Too early 2018-19 predictions

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

I was reading the SIU board and I am absolutely shocked by how down their fans seem to be on their team compared to most outside observers. Why the pessimism? Your team looks really good on paper. Can some Saluki fans explain this, because I find it very hard to understand.

Several factors, in my opinion.

1. Been bad for a long time now.
2. Hinson has never made it to the tournament (although he was one of the most egregious snubs in history).
3. Edwardsville is slowly taking over as the main campus.
4. Increased financial problems
5. One bid league (maybe two on a good year) and most have them ranked third. Therefore they project as a NIT team (of course, who knows what will happen).

[VUGrad1314]

I think this is a year to hope for two bids. I even think in a perfect storm scenario we could even get three. It'd take a lot and for pretty much everything to go right but why not dream big? This is a league where half the teams were top 50 defensively. That'll get us a lot of chances to gain quality wins by keeping us in games. If we can score reliably too we can do some damage.

[jsaluki080]

I think this is a year to hope for two bids. I even think in a perfect storm scenario we could even get three. It'd take a lot and for pretty much everything to go right but why not dream big? This is a league where half the teams were top 50 defensively. That'll get us a lot of chances to gain quality wins by keeping us in games. If we can score reliably too we can do some damage.

I generally agree with you. At this early stage, the MVC looks/feels like a possible return to form by being a 2 (maaayyybe 3) bid league. But I guess I’ve been hurt (disappointed) enough that I’ve come to deal with it by not getting too hype and not expecting much. Lol

Anyways, I like you. You’re always optimistic and excited. Lol
Seriously, it’s nice to see.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

I see no chance fir a 3 bid league unless each team goes at least 26-4 and runs the table in the conference except fir head to head losses. That means 16-2 for each team and 10-2 in non conference. Don't see 3 teams doing that.

[VUGrad1314]

I think this is a year to hope for two bids. I even think in a perfect storm scenario we could even get three. It'd take a lot and for pretty much everything to go right but why not dream big? This is a league where half the teams were top 50 defensively. That'll get us a lot of chances to gain quality wins by keeping us in games. If we can score reliably too we can do some damage.

I generally agree with you. At this early stage, the MVC looks/feels like a possible return to form by being a 2 (maaayyybe 3) bid league. But I guess I’ve been hurt (disappointed) enough that I’ve come to deal with it by not getting too hype and not expecting much. Lol

Anyways, I like you. You’re always optimistic and excited. Lol
Seriously, it’s nice to see.

It's the offseason. Why not be excited? As a Valpo fan\alum who has admired the MVC at least since those giant-killing SIU teams of the 2000s, it is a dream come true to be in this conference. Sure, the last place finish in year one was a little jarring when you're used to seeing your school at or near the top of the standings, but I love that I get to watch consistently better competition and more meaningful games in conference play. This conference represents some of the best mid-majors the midwest has to offer and it is an honor to count Valpo among this group. It represents a major step up both athletically and in the overall prestige of the university and allows us to be more active in areas we recruit well while also opening new territory to us, It has fostered greater administrative commitment to athletics, and I love the multibid potential (2016 still stings) and the overall family ethos of this conference. We haven't developed our rivalries yet but I'm sure that will come. This is why I'm optimistic. This conference feels like a brotherhood where everyone wants to see their brothers do well. I just hope it stays that way.

[VUGrad1314]

Article on Indiana State: Their backcourt should be really good, the frontcourt is a question.

http://www.valleyhoopsinsider.com/sycam ... toughness/

[Majik45]

I think a lot of people have forgot how the MVC got 2 bids a lot of years back in the early and mid 2000's. It was to have one really strong team win the Valley regular season, and then have a 2nd different team win the Valley tournament. Here's a look:

2004 - SIU regular season champ gets in. UNI wins Arch Madness as #2 seed.
2005 - SIU regular Season Champ gets in. Creighton wins Arch Madness
2006 - Wichita was regular Season Champ and gets in. SIU wins Arch Madness. Bradley and UNI both get in.
2007 - SIU regular Season Champ gets in. Creighton wins Arch Madness as #2 seed.

