Official 2019-20 MVCfans.com Prediction - 3rd Place

by **MVCfans** » October 25th, 2019, 4:05 pm

Following a tie which was ultimately decided in a twitter poll, Drake was selected as the likely 5th place finisher. As the winner of the twitter vote, UNI will be slotted 4th.(results: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5405 )

Week 7 - Who will finish in 3rd place during the 2019-20 MVC mens basketball season?
-You are choosing the team that you believe will finish in 3rd place for this regular season.

Official MVCfans.com - Predictions:
10th Place - Valparaiso
9th Place - Southern Illinois
8th Place - Indiana State
7th Place - Illinois State
6th Place - Evansville
5th Place - Drake
4th Place - UNI
3rd Place - ......

**Sponsor**

by **bradley_townie** » October 26th, 2019, 1:59 pm

This was a tough one.

With a healthy Kaifes and Clemons, I would have picked Loyola over Bradley. Because of the unknowns and losing Townes/Custer/Kaifes, I’d take Darrell Brown and Elijah Childs over Lucas Williamson and Cam Krutwig.

Since Bradley returns a large chunk of last year’s tourney championship team, I think they could finish 2nd. But they do have a lot of question marks. Losing DLO and Lundy will hurt them the most. Both could get to the basket and the line with consistency. Lundy emerged later in the year and was a big reason why they finished 9-4 after starting the season 0-5. If Bradley can keep the two-guard sets to allow Darrell Brown to play off the ball, they should be successful. Danya Kingsby (transfer from LSU) should be getting starter minutes to fill that role.

Bradley’s frontcourt is another question mark. Boya was pretty raw last year and needed more time to develop and get used to D1 speed. With the leg injury over the summer, I don’t know how much he’s progressed. Hopefully he can be a serviceable option to spell Koch Bar. Rienk Mast is also recovering from an ACL injury and won’t be available initially. Last year, it was the Childs and Bar show with a bit of Henry and Van Bree.

Overall, I think Bradley has both a higher ceiling and a lower floor than Loyola.

by **siudawgs** » October 26th, 2019, 7:14 pm

Bradley definitely has a solid core, and I really liked what I saw from Henry last year as an energy guy. In terms of Bradley vs. Loyola, I think a lot will come down to whose newcomers rise up more. Both teams have some intriguing new guys, but hard to say at this point.

by **Blers** » October 27th, 2019, 2:30 pm

bradley_townie wrote:Overall, I think Bradley has both a higher ceiling and a lower floor than Loyola.

I have Loyola here. I think Bradley has a higher floor, while Loyola has the higher ceiling. Willing to guess it'll be a bumpy few weeks before Agunanne and Clemons return. If it all comes together though... watch out. Just need to see how the guard situation shakes out with Clemons, Kennedy, Pipkins, etc. That said, it's so many new pieces.

I think most Rambler fans are looking for a fun season, I'd be much more confident with a healthy Kaifes who was coming along at the end of last season. That said Bradley has a few more proven pieces available... Really like Henry's game. Biggest question for Bradley is how hungry are they to win again. It's one thing to say it in the offseason, but another thing when teams are coming at you each and every day as the defending champ.

by **TheDrake** » October 27th, 2019, 5:13 pm

Blers wrote:
bradley_townie wrote:Overall, I think Bradley has both a higher ceiling and a lower floor than Loyola.

I have Loyola here. I think Bradley has a higher floor, while Loyola has the higher ceiling. Willing to guess it'll be a bumpy few weeks before Agunanne and Clemons return. If it all comes together though... watch out. Just need to see how the guard situation shakes out with Clemons, Kennedy, Pipkins, etc. That said, it's so many new pieces.

I think most Rambler fans are looking for a fun season, I'd be much more confident with a healthy Kaifes who was coming along at the end of last season. That said Bradley has a few more proven pieces available... Really like Henry's game. Biggest question for Bradley is how hungry are they to win again. It's one thing to say it in the offseason, but another thing when teams are coming at you each and every day as the defending champ.

Defending champ? Bradley tied for 5th last year.

by **Blers** » October 27th, 2019, 10:38 pm

TheDrake wrote:Defending champ? Bradley tied for 5th last year.

.

*Of Arch Madness... figured that'd be clear.

Ultimately Bradley got what every team wanted. I'd take the tournament birth at 9-9 in fifth over a tie for first place at 12-6 with little show for it in a very level Valley. I think their bragging rights would stick out a bit more in players minds.

by **BuBrave2006** » October 28th, 2019, 7:37 am

Blers wrote:
TheDrake wrote:Defending champ? Bradley tied for 5th last year.
.

*Of Arch Madness... figured that'd be clear.

Ultimately Bradley got what every team wanted. I'd take the tournament birth at 9-9 in fifth over a tie for first place at 12-6 with little show for it in a very level Valley. I think their bragging rights would stick out a bit more in players minds.

I can confirm this opinion.

by **BEARZ77** » October 28th, 2019, 8:34 am

Just my opinion, but I think this is one of the dumbest things college basketball does especially at the midmajor level, that being giving the ultimate prize to a team that gets hot for 4 days over a team that performed for 3 months. It doesn't hurt the power conferences because their regular season champ is never left out of the NCAA Tourney, but it really hurts the mids and especially low majors . At least in a conference like the Valley, it's rare that a lower half team makes a run all the way, but still, how often does the best team get knocked off in conference tourneys. How do you raise the perception of your conference if your best team doesn't get to compete in the championship tourney?

I get the dollar side of having post season Conference Tourneys, and I understand the thinking behind sending the team playing the best at the end of the season, but I strongly feel a regular season champion should never be kept out of the NCAA Tourney, and like I said , it doesn't happen to the power conferences.

by **ACECARD** » October 28th, 2019, 10:27 am

BEARZ77 wrote:Just my opinion, but I think this is one of the dumbest things college basketball does especially at the midmajor level, that being giving the ultimate prize to a team that gets hot for 4 days over a team that performed for 3 months. It doesn't hurt the power conferences because their regular season champ is never left out of the NCAA Tourney, but it really hurts the mids and especially low majors . At least in a conference like the Valley, it's rare that a lower half team makes a run all the way, but still, how often does the best team get knocked off in conference tourneys. How do you raise the perception of your conference if your best team doesn't get to compete in the championship tourney?

I get the dollar side of having post season Conference Tourneys, and I understand the thinking behind sending the team playing the best at the end of the season, but I strongly feel a regular season champion should never be kept out of the NCAA Tourney, and like I said , it doesn't happen to the power conferences.

I think most clear thinking people would agree with this.

by **MissouriValleyUnite** » October 28th, 2019, 10:54 am

CCG’s, IMO, are the apex of the season. Watching bouts like Liberty @ Lipscomb or Gardner-Webb @ Radford gives off a “for all the marbles”, Super Bowl-like vibe. Those schools likely would never sellout otherwise.

Environments at those games create once-in-a-lifetime memories that connect students and alums to their schools and compel them to come back to campus, perhaps donate.

CCG’s are also the only opportunity for some leagues to showcase themselves nationally. Big South, ASun, etc wouldn’t have national stage games to attract eyeballs otherwise.

CCG’s can be a funner experience than the NCAA Tournament. You’re comparing color-coded raucous crowds to corporate crowds.