Top 4

[Saluki 4 Life]

Feels like not much has changed with this. Same teams competing for those spots.

[sivert]

I agree - nothing has changed. The top 8 are so tight!

I certainly like all the UNI inclusions, but I'm afraid we lose most tie-breakers. So we NEED 13 or 14 wins to get top 4. Will be tough. Need 7 or 8 more wins.

W-1 A Illinois Chicago WON
W-2 H Valparaiso WON
?? A Indiana St.
?? A Drake
W-3 H Bradley
W-4 A Evansville
W-5 H Indiana St.
W-6 H Drake
?? A Missouri St.
?? A Southern Illinois
W-7 H Belmont

The 8th is going to be tough to come by. Even the 7 will be tough. Need Hackman to put up the charts...

Winning those first two upped our bye chances to about 26% (per hackman).

[bradley_townie]

SIU, Belmont, Drake and Bradley are my top 4.

I think Drake will find a way to claw up the standings. Too much talent on that team.

Indiana State is a good scoring team but had a tough time with Bradley's bigs. Mast, Ja'Shon and Leons were basically getting whatever they wanted down low. I think they'll fall out of the top 4.

SIU is playing to their potential. Cannot wait for their games against Bradley. Should be a real defensive grindhouse.

Belmont looked so talented on offense against Murray. They have 3 point shooters who can take over, their passing is crisp, and they are relentless with the backdoor cuts. Tough team to defend.

Despite being shaky at times on the road, Bradley leads the MVC in both offensive and defensive efficiency per KenPom. This is a very solid team, just have to find a way to keep gutting it out on the road. I think they will be right there competing toward the top.

After the Drake beatdown, the slow start at Indiana State, the close loss to Belmont, and a game we had no business winning against Illinois State, I am putting UNI ahead of Bradley in the top 4 along with Belmont, SIU, and Drake.

Bradley has one of the easier paths left to a top 4, but are playing some really uninspired basketball at the moment. Hope I am wrong, but having a hard time seeing them finish out the season 6-3. Feels like teams have figured out how to defend us and not sure we have enough firepower in the backcourt.

[Chuck A]

The way things are going now, my take is Belmont, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois and Bradley for the 4 byes. The 4th spot is tenuous at best between Bradley and Drake. Belmont, the team which had the fewest defections, seems to have incorporated its new crop of talent and are humming along. By Arch Madness, the Bruins will be the team to beat! Their 3-point shooting is lethal!

[Countrypanther]

Panthers will be lucky to finish 5th. Born can't seem to pass the ball, good defensive MVC teams will beat UNI. Drake has absolutely NO bench and end of game offense is non existent, prone to Tucker turning the ball over or taking a bad shot. My guess, Uglies, Bruins, Bears and Braves avoid Drake Night.

[BCPanther]

Panthers will be lucky to finish 5th. Born can't seem to pass the ball, good defensive MVC teams will beat UNI. Drake has absolutely NO bench and end of game offense is non existent, prone to Tucker turning the ball over or taking a bad shot. My guess, Uglies, Bruins, Bears and Braves avoid Drake Night.

We literally beat SIU.

The act is as tired here as it is in our board.

[Kyle_Saluki_17]

Panthers will be lucky to finish 5th. Born can't seem to pass the ball, good defensive MVC teams will beat UNI. Drake has absolutely NO bench and end of game offense is non existent, prone to Tucker turning the ball over or taking a bad shot. My guess, Uglies, Bruins, Bears and Braves avoid Drake Night.

We literally beat SIU.

The act is as tired here as it is in our board.

That’s what I was thinking. Is SIU not a good defensive team? Lol

[PantherSigEp]

They are, this guy just likes to troll. Gonna guess it's the same guy who complained on PN that AJ Green never passed and shot too many 3's.

Just a crank who needs attention

[Saluki 4 Life]

Panthers will be lucky to finish 5th. Born can't seem to pass the ball, good defensive MVC teams will beat UNI. Drake has absolutely NO bench and end of game offense is non existent, prone to Tucker turning the ball over or taking a bad shot. My guess, Uglies, Bruins, Bears and Braves avoid Drake Night.

Are the uglies SIU? lol...

[BCPanther]

They are, this guy just likes to troll. Gonna guess it's the same guy who complained on PN that AJ Green never passed and shot too many 3's.

Just a crank who needs attention

That's exactly who it is. The only thing missing is complaining about ticket and beer prices.