Bluejay Banter MVC Preview: Evansville

[Aces0976]

I just found it extremely funny that in the same post, SycFan says...."that's why they play the games..." and then in the next sentence says Aces fans are on crack if they think they are finishing better than 5th. No doubt, ISU had a tremendous season and an even better run in the tournament, BUT just a reminder: UE swept the season series last year and lost at the buzzer in the conference tournament. Either way, there's plenty of time to talk smack once the season starts. In the meantime, I'll just pray to God for the strength not to judge an entire fanbase on the words of one douchebag......

[WSUbballer]

It'll be nice to see Indiana State settle back to their rightful place in the Valley again. One hot weekend has completely tripped their fans.

[SycamoreFanatic]

I just found it extremely funny that in the same post, SycFan says...."that's why they play the games..." and then in the next sentence says Aces fans are on crack if they think they are finishing better than 5th. No doubt, ISU had a tremendous season and an even better run in the tournament, BUT just a reminder: UE swept the season series last year and lost at the buzzer in the conference tournament. Either way, there's plenty of time to talk smack once the season starts. In the meantime, I'll just pray to God for the strength not to judge an entire fanbase on the words of one douchebag......

All teams seem to have a team they don't match up with well or for whatever reason have trouble beating. If I remember correctly ISU had double digit leads in both regular season games but could not finish in either game? In St. Louis they finished. Evansville was that team for the Sycamores last season and may well be again this season? However the Aces finished in 6th place in the league last season so apparently they don't play as well against some of the other Valley teams ? How you compete against the nine other teams in the league (home & away) determines your tourney seed. How you play in St. Louis determines your destiny.

Reminder how it is/was done:

Indiana State 52-50 Evansville (EU lead @ halftime 24-19)
Indiana State 61-54 Wichita State (WSU lead @ halftime 27-22)
Indiana State 60-56 Missouri State (MSU lead @ halftime 31-28)
INDIANA STATE CHAMPIONS MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT & AUTOMATIC NCAA BID

***Dare I say the often repeated phrase ..............."defense wins championships"..................

[Bluejay09Bear06]

How you compete against the nine other teams in the league (home & away) determines your tourney seed. How you play in St. Louis determines your destiny.

And thus the problem with the whole concept of a "conference tournament" determining a league's sole NCAA participant.

[Ali]

How you compete against the nine other teams in the league (home & away) determines your tourney seed. How you play in St. Louis determines your destiny.

And thus the problem with the whole concept of a "conference tournament" determining a league's sole NCAA participant.

Although in ISUb's defense, they were a much different team at the end of the conference season than they were at the beginning with Jake Odum's development.

[SycamoreFanatic]

How you compete against the nine other teams in the league (home & away) determines your tourney seed. How you play in St. Louis determines your destiny.

And thus the problem with the whole concept of a "conference tournament" determining a league's sole NCAA participant.

Your #1 Seed "Bear" side is saying this, but if your #5 Seed "Bluejay" side had won the conference tourney last season it would feel different would it not ? Actually I would be in favor of the regular season champion always going to the Dance and just dumping the end of the season tourney altogether, but it won't happen because of $$$$$$$$$$$$$. Convincing the revered committee to always allow the regular season champion a bid is another issue.

[Bluejay09Bear06]

Your #1 Seed "Bear" side is saying this, but if your #5 Seed "Bluejay" side had won the conference tourney last season it would feel different would it not ? Actually I would be in favor of the regular season champion always going to the Dance and just dumping the end of the season tourney altogether, but it won't happen because of $$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Nice try, but no. I've long been an advocate of eliminating the conference tournament. As mid-major conferences fight to survive, I think the conference tournament is one of the biggest traps mid leagues fall into. Yes, the revenue from the tournament is nice, but revenue from NCAA tournament berths (and wins) is nicer.

And yes, I would have taken a No. 5 seed Creighton automatic berth to the bank, and I don't blame INSU fans for being happy, but comments like you made about three games determining your destiny, supports the argument that conference tournaments should be phased out for leagues like us.

[Tom Servo]

Also think the Ace fans are smoking crack if thinking they are in line for anything higher than the last position in the top half of the league?

No, we're just kinda high from Meth fumes blowing southward from Terre Haute, from all the Tree fans that think they're gonna get an at-large bid

[valleychamp]

Your #1 Seed "Bear" side is saying this, but if your #5 Seed "Bluejay" side had won the conference tourney last season it would feel different would it not ? Actually I would be in favor of the regular season champion always going to the Dance and just dumping the end of the season tourney altogether, but it won't happen because of $$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Nice try, but no. I've long been an advocate of eliminating the conference tournament. As mid-major conferences fight to survive, I think the conference tournament is one of the biggest traps mid leagues fall into. Yes, the revenue from the tournament is nice, but revenue from NCAA tournament berths (and wins) is nicer.

And yes, I would have taken a No. 5 seed Creighton automatic berth to the bank, and I don't blame INSU fans for being happy, but comments like you made about three games determining your destiny, supports the argument that conference tournaments should be phased out for leagues like us.

Three games in STL does not have to determine your destiny. Man up and play some good teams during the non-con and win some of those games. Earn an at-large for god's sake. (easier said than done, I know...) But its been done many, many times in this league.

I few years ago, if you finished in the top 3 you were in, or right on the cusp, of an at-large bid. But recently, the schedules have gotten worse, and teams have stopped winning those marquee non-con games.

[Bluejay09Bear06]

Three games in STL does not have to determine your destiny. Man up and play some good teams during the non-con and win some of those games. Earn an at-large for god's sake. (easier said than done, I know...) But its been done many, many times in this league.

I few years ago, if you finished in the top 3 you were in, or right on the cusp, of an at-large bid. But recently, the schedules have gotten worse, and teams have stopped winning those marquee non-con games.

Get your head out of the sand. At-large bids for mid-majors are going extinct. Ten years ago, a conference tournament made sense. It's time for high mids like the Valley to start rethinking the conference tournament.