Top 144 Teams--Sports Madness - 2020-2021

[Drakey]

Tier 3.5: Drake (Really debated putting them in tier 3 but I think the loss of Robbins really hurts them and I'm not sure if they've adequately replaced him or if you even can adequately replace him.

Robbins was good, but not great. He had a lot of potential. I think the focus on the post game actally was detrimental to some other players on the floor. I think the bulldogs will be better than last season. Unfortunately, almost everybody in the conference will be better this season.

[VUGrad1314]

Offensively I can see your point since Drake has a lot of guards that can slash and get to the basket and will benefit from having more space to operate in the paint. Where I really think Drake will miss Robbins and where his defection really hurts is on the defensive end. A team's defense looks a lot different and a lot better knowing that they can funnel players to the rim because they have a player that can block or alter several shots a game. In this respect, Robbins is a huge loss. Maybe Drake will find ways to compensate for that by scoring more or adapting their defensive system but I don't see how anyone can look at losing Robbins as any kind of positive or blessing in disguise. I look forward to seeing if the Bulldogs can prove me wrong though because that will be a good education on the game of basketball and make me a better more knowledgeable fan.

[patnb]

Tier 3.5: Drake (Really debated putting them in tier 3 but I think the loss of Robbins really hurts them and I'm not sure if they've adequately replaced him or if you even can adequately replace him.

Robbins was good, but not great. He had a lot of potential. I think the focus on the post game actally was detrimental to some other players on the floor. I think the bulldogs will be better than last season. Unfortunately, almost everybody in the conference will be better this season.

I think you're so hurt (and I don't blame you) with him leaving you are significantly downplaying him in order to try to ignoring how big of a hole it leaves.

[VUGrad1314]

Although I do think we'll recover okay because we have a good class coming in and Clay Krikke and others to pick up the slack I definitely can admit to doing this a little bit in response to JFL's transfer from Valpo to DePaul. I'm not mad at him for it I wish him well but I admit I may be downplaying the negative effects of him not being on the court for us in an attempt to remain positive about the upcoming season. I do think we still have enough to very possibly avoid Thursday for the first time. But so much of that is going to come down to how good MSU SIU ISUb and Drake are. Either way the Valley will be strong and it will be a fun season if we have it. I'm excited.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Either way the Valley will be strong and it will be a fun season if we have it. I'm excited.

I suppose SEC/ACC/12 football will be the litmus test but I have my money on no season until at least spring.

[squirrel]

Bradley at #98.

https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/18656

That's actually a really good write up on Bradley. Bradley has the potential to be just as good as they have been the last 2 years, but will depend on all the new players stepping up and stepping into roles. Nolan, East, and McAdoo all have proven they can play at the D1 level at this point. The one person they probably missed that most Bradley fans are excited about is Rienk Mast, a 6'10 shooter from the Netherlands who red-shirted last year because of Injury. The talent is there to challenge Loyola and UNI, but it will depend on how well the pieces fit together.

Agreed. While I think the league will be better across-the-board this year, I'll take a 98 ranking considering what the Braves lose from last season. It basically says the program is staying at the same level, possibly higher.

The preview here also ignores Tahvanainen's emergence and three-point bonanza the last month of the season.

The key for the Braves is for Elijah to play like a POY candidate from go. . .he has the tendency to be up-and-down early in the season. He has to be the dominant senior leader he is positioned to become.

And yes, the Mast-Domask matchups in the coming years should be a lot of fun.

I posted it in the "way too early predictions" thread:

On Rienk Mast, as a 17 year old in the Dutch Basketball League, he averaged 8.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, and shot over 50% from 2 and right at 40% from 3 in 19.5 minutes per game. He earned both the league's U23 MVP and Most Improved player awards that season. He later tore his ACL in the league championship series, which is why he sat out last year. So he also missed last summer's U18 action, but he has made a senior team appearance for the Netherlands, as well.

For the same team in the same league, former Brave Donte Thomas was averaging 15.7 pts, 7.4 reb, and 2.6 assists in 28.4 minutes as a 24 year old, when play stopped this year.

My biggest concern for Mast, though, is the longer the season gets delayed, the closer it becomes almost 2 full years since he's seen competitive basketball.

Perhaps encouraging is that Dave Reynolds just tweeted that the season is set to potentially start the day before Thanksgiving, pending DI council approval.

[9628]

Loyola at #61. Second in the MVC.

[VUGrad1314]

That is low... I think they're at least a top 40-50 team in the nation this year... Feels like the MVC is being diserespected again...

[Blers42]

That is low... I think they're at least a top 40-50 team in the nation this year... Feels like the MVC is being diserespected again...

Better than Wichita State #84 and Depaul #92, I'll take it

[sivert]

UNI Panthers come in at their #50. Good write-up. Solid team with a bunch of good underclassmen who need to contribute for the team to be great.

I feel like the comparison with Loyola will be very interesting. Loyola will come out of the gates ready to go with a lot of really good upperclassmen. UNI has a bit more unknowns, needing production from some underclassmen, but has the higher potential?