HUGE year for MVC

[SycamorePsycho]

CU will get an at large, WSU will get an auto bid. MSU will be on the bubble, ISUB is a NIT team at best, more likely the CBI champ. Watch out for ISUR...

[Wufan]

Unfortunately, this is NOT a four bid leauge, not this year. The Valley was unbelieveably horrible last year in the non-con. I don't remember everyone's opponents, but WSU was 9-3 with their three losses being to NCAA champ, NCAA final four team, and NCAA sweet 16 team (which was bumped by NCAA champ) and no at-large bid. If you believe that there are three teams that can do better than that this year then you're more of a sunshine pumper than I.

Also, I think the bottom of the Valley will be better this year, and that will make it difficult for three teams to be 14-4 or better in conference.

This is a two bid league unless both Creighton and WSU play above expectations and a third team wins in St. Lou...Or Indiana State MIGHT just carry the MVC RPI on it's back (similar to last year ).

[Khan4Cats]

I'm sorry to burst the kumbaya nature right now but I have a hard time seeing anyone being a solid "at-large" pick with the non-conference schedules we currently have. The only way any team is going to do that is if the ENTIRE conference does well in its at-large schedule getting back to the 75% win percentage (or whatever it was) we had a few years as a whole.

Creighton as an at-large? Who do they have that jumps out on their schedule? Nebraska and Northwestern? Iowa? A San Diego State team that won't be as good as it was a year ago. UAB and Tulsa are solid programs but not any that are going to turn heads and make people say "wow, you beat them?" Creighton needs to run the table in it's non-con, because there aren't any teams that they can lose to that people won't look at as being a downer.

Wichita State as an at-large? They've got a better non-conference slate overall but aren't venturing much away from home to challenge themselves (that may work for Syracuse or Maryland, but ain't gonna fly for a mid-major). They get a chance to play some BcS schools in their tourney, and really only Western Michigan and maybe Iona are poor draws there, but losing more than once in that tourney won't cut it. Like Creighton, they need to practically run the table (a loss in the tourney is their only out) to have an at-large resume as any of the other teams they might lose to will likely be teams they are battling for at-large consideration with.

None of the other conference schools are building much buzz right now nor do they have games that would appear to be marquee games for them to win except Evansville with Butler at home and Carolina on the road. Do we really expect wins in both of those? I think they can take Butler (they did last year) and I hope they don't get molested by Carolina.

Again, if this conference is going to have a shot at multiple bids, the ENTIRE conference needs to perform well in the non-conference. Winning the patsies and mid-RPI games and knocking off more than half of the top-100/120 RPI type games we play. We need 5-6 teams in the top 100 again, with 3 in the top 50 and no one in the 200's.

[jayball]

If you want to even be in the at large conversation in the Valley, you pretty much have to run the table in your nonconference schedule.

That applies every year.

[SubGod22]

If you want to even be in the at large conversation in the Valley, you pretty much have to run the table in your nonconference schedule.

That applies every year.

For the most part. A lot depends on what the rest of the Valley does in the noncon as well. The better we do, especially the bottom teams, the more it helps the top and could allow for a few noncon slips. Problem has been that the top hasn't been doing enough and the bottom has been a major drag. That forces someone to pretty much run the table and then have a hell of a conference season to get an at-large.

[sixth ace]

None of the other conference schools are building much buzz right now nor do they have games that would appear to be marquee games for them to win except Evansville with Butler at home and Carolina on the road. Do we really expect wins in both of those? I think they can take Butler (they did last year) and I hope they don't get molested by Carolina.

Evansville takes on IU,at home, three days after Butler. I know IU hasn't been much in recent years but Crean should have them ready this year.

[Aargh]

Au contraire.

WSU's schedule is good enough that they can get in even if the rest of the Valley tanks totally. Gotta win some games, but there's enough meat in WSU's schedule that they can lose a couple of OOC games and still have a shot.

CU is going to be a quality opponent for any Valley team - and an NCAA contender should have 3 games against them by Selection Sunday.

InSU will get some run because of their NCAA appearance last year and should be another quality opponent in the Valley.

Past that I don't see much chance for any "quality" wins in the Valley. After those 3 teams, it will be a bit like playing Nebraska. You don't get much credit for a win, but you don't get penalized for having played them and won.

[glm38]

Khan it could go like you say and be a one bid year again. But nothing's guaranteed. The non conference schedules aren't great but I think they are good enough that if we (MVC) run the table and win most of those games then we'll get more than one team in.

I prefer Argh's optimistic outlook. We've gotten multiple bids in the past and with the talent level trending upward this might be our year.

I think the Bears schedule is decent enough that if we would win all or most of our non-con games (new mexico, ok state, tulsa) and end up with a good overall record we might sneak in. Do I think we'll do that? No. I think we might struggle early due to all the new players and new coach. Still the talent is there and it's possible. But I think we'll probably have to win the tournament to get in.