Who Wins the MVC in 2017-18?

[Play Angry]

Assuming WSU is out of the picture, this will be the most wide open MVC race I can remember. I hesitate to put ISUr at the head of the pack considering everyone they are losing, but it's also hard to picture UNI or anyone else making the colossal jump necessary to win the league. Here's a tentative guess (with heavy emphasis on guess) subject to inclusion of an expansion candidate or three if that process plays out quickly enough:

1. ISUr
2. UNI
3. Loyola
4. MSU
5. Bradley
6. SIU
7. Evansville
8. Indiana State
9. Drake

1 through 6 is pretty much a free for all, whereas I think the bottom of the league is a little more "stable." This should make for a pretty wild Arch Madness next year.

What would your picks be at this point?

[uniftw]

1. ISUr
2. UNI
3. MSU
4. Bradley
5. Loyola
6. SIU
7. Evansville
8. Indiana State
9. Drake

[BCPanther]

ISUr
UNI

Loyola
MSU

Bradley

SIU
Indiana State
Evansville




Drake

If it's Belmont, put them in the tier with Loyola and MSU, if its anybody else put them lower and probably much lower.

[BirdsEyeView]

What does UNIs lineup look like next year after losing Jeremy Morgan? Will that be strong enough to contend?

[SubGod22]

If MSU wasn't coached by Lusk I'd pick them first.

[bleach]

If MSU wasn't coached by Lusk I'd pick them first.

THIS!!!! As is, 4th.

[BCPanther]

If MSU wasn't coached by Lusk I'd pick them first.

Same.

As far as the UNI question above. Yes, with McCloud and Haldeman a year older plus Wyatt Lohaus back on the floor to go along with Koch and Carlson we've got a really nice start. Add in a real shooter (Transfer Adam McDermott) and other experience plus Jake, we're in good shape. Jeremy tried to take too much on and ended up forcing a lot of offense when he shouldn't have. He's a top 10 all time UNI player, he just wasn't at all suited to being 'the man'. He wanted that role and our other guys deferred to him too much but he'd earned it with the rest of his career so you can't be too terribly upset about it.

We were probably too ambitious in scheduling, again, with the Battle 4 Atlantis, @ Carolina, Iowa State in Des Moines and Xavier in Cedar Falls for sure and strong rumors of what should be a much improved UNLV in the Mtn West challenge and starting a home and home at a Top 75 RPI team (unnamed at this point).

If we don't kill ourselves in the non-con we should be poised to make a decent league run.

[jackwagon]

So if Morgan wasn't capable of running the offense and being the man, then who is on that team currently? The FR guards were liabilities last year for the most part and Carlson had a down year. Koch was solid but foul prone. Losing Morgan and Ashton were the only atheltic players for their positions on the team. People amaze me with their nonchalant approach to losing seniors who played big time roles.

[uniftw]

So if Morgan wasn't capable of running the offense and being the man, then who is on that team currently? The FR guards were liabilities last year for the most part and Carlson had a down year. Koch was solid but foul prone. Losing Morgan and Ashton were the only atheltic players for their positions on the team. People amaze me with their nonchalant approach to losing seniors who played big time roles.

People are underestimating the impact that losing Wyatt Lohaus to an injury last season. That forced Spencer to have to play point, and he isn't a point. It forced Rhodes to play more minutes that he should've. It forced J-Mo to over extend his role. It was a domino affect that caused 4 freshman to get significant minutes.

UNI will be fine.

[Rollbird5]

Well without Wichita somebody has to win it so might as well be ISU! Redbirds will end tourney drought!