-week to to Wisconsin next week.

[Adunk33]

UNI played really well for 32 minutes against Richmond tonight but experience caught up and Richmond win by 10.

Coach Jake was going to have them ready to play. He always does.

I'll warn you to be careful with this "They played well for x number of minutes." That was every Redbird game last season except a couple, which resulted in 10 wins for the season. Almost every game last year, the Birds played well for 30+ minutes but had faults that cost them the game. UNI is reminding me of that team some with the 0-3 at the MTE. Though, they are much more disciplined and better coached.

Here's how I see The Valley three weeks into the season.
Tier 1:
Loyola

Tier 2:
Bradley
Drake
UNI
Southern Illinois
Indiana State

Tier 3:
Illinois State (Drinking the kool-aid, of course, but I don't think they're as bad as some think. VERY young, but a lot of talent. Need to learn defensive discipline. Ball State will be a good barometer as a couple MVC/MVC adjacent teams are slated to play the Cards.)
Mo State
Valpo

Tier 4:
Evansville

I think there is going to be a lot of parity in the league, leading to a 9-9 team, playing on Thursday night at Arch Madness.

[SalukiWorld]

SIU beats Murray State at home, one of the biggest non-conference wins I can remember since the Tournament days. Still some rebounding issues and interior defense issues but the Salukis are coming.

[Dawgbit]

SIU beats Murray State at home, one of the biggest non-conference wins I can remember since the Tournament days. Still some rebounding issues and interior defense issues but the Salukis are coming.

Biggest only because Boo-Hoo BBQ Barry was at Southern for 7 or so years.Dawgs are back.The MVC wannabes got a little taste of what SIU is going to be in a year or two. Stay tuned.

[Murraygrad05]

SIU beats Murray State at home, one of the biggest non-conference wins I can remember since the Tournament days. Still some rebounding issues and interior defense issues but the Salukis are coming.

You are welcome for the big pile of crap we left on the floor. And I’d love to know how much it took to pay off the stripes calling it but I can’t totally blame the refs and refuse to.

That was probably the worst guard play I’ve seen a Murray team have in years. We never could get over that hump of taking a lead thanks to untimely turnovers or stupid shots that went against our offensive plan. Thought we had an edge inside with our bigs but we failed to use them but that was partially due to foul trouble.

[SalukiWorld]

SIU beats Murray State at home, one of the biggest non-conference wins I can remember since the Tournament days. Still some rebounding issues and interior defense issues but the Salukis are coming.

You are welcome for the big pile of crap we left on the floor. And I’d love to know how much it took to pay off the stripes calling it but I can’t totally blame the refs and refuse to.

That was probably the worst guard play I’ve seen a Murray team have in years. We never could get over that hump of taking a lead thanks to untimely turnovers or stupid shots that went against our offensive plan. Thought we had an edge inside with our bigs but we failed to use them but that was partially due to foul trouble.

McMahon made good adjustments in the 2nd half, I'm not sure why in the 1st half Murray wasn't rebounding well or getting to the basket. Tevin Brown didn't have a good game either, some of it was Trent Brown's defense on him. That last shot to tie it though was such an ugly shot given how much time was left to get a better shot.