Early MVC Predictions

[tdawgs87]

UNI- Has the Best Coach in the league
SIU-Heat on Hinson +best talent he has had at SIU
MSU Most talented but Lusk must prove he can coach
LUC See Missouri State
Bradley moving up but still awfully young
Valpo big unknown
ISU lost a ton from last year
UE Marty does more with less
DU New coaching staff
INSU seems to be headed in the wrong direction

[underdawg]

1. SIU--Better than you think--long and athletic at every position, Believe it or not Hinson is a fine game coach --for those that picked LUC and MSU--we swept both last year

2. MSU--I think Lusk (who is a great recruiter) has enough talent this year to over come floor coaching faux pas

3. UNI--they always have horses underneath to play the junk pack it in defense--some good outside shooting teams will shred that concept however

4. LUC--I just put these guys in here because it seems to be conventional wisdom that they have tremendous talent

5. Valpo---Valpo has a few good transfers on line to contribute--love their coach

6. ISU---if Mueller can coach this group of "talent" to move up, THEN I will conceed he is a great game coach

7. Instate---great coach has to deal with little talent

8. Bradley--why does everyone think these guys will be so good? I just don't see it

9. UE---Marty is still coaching?

10. DU----great GPA, low RPI

[tribecalledquest]

1. SIU--Better than you think--long and athletic at every position, Believe it or not Hinson is a fine game coach --for those that picked LUC and MSU--we swept both last year

2. MSU--I think Lusk (who is a great recruiter) has enough talent this year to over come floor coaching faux pas

3. UNI--they always have horses underneath to play the junk pack it in defense--some good outside shooting teams will shred that concept however

4. LUC--I just put these guys in here because it seems to be conventional wisdom that they have tremendous talent

5. Valpo---Valpo has a few good transfers on line to contribute--love their coach

6. ISU---if Mueller can coach this group of "talent" to move up, THEN I will conceed he is a great game coach

7. Instate---great coach has to deal with little talent

8. Bradley--why does everyone think these guys will be so good? I just don't see it

9. UE---Marty is still coaching?

10. DU----great GPA, low RPI

I think people have Bradley in the middle of the pack because they return the most offense, etc. of any team in the league. Does that mean anything? Who knows but generally teams that return a lot get picked a bit higher.

Help me understand SIU as first...that I don't get. The top two scorers are gone along with the team leader in assists and rebounds.

[BEARZ77]

I think people are underselling SIU too; not sure they are title caliber, but I've said it earlier, I've seen Barry take similar teams to top 3-4 finishes . I like their talent probably no worse than that , still mulling over the Jake factor before I make my picks.

[LanceShock]

It is really hard to predict how things will go. MSU has some great talent, but coaching is a huge question. Jacobson seems to always be able to have UNI either solidly in contention or at least nipping at the leaders heels. Bradley was definitely a program on the rise last year, but how much of a step forward are they ready to take? How will Valpo fit into the Valley? Barry has been able to have SIU do better than expected. IlSU lost a lot, but can Muller reload and keep them in contention?

Lots of questions that should make the Valley race interesting this season.

[underdawg]

1. SIU--Better than you think--long and athletic at every position, Believe it or not Hinson is a fine game coach --for those that picked LUC and MSU--we swept both last year

2. MSU--I think Lusk (who is a great recruiter) has enough talent this year to over come floor coaching faux pas

3. UNI--they always have horses underneath to play the junk pack it in defense--some good outside shooting teams will shred that concept however

4. LUC--I just put these guys in here because it seems to be conventional wisdom that they have tremendous talent

5. Valpo---Valpo has a few good transfers on line to contribute--love their coach

6. ISU---if Mueller can coach this group of "talent" to move up, THEN I will conceed he is a great game coach

7. Instate---great coach has to deal with little talent

8. Bradley--why does everyone think these guys will be so good? I just don't see it

9. UE---Marty is still coaching?

10. DU----great GPA, low RPI

I think people have Bradley in the middle of the pack because they return the most offense, etc. of any team in the league. Does that mean anything? Who knows but generally teams that return a lot get picked a bit higher.

Help me understand SIU as first...that I don't get. The top two scorers are gone along with the team leader in assists and rebounds.