A lot of years we only had one true Tournament worthy team, but that team never won Arch Madness which made us a 2 bid league a lot of the time as the regular season valley champ made the tournament for like 10 straight years at one point, regardless of winning Arch Madness.

[BCPanther]

I think a lot of people have forgot how the MVC got 2 bids a lot of years back in the early and mid 2000's. It was to have one really strong team win the Valley regular season, and then have a 2nd different team win the Valley tournament. Here's a look:

2004 - SIU regular season champ gets in. UNI wins Arch Madness as #2 seed.
2005 - SIU regular Season Champ gets in. Creighton wins Arch Madness
2006 - Wichita was regular Season Champ and gets in. SIU wins Arch Madness. Bradley and UNI both get in.
2007 - SIU regular Season Champ gets in. Creighton wins Arch Madness as #2 seed.

A lot of years we only had one true Tournament worthy team, but that team never won Arch Madness which made us a 2 bid league a lot of the time as the regular season valley champ made the tournament for like 10 straight years at one point, regardless of winning Arch Madness.

UNI also got an at large in 05. We got 7 bids in a two year period, not coincidentally that's when all the national talking heads declared the RPI 'broken'.

[Kyle@MOState]

I think this is a year to hope for two bids. I even think in a perfect storm scenario we could even get three. It'd take a lot and for pretty much everything to go right but why not dream big? This is a league where half the teams were top 50 defensively. That'll get us a lot of chances to gain quality wins by keeping us in games. If we can score reliably too we can do some damage.

I generally agree with you. At this early stage, the MVC looks/feels like a possible return to form by being a 2 (maaayyybe 3) bid league. But I guess I’ve been hurt (disappointed) enough that I’ve come to deal with it by not getting too hype and not expecting much. Lol

Anyways, I like you. You’re always optimistic and excited. Lol
Seriously, it’s nice to see.

It's the offseason. Why not be excited? As a Valpo fan\alum who has admired the MVC at least since those giant-killing SIU teams of the 2000s, it is a dream come true to be in this conference. Sure, the last place finish in year one was a little jarring when you're used to seeing your school at or near the top of the standings, but I love that I get to watch consistently better competition and more meaningful games in conference play. This conference represents some of the best mid-majors the midwest has to offer and it is an honor to count Valpo among this group. It represents a major step up both athletically and in the overall prestige of the university and allows us to be more active in areas we recruit well while also opening new territory to us, It has fostered greater administrative commitment to athletics, and I love the multibid potential (2016 still stings) and the overall family ethos of this conference. We haven't developed our rivalries yet but I'm sure that will come. This is why I'm optimistic. This conference feels like a brotherhood where everyone wants to see their brothers do well. I just hope it stays that way.

It may seem like that to you, but I hate every other school besides Missouri State.

JK. It's in our collective best interest for the other schools to do as well as possible with their scheduling and non-con wins. After awhile I did have a hard time routing for Wichita State against anyone, but they gone. They will be as relevant as Tulsa is on a National level in a few years. This is a good level of basketball, and I generally enjoy watching most of the teams play and the conference tournament. As far as the level of play, it didn't feel like we lost anything last year, and even though the attendance was down, it was a pretty great tournament. Hopefully there will be a competitive balance this year and some of the larger schools, like my own, will show up to the tournament because it is a fun time and you get to see some great basketball. That being said, I think 3 teams is a bit too much. I think two is possible, but the favorite would have to lose the conference title game against the nearly undefeated 2 seed. While I think the conference is demanding more respect, especially with the recent uptick in level of recruiting and hopefully scheduling, but I just don't see that respect being there on a national level. I really think the conference needs to go back to having the out of conference RPI(or some other similar metric) as the tie breaker for conference tournament seeding.

[VUGrad1314]

Well said. As I said 3 bids is an absolute perfect storm that might also become more attainable with some outside help and by reinstating the schedule mandate. Teams look like they're doing this on their own: Illinois State Loyola SIU Evansville and Missouri State are all up from where they were. As far as demanding more national respect as a conference, we are, and that's a great thing. Hopefully we keep pounding on that door until they're forced to open it and acknowledge us. I think, as long as we stick to our gritty defense first and experience leads model, we'll eventually get there especially as our teams get more talented