Who is next year's favorite?

[TNMSUFAN]

Next year will be an interesting year for the Bears that is for sure because everyone will expect a big drop off. Weems isn't going pro so having him, Patterson and Scheer back is a start plus Keith Pickens who started 19 games last year will be back. You have to hope for improvement from the returning guys and hope a few of the new recruits will be ready to contribute. We still have 3 ships to give in the spring so we will probably grab an impact juco guy.

My pick would be CU or WSU right now and the Valley should be even better top to bottom next year

[Aargh]

But who's going to play center?

Compare Stutz in his So. and Jr. years to Egelseder. You will see Stutz > Egelseder. That's one option.

WSU has an asst. coach from IllSt who coached Odiakosa. (I hope I have the school right) He says Orukpe's game is more advanced than Odiakosa'a was at similar times in their college careers. That could be coachspeak, but I'll gladly take a 7' version of Odiakosa's game at center.

PF is the ??? Carl Hall looks like he could be a beast on the boards and put up good points, but there is a health issue - and it's his heart. Marshall has already watched one player die in a practice (Guy nTang-Alang - a WSU recruit). He's not likely to give Hall much leeway with health issues.

I expect Marshall will pick up another front court JuCo guy in the spring.

[BirdmanBB]

I really like CU next year. I think they have to be the favorite with WSU being a close second. I think I read a mid-major update on ESPN and the author was saying McDermott could be one of the best freshman in the country this year.

Those who have been commenting about us needing a solid PG are completely correct. I feel like we don't have a typical MVC team that is full of guards who can all handle the ball. We have a lot of talented big men that can score, but no one to distribute the ball to them and help create openings.

If we can find that, I think we will be much improved from this year. Not a first place team, but we should be able to at least hold our own at home.

[SubGod22]

I do like what the Shox have returning. We should be more guard oriented next year. Not that it'll really change anything considering how poor a job they do as a whole of getting the ball inside anyway.

[Ali]

Im more than a little concerned what we'll look like without Ahelegbe.

[DoubleJayAlum]

3. CU- The big 3 should dominate but dont see a lot around them. Added another big in the recruiting game, but thats not really what they need.

I posted this in the CU-DU thread, but I guess it applies here as well:

Creighton absolutely must improve play on the wings next year or it will be another disappointing season. It pains me to say it, but we may have the worst wings in the entire league.

We signed two wing players in the fall (one was recruited by WSU and one by MSU) and I suspect we'll add a JuCo wing in the spring (maybe even two...). Hopefully, two of the signees can play immediately next fall.

[DUBulldog]

7. Drake- Everyone back but Wedel, but he will not easily be replaced. Also a poor recruiting class.

I'm not sure I'd say poor recruiting class, as much as small recruiting class (1 player). But, Drake will also add 3 guys (Wiseler, Madison, Jeffers) who missed all of most of this season with injury, including the only 2 true point guards on the team. Also, Drake's starting 4 and 5 (Clarke and Van Deest) have been playing hurt all season (when they've been playing at all), and hopefully both of those guys will be healthier next season, too.

Bulldogs return about 85% of scoring and 95% of rebounding next year. Add in the return of the injured guys from this season, and I find it hard to believe that they won't move up even one place in the standings from 2011 to 2012.

[shockem]

returning the most players doesn't necessarily equate to being the best returning team. If the guys coming back are average players this year, chances are they'll be average next next year. Frankly, I'm a little concerned about the shox next year. We lose 2 really good big men in Blair and Durley + Ellis. Stutz may or may not come around and I'm not banking on Orupke being able to do much. I hope Carl Hall pans out, but you never know about jucos or transfers (see Echenique). Even if he does work out, we lose 3 big guys and replace with 1. The other new big is a freshmen and it would be unfair to bank on him doing much his first year. Our guards will be ok, but its not like they're lighting the world on fire this year, plus we lose Hatch who is a really tough nosed player that can hit some 3's.

The only saving grace in all of this is that I look across the other rosters and they're not in much better shape. Should be an interesting year.

[MoValley John]

Next year is very interesting and I wouldn't even know where to predict a finish. I will estimate that as down as the Valley is this year, it looks to be up next year. More balance at the top and I look for a much more inpressive non-conference record.

I don't follow Indiana State or Evansville much at all, they are too far away and haven't done much in the past. That said, the Indiana schools are all getting much better and from what I can see, they are recruiting much better. Evansville opens a new arena and should be a great recruiting tool. Look for both schools to continue to improve.

Wichita State may be a bit down, but not much, Gregg Marshall coaches with a chip on his shoulder, demands a lot of his players, recruits well and lets his players play ball. He has a couple of good guys on paper coming in, has some bench guys that will start next year and if everything works out, Wichita State could actually be better next year than this. The only question is, who will play the point?

Cuonzo Martin will have Missouri State playing good ball as will Jacobson and UNI. Both teams lose a lot, but have two great coaches that should be able to draw up a plan to fill those holes and play at a high level. That said, with O'Rear and Ahelegbe gone, UNI will probably be in the middle of the pack, but don't be surprised if Jacobson is able to pull some rabbits out of his hat. as for Martin and Missouri State, Martin has to be begging Weems to stay, without him, MSU will be a good, but not great team.

Creighton is two or three guys from being a very, very dangerous team, they also could be no better than this year. Creighton, in my mind will be a much better team, but that depends on the ability to pose an outside scoring threat. If, and it's a big if, Creighton adds any scoring threat at all from the perimeter, watch out.

I really wonder about Jankovich as a head coach, he did great with Moser's recruits, but I thought ISU had the talent to run away with the league last year and they didn't. This year, well, the results of Jank's recruits and his record speak for itself. I can only think ISU will be better next year, otherwise, Jank is on a very hot seat.

Bradley is a huge question mark. Will Les be back? I'm 95% certain that the answer is no. Although many Braves fans are also Cubs fans, Bradley fans are sick and tired of waiting for next year. My guess is that whomever coaches at Bradley next year, Les, or someone else, they will be improved, Bradley has too rich of a history and tradition to be at the bottom. Then again, the roster looks like the next year's Braves team will be another "Wait until next year" type of program.

I can't figure SIU out. Nor Coach Lowery for that matter. SIU is another big question mark, so I'll guess that SIU can't afford to buy Lowery out, he pulls in some gritty Brad Korn type players and returns the Salukis to the "Floorburn U" type program of years past. My guess is that they will finish around the middle of the pack.

Drake. Drake is a school that I like and follow. I have had several relatives attend Drake, a couple relatives are current students at Drake and I always wish them well. That said, I don't look for Drake to be much better next year than this.

My guess, and this is a dartboard type guess:
1. Wichita State
2. Creighton
3. Indiana State
4. Missouri State
5. Evansville
6. SIU
7. UNI
8. ISU
9. Drake
10. Bradley

Wichita State, Creighton and possibly Indiana State in the dance, Missouri State and one other in the NIT. The Valley finishes the season as the sixth highes conference in the RPI. Too Optimistic?

[DUBulldog]

Wichita State, Creighton and possibly Indiana State in the dance, Missouri State and one other in the NIT. The Valley finishes the season as the sixth highes conference in the RPI. Too Optimistic?

Yep.