Indeed Rodriguez (PG) is gone and fine Forward Sean O'Brien

Anything can happen of course, but back are Fletcher (6-5 200) who averaged double figures, Sean Lloyd (6-5, 215) who was a three star in high school and improved his outside shooting as the year went on--he'll also be one of the better, more physical defenders in the league, also Smithpeters (6-4, 205( a three point specialist) is back as a fifth year senior after setting out last year with injury. He shot near 40% from three two years ago. Also eligible transfer from St. Louis 6-4 is 180 Marcus Bartley (three star) was penciled in to start last year from his practice play BUT coaches have been so impressed by new JUCO PG 6-3 185 pound Eric McGill (Panola) that they are predicting HE might beat out Bartley as PG.

McGill was number one in the nation (D-1 Juco) in steals (85 steals in 29 games), Number three in the nation in total assists (180) and number one in the nation in assist to turnover ratio (3.5 ratio)--he only averaged 12 ppg but average over 17 ppg in three national JUCO playoffs --had one national semi finals game of 12 points and 11 assists.

As you know, SIU front court returner Tik Bol is one of the best shot blockers in the league (and rebounders)--to that will be added 6-10 center Kavion Pippen (nephew of Scottie Pippen) who averaged over seven rebound per game last year and nearly two blocks a game. Bol will be a face up PF and Pippen the five spot

[BCPanther]

1-UNI-Best coach in the league, 2 23 year old RS Senior Bigs, Talented and now older guards and a good class. This is the secnd year of the 'Jake Growth Cycle'. History says this year of the cycle leads to an NIT level team that could win in StL. 13-5

2-Illinois State-They lost a lot but they've experienced winning. Muller uses his talent better than Moser and Lusk. I trust Muller to bring young guys along better than anybody else not named Jacobson in the league. Have to prove there is some momentum as a program and that last year wasn't the peak. 12-6

3-Missouri State-Alize is legit. If Rousseau is healthy they have a legit PG. Worried about perimeter shooting and Paul is really, REALLY bad on the bench. 12-6

4-Loyola-Alize is the difference between them and the Bears. Porter's teams tend to defend a little better than Lusk's. I like Custer and Richardson. 12-6

5-Southern Illinois-Barry is a solid coach. I don't know where leadership and ballhandling come from. Fletcher was great in a supporting role, can he become the guy? Can Bol stay on the floor? 10-8

6-Valpo-Decent talent back but like SIU they may not have a go-to player. They'll win an extra game or two becasue of unfamiliarity 9-9

7-Bradley-Usually year 3 is the telling year for a coach but BU was such a disaster that Wardle's year is year 4. There's some talent but can it play together and is there any consistency at all? 8-10

8-Indiana State-The luster is off of Greg Lansing. His teams seem to quit down the stretch and he's losing players again. I think the Jake Odum years were a helluva lot more about Jake Odum and Manny Arop than they were about Greg Lansing. He's become Steve Alford without the slick hair and rape coverup...7-11

9-Drake-They'll be bad. Really, really bad. They get the nod over Evansville because there's some, at least partially, renewed energy with Medved. Medved was about as well as you were going to do at Drake. Best hope is that he wins starting year 3. Long road for the Dogs...4-14

10-Evansville-Just like Drake except there is no energy because Marty is STILL there. He couldn't win with talent, what's he going to do with no talent? How many shots does Little Marty get per night? 3-15

[glm38]

1. UNI - best coach in the league and some returning talent.
2. MSU - should be #1 but we have Paul Lusk as our coach.
3. Loyola - coaching questions just like MSU but plenty of talent.
4. ISUr - I think Muller is emerging as the #2 coach in the Valley. Lost a lot but bringing some talent in.
5. Valpo - good program, good coaching but lost too much for this coming year to finish higher.
6. Southern Illinois - decent coach and some talent but not enough to finish higher than 5 or 6.
7. Bradley
8. ISUb
9. Drake
10. Evansville

Should be a really interesting year. Nothing is for certain.

[BEARZ77]

3-Missouri State-Alize is legit. If Rousseau is healthy they have a legit PG. Worried about perimeter shooting and Paul is really, REALLY bad on the bench. 12-6.

Actually, perimeter shooting should be a strength as the Bears have 4 guys back who all shot right at 40% or better from the trey line [ Rousseau, Johnson, Kreklow, Rhodes]. I'm not sure anyone else in the league matches that with guys who averaged more than 7ppg, but I may be wrong.

[musiccitybulldog]

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