Opening Week Games

[Drakey]

Terrific win by Drake! I just wish they had challenged themselves a bit more in the non-conference to give themselves more opportunities. They're a good team and I feel like they underscheduled for where they are (Not that I should throw any stones as a Valpo fan since our schedule isn't much better.) Still LOVE to see the Valley well represented and showing well in the non-conference! This was a HUGE win today! Also great work by Bradley getting by Toledo and setting up a big opportunity tomorrow against Xavier! Now if UNI can get by WKU we'll have had ourselves a really good day. I think the story of the day for the Valley will be Drake's win in Manhattan moreso than the Illinois State blowout by Ohio State. Do you think anybody honestly expected anything else to happen in that game?

Not a lot Drake can do about scheduling. You have to play who will play you, particularly this year. It is a no win for better teams to play Drake. Nobody wants to play a nobody who might very well beat them.

[Rambler63]

I would like to know how UNI, in one of the hardest-to-reach areas of the MVC, manages to get a great schedule year after year after year. There are only two other D1 teams within 200 miles of them that aren't in their conference.

Loyola has Marquette, UWM, Northwestern, DePaul, UIC, Chicago State, Notre Dame, Purdue, Northern Illinois, and Illinois within 140 miles from campus, but in the last four or five years they've only played UWM, UIC, and Chicago State. The last game against Northwestern was in 1996. The last game against Purdue was 2008. The last game against Illinois was 2011. The last game against Marquette was 2001-- Dwayne Wade's first college game.

This year, with pandemic chaos, UNI got five non-con games and all are potential top 100 teams. I wish they would share their secret to scheduling with the other teams in the league.

[Drakey]

I don't think there is any secret. UNI's schedule isn't that great anyway. They got into a good tournament, which is easier for them to do because they have been fairly consistently pretty good and they probably won't weaken the field. Nobody else is really in that position right now other than Loyola. Other than the tournament they are in their schedule is no different than other Valley team's for the most part.

[sivert]

It absolutely pains me to say this because I look to Northern Iowa as a program worthy of emulation in a lot of ways with a scheduling philosophy we all should be following every year but ...

Yeah - terrible defense and inside offense today by UNI. However, 101 out of 200 minutes were by Freshmen and Sophomores. And the learning curve for the offense and defense are both pretty steep. Jake will get them defending.

[usmcsaluki]

Great win Drake! And I wouldn't count UNI out for a bid just because they lost to Western Kentucky; don't forget Berhow was out.

[Mikovio]

Elijah's alley oop #5 on SportsCenter Top 10:

https://twitter.com/bradleyumbb/status/ ... 18112?s=20

[mvfcfan]

Too many people on this board are obsessed with talking about at-large bids. The reality is that if you want to make the tournament you basically have to finish in the top 6 and win Arch Madness. We might get at large bids here and there but it will take a take a team not losing more than 4 games in the regular season and then losing a close game on Sunday.

[Majik45]

Bradley giving Xavier a game. Xavier up 40 to 38 with 8 minutes left. Game is on fs1 if you want to watch something besides football

[Valleyball]

Terry Nolan Jr makes a 3 pointer with 12 seconds left to give Bradley a 1 point lead.

Xavier rolls in a layup with 4.8 seconds left.

They call a foul on Xavier near the buzzer. Terry Nolan misses the first of a 1 and 1.

Xavier wins 51-50

[mvfcfan]

I was listening to the game and I can't believe he missed that free throw. I will be curious to see how UNI does against St Mary's who is usually pretty good most seasons.