MVC Power Rankings

[Ricardo del Rio]

I think Fifth Ace has redefined the term, sunshine pumping.

Expressed in mathematical terms:

SP = One zillion raised to the power of infinity

I will be sure to tune in the the UE v. CU game, when it is played in Omaha.

[valleychamp]

John, are MVC teams "garbage" to the Big 10, Bug 12, ACC, Big East, etc, etc? Or, do we really understand, as college coaches do, that we have parity in college basketball, and any night a so called weaker or less talented team may win. I never understood calling a win or a team garbage.

Stop beating this horse. Most of us can comprehend relative strength of a team/conference. I don't know why you cannot grasp this.

By all means though, go ahead and try your hardest to convince the NCAA selection committee that wins over Alabama A&M and the like are "good wins" and losses to teams like Buffalo are not bad losses because hey, "anybody can beat anybody".

[FearDaTrees]

Indiana State not getting much love from anybody really. I guess that is a good thing. Hopefully we can take out an undefeated New Mexico this Saturday at the Hulman Center.

[shoxrox]

John, are MVC teams "garbage" to the Big 10, Bug 12, ACC, Big East, etc, etc? Or, do we really understand, as college coaches do, that we have parity in college basketball, and any night a so called weaker or less talented team may win. I never understood calling a win or a team garbage.

It depends which MVC teams you're talking about. If you're talking about Evansville, SIU, or MSU, then you'd be correct.

[shoxrox]

Stop beating this horse. Most of us can comprehend relative strength of a team/schedule. I don't know why you cannot grasp this.

By all means though, go ahead and try your hardest to convince the NCAA selection committee that wins over Alabama A&M and the like are "good wins" and losses to teams like Buffalo are not bad losses because hey, "anybody can beat anybody".

Agreed. Never seen a more inane argument before that gets brought up constantly. Yes, there's a difference between Duke and Alabama A&M.

[Ace Dad]

The idiot media analysts are already talking about NCAA bids in November.

Some fan bases have already made March predictions based on one exempt tournament.

The NCAA committee members are not God-like and they too grasp relativity when looking at schedules.

The fact that you select 65 teams does not mean the next 20-30 are "not worthy." Nor does it mean the next 100 teams are "garbage."

Would you date the 47th placed contestant in the Miss America pageant?

[MoValley John]

John, are MVC teams "garbage" to the Big 10, Bug 12, ACC, Big East, etc, etc? Or, do we really understand, as college coaches do, that we have parity in college basketball, and any night a so called weaker or less talented team may win. I never understood calling a win or a team garbage.

In a nutshell, yes. The longer answer is it depends on which smaller conference team you are defining as garbage. Losing to most teams in the WCC is considered garbage, a loss to St Mary's or Gonzaga is not. The whole losing to garbage reference is also exactly why WSU and Creighton have such a difficult time scheduling games with the big boys. From the perspective of reporters and others that shape the opinions that float through college basketball, if you are from a BCS league, you should never lose to either WSU or Creighton. With that, the big boys are very cautious and not very enthusiastic about scheduling the good mids.

Furthermore, if you want to really look and define garbage, look no further than the type of teams Nebraska, and to a lessor extent, Iowa schedules. Both of these schools would drool to get Buffalo or yale on the schedule. So, yep, pretty much, Evansville has played garbage.

I'm sorry that you might think this is mean or unfair, but life is mean and unfair. The only way to change your standing in the pecking order is through hard work, dedication and resolve. We can change the verbiage if you, want but the teams will still be garbage.

[MoValley John]

After further review, I agree with AceDad. Let's play the season out,not keep score and everybody ties for first.

Trophies for everyone!!!!!!!

[Ace Dad]

John, excellent answer.

I embrace your logic.

However, basketball and life are similar in one vein: You can be talented, hard working, industrious, and at the top of your game and you may still be unemployed, upside down on your mortgage, and unable to pay your kid's tuition. We apply bullcrap artificial labels in a sport where only half the teams can win.

The horse is dead and I will respond to the thread's theme:

Evansville has not done enough yet to be considered an upper tier MVC team, yet. We will have to win against some worthy opponents and show well at Creighton University. I just might drive to that game to see if DJ is working on his 3rd CU degree...........

[valleychamp]

Ace Dad, it's as simple as this;

Most of us are looking at everything with our own teams and throughout the league through the lens of the NCAA tournament, and you are not. Sure, all wins count the same in the record book whether is Alabama State or Duke. But they don't count the same when you are talking about playing in the NCAA tournament, that's a fact. You are free to have all the respect in the world for the low tier teams that you beat or the ones that beat you. But the fact of the matter is this--Rankings, RPI, conference strength etc. ALL are extremely important--they matter with regards to your own team and they matter with your opponents.