MVC Preseason Polls Released

by **Adunk33** » October 18th, 2018, 10:10 am

1- Loyola (29)
2- Illinois State (10)
3- Southern Illinois (4)
4- Bradley
5- UNI
6- INST
7- Valpo
8- Mo State
9- Drake
10- Evansville

Preseason 1st Team All-Conference:
Jordan Barnes (INST), Clayton Custer (LOY), Milik Yarbrough (ILST), Armon Fletcher (SIU), and Phil Fayne (ILST).

Preseason 2nd Team All-Conference
Darrell Brown (BU), Keyshawn Evans (ILST), Marques Townes (LOY), Kavion Pippen (SIU), and Cameron Krutwig (LOY.)

**Sponsor**

by **Jsnhbe1Birds** » October 18th, 2018, 10:43 am

Fayne beat out Krutwig? Interesting. I'm glad as a ISUr fan but surprised because the media love Krutwig.

by **BradleyFan71** » October 18th, 2018, 10:55 am

Jsnhbe1Birds wrote:Fayne beat out Krutwig? Interesting. I'm glad as a ISUr fan but surprised because the media love Krutwig.

Also, ISUr has three of the top ten players in the conference and are picked 2nd.

by **Adunk33** » October 18th, 2018, 10:58 am

BradleyFan71 wrote:
Jsnhbe1Birds wrote:Fayne beat out Krutwig? Interesting. I'm glad as a ISUr fan but surprised because the media love Krutwig.

Also, ISUr has three of the top ten players in the conference and are picked 2nd.

They also had three of the top ten last season and Evans didn't get any postseason accolades. Its really hard to pick against a team that went to the Final 4 last year. I get it.

For what its worth, the Birds have finished above their projected finish each of the last five years. Is this the year they finally get over the hump? I predict a 7th trip to Sunday in Arch Madness in the last 11 years. I won't predict the outcome.

by **Blers** » October 18th, 2018, 11:03 am

Senior vs. Sophomore would be my guess for the logic; I think both are deserving of first team honestly (I'd keep fayne on and swap Krutwig with Barnes). LU and ISU both have 3 each between the first and second teams.

Pretty good ranking in my opinion. Honestly the more I've thought about it the more I think UNI at 5 is the right choice.

by **Kyle@MOState** » October 18th, 2018, 11:44 am

Blers wrote:Senior vs. Sophomore would be my guess for the logic; I think both are deserving of first team honestly (I'd keep fayne on and swap Krutwig with Barnes). LU and ISU both have 3 each between the first and second teams.

Pretty good ranking in my opinion. Honestly the more I've thought about it the more I think UNI at 5 is the right choice.

The safe thing about picking UNI at 5 is that we have 3 new coaches in the conference who aren't exactly familiar with Jacobson's system yet. The past couple years they have had a melt down as soon as league play came around. Was it the just the players, or was it the scheme?

That being said, I have no problem with the preseason rankings. The one argument I can see is putting Illinois at 1, but coming off a final four run, it's hard to pick against the reigning league champ. The rest is fine. In the end Preseason rankings mean nothing. Especially after seeing MO State as the preseason number 1 last year, and setting me up for bitter disappointment, I try not to give them much credence. I can't be too mad about it any more, if we would have finished first, then we would be stuck with Lusk still.

by **goramblers2011** » October 18th, 2018, 11:47 am

Six of the top 10 players play for the top two teams. And eight of the top 10 players play for the top three teams.

Should be a fun race at the top of the Valley!

by **Birdfan2018** » October 18th, 2018, 12:33 pm

goramblers2011 wrote:Six of the top 10 players play for the top two teams. And eight of the top 10 players play for the top three teams.

Should be a fun race at the top of the Valley!

Who has the best 4 & 5 starters, Loyola or Illinois State?
Loyola:
SO-Lucas Williamson
SO-Aher Uguak

Illinois State:
SR-William Tinsley
JR-Zach Copeland

Who has the best 6 thru 9 bench?
Loyola:
JR-Jake Baughman
JR-Bruno Skokna
SO-Christian Negro
FR-Franklin Agunanne

Illinois State:
JR-Josh Jefferson
SO-Matt Chastain
SO-Taylor Bruninga
FR-Rey Idowu

by **jackwagon** » October 18th, 2018, 12:41 pm

Thought they did a good job with the preseason teams. There are some transfers like Norton, Ridder, or Williams or rising sophomores like Pickford,Childs, or Key that could end up making the postseason list but there would be no way of on paper warranting a selection.

by **Adunk33** » October 18th, 2018, 1:02 pm

Birdfan2018 wrote:
goramblers2011 wrote:Six of the top 10 players play for the top two teams. And eight of the top 10 players play for the top three teams.

Should be a fun race at the top of the Valley!

Who has the best 4 & 5 starters, Loyola or Illinois State?
Loyola:
SO-Lucas Williamson
SO-Aher Uguak

Illinois State:
SR-William Tinsley
JR-Zach Copeland

Who has the best 6 thru 9 bench?
Loyola:
JR-Jake Baughman
JR-Bruno Skokna
SO-Christian Negro
FR-Franklin Agunanne

Illinois State:
JR-Josh Jefferson
SO-Matt Chastain
SO-Taylor Bruninga
FR-Rey Idowu

Isn't Baughman the walk-on at LUC from Bloomington? Did he get a scholarship? Is he expected to play?

I like the Birds 4 better, mostly because I've seen them all play.