Too early 2018-19 predictions

[Spike]

I wouldnt call what Hinson has done at SIU as "building a program".

[glm38]

After the way Loyola dominated the regular season and then marched to a final four finish last year and given what they have coming back - to me they are an easy choice at #1.

1. Loyola
2. ISUr
3. MSU
4. SIU
5. UNI
6. Bradley
7. Valpo
8. ISUb
9. Drake
10. Evansville

What?! What kind of kool-aid you drinking down in Springfield?

Yeah I know MSU at 3 is a homer pick. I do honestly think we'll be much better than expected and compete at a high level this first year of the Ford era. Of course I could be very wrong.

[Spike]

After the way Loyola dominated the regular season and then marched to a final four finish last year and given what they have coming back - to me they are an easy choice at #1.

1. Loyola
2. ISUr
3. MSU
4. SIU
5. UNI
6. Bradley
7. Valpo
8. ISUb
9. Drake
10. Evansville

What?! What kind of kool-aid you drinking down in Springfield?

Yeah I know MSU at 3 is a homer pick. I do honestly think we'll be much better than expected and compete at a high level this first year of the Ford era. Of course I could be very wrong.

For what its worth, Lusk brought a lot of talent to Springfield. Probably better than any other coach in the MVC over that time. He left the team pretty well stocked.

Not like Evansville or Indiana State or SIU if Hinson had been replaced where the rosters of the programs they left were or would have been exceptionally low on MVC level talent.

[swellafelon]

The only rational explanation I can come up with for Rambler63 picking his alma mater Loyola 4th behind Illinois State, Bradley and Southern Illinois is that his move from Chicago to Bloomington Normal has exposed him to toxic levels of corn and soybean pollen (or maybe pig feces) which has addled his brain to the point that he has developed an unnatural affinity to downstate Illinois schools.
It's called the Green Acres Syndrome: Midwest Edition.

https://youtu.be/umS3XM3xAPk

[tribecalledquest]

After the way Loyola dominated the regular season and then marched to a final four finish last year and given what they have coming back - to me they are an easy choice at #1.

1. Loyola
2. ISUr
3. MSU
4. SIU
5. UNI
6. Bradley
7. Valpo
8. ISUb
9. Drake
10. Evansville

What?! What kind of kool-aid you drinking down in Springfield?

Yeah I know MSU at 3 is a homer pick. I do honestly think we'll be much better than expected and compete at a high level this first year of the Ford era. Of course I could be very wrong.

More new coach enthusiasm!

[Ricardo del Rio]

After the way Loyola dominated the regular season and then marched to a final four finish last year and given what they have coming back - to me they are an easy choice at #1.

1. Loyola
2. ISUr
3. MSU
4. SIU
5. UNI
6. Bradley
7. Valpo
8. ISUb
9. Drake
10. Evansville

What?! What kind of kool-aid you drinking down in Springfield?

Yeah I know MSU at 3 is a homer pick. I do honestly think we'll be much better than expected and compete at a high level this first year of the Ford era. Of course I could be very wrong.

I would say that you have both sides of the fence covered nicely.

[glm38]

What?! What kind of kool-aid you drinking down in Springfield?[/quote]

Yeah I know MSU at 3 is a homer pick. I do honestly think we'll be much better than expected and compete at a high level this first year of the Ford era. Of course I could be very wrong.[/quote]

I would say that you have both sides of the fence covered nicely.[/quote]

Yep. A lot of uncertainty with a new coach. Still i made my prediction (3rd) and I'll stick with it.

Just curious Ricky are you on the AAC conference board too?

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Ricky is a Shox fan, both athletically and personally so I imagine he is on the AAC board.

I'm not convinced Dana is going to succeed. He only did alright with TSU. TSU...

[BEARZ77]

I'm not convinced Dana is going to succeed. He only did alright with TSU. TSU...

I can see some of that reasoning given it was the OVC and all. But I think it overlooks how bad the program was when he took over, the obstacles of being on the bottom of the totem pole behind 2-3 other Universities in your own home town, and the difficulties associated with recruiting to a HBC. In the last 20 years TSU only had 5 seasons .500 or above, Ford had 3 of those in 4 seasons. He inherited a team that was 5-25 and then won 52 games years 2-4. For comparison, Muller inherited a team that had won 21 games the year before and 20+ wins 4 of the last 5. He won 58 games in years 2-4.

All of which really means nothing, Ford will be a question mark till he proves otherwise and we probably won't have a good read on that for a couple years. I have no idea what to expect this year, too many moving parts , but I know this time next year we will have as good a roster as anyone in the league and then we'll see what happens the next few years.

[Ricardo del Rio]

I am not on the AAC board
. I am a MVC fan.
During the season, I watch many MVC games.