MVC Games Week 13

[BCPanther]

Bears absolutely pistol whipped an SIU team that played about as hard as they could. Massive gap in talent between those two teams.

Winning on the road is difficult, as ISUb showed the Bears, so I was quite pleased with their performance. Going to be a real fight for those top-4 seeds and MSU could finish anywhere from 2nd to 4th in my view.

SIU isn't very good.

Mullins has to decide he's going to play offense like its 2022 not 2005 or he's not going to last very long there.

[BEARZ77]

Mullins has to decide he's going to play offense like its 2022 not 2005 or he's not going to last very long there.

That and they need to figure out pace of play that limits opposition ppg, isn't the same as great defense. Bears have shot over 50% from the field both games vs SIU, and averaged about 75 pts despite SIU slowing it down. Announcers keep talking great defense because of ppg, but I think defensive efficiency wise SIU is like 108, which is decent, but not elite type defense. I think they have better personnel than they play, but don't seem to know how to utilize it, or stay consistent with an offensive approach. Probably most disappointing MVC program this year. But still early in the Mullins era, so hopefully he figures it out. Need SIU to be a top level program in this league.

[Action10]

That and they need to figure out pace of play that limits opposition ppg, isn't the same as great defense. Bears have shot over 50% from the field both games vs SIU, and averaged about 75 pts despite SIU slowing it down. Announcers keep talking great defense because of ppg, but I think defensive efficiency wise SIU is like 108, which is decent, but not elite type defense. I think they have better personnel than they play, but don't seem to know how to utilize it, or stay consistent with an offensive approach. Probably most disappointing MVC program this year. But still early in the Mullins era, so hopefully he figures it out. Need SIU to be a top level program in this league.

Some people on their board are really pushing that next year is a make or break year for Mullins and SIU and that they should take a big step forward. I don't see it working that way because their roster will be essentially unchanged, barring massive transfers. Teams with existing rosters don't jump from below average to great with time. The change happens with an infusion of talent, which isn't really possible with only 1 scholarship opening for next year. Relying on other teams getting worse doesn't make sense to me either because Murray State, Drake, UNI, Belmont, and Bradley all appear to be in position to be really good next year.
Is anyone seeing something that I am not?

[tribecalledquest]

That and they need to figure out pace of play that limits opposition ppg, isn't the same as great defense. Bears have shot over 50% from the field both games vs SIU, and averaged about 75 pts despite SIU slowing it down. Announcers keep talking great defense because of ppg, but I think defensive efficiency wise SIU is like 108, which is decent, but not elite type defense. I think they have better personnel than they play, but don't seem to know how to utilize it, or stay consistent with an offensive approach. Probably most disappointing MVC program this year. But still early in the Mullins era, so hopefully he figures it out. Need SIU to be a top level program in this league.

Some people on their board are really pushing that next year is a make or break year for Mullins and SIU and that they should take a big step forward. I don't see it working that way because their roster will be essentially unchanged, barring massive transfers. Teams with existing rosters don't jump from below average to great with time. The change happens with an infusion of talent, which isn't really possible with only 1 scholarship opening for next year. Relying on other teams getting worse doesn't make sense to me either because Murray State, Drake, UNI, Belmont, and Bradley all appear to be in position to be really good next year.
Is anyone seeing something that I am not?

I think banking on Lance Jones and Marcus Domask easily signing up for another year of that is pretty risky.

[BCPanther]

That and they need to figure out pace of play that limits opposition ppg, isn't the same as great defense. Bears have shot over 50% from the field both games vs SIU, and averaged about 75 pts despite SIU slowing it down. Announcers keep talking great defense because of ppg, but I think defensive efficiency wise SIU is like 108, which is decent, but not elite type defense. I think they have better personnel than they play, but don't seem to know how to utilize it, or stay consistent with an offensive approach. Probably most disappointing MVC program this year. But still early in the Mullins era, so hopefully he figures it out. Need SIU to be a top level program in this league.

Some people on their board are really pushing that next year is a make or break year for Mullins and SIU and that they should take a big step forward. I don't see it working that way because their roster will be essentially unchanged, barring massive transfers. Teams with existing rosters don't jump from below average to great with time. The change happens with an infusion of talent, which isn't really possible with only 1 scholarship opening for next year. Relying on other teams getting worse doesn't make sense to me either because Murray State, Drake, UNI, Belmont, and Bradley all appear to be in position to be really good next year.
Is anyone seeing something that I am not?

I think banking on Lance Jones and Marcus Domask easily signing up for another year of that is pretty risky.

I think Jones especially. There are moments where it feels like he's being held back offensively by design.

The top of this league isn't getting any worse with UNI, Drake, Murray, Belmont and Bradley set up to be pretty good on paper next year so he's going to have to figure out how to either play faster so the defensive efficiency doesn't kill him or get the same group to buy in to defend at a higher level which is insanely difficult with no turnover. If it doesn't happen in year 4, it's hard to see it happening.

[tribecalledquest]

I think Jones especially. There are moments where it feels like he's being held back offensively by design.

The top of this league isn't getting any worse with UNI, Drake, Murray, Belmont and Bradley set up to be pretty good on paper next year so he's going to have to figure out how to either play faster so the defensive efficiency doesn't kill him or get the same group to buy in to defend at a higher level which is insanely difficult with no turnover. If it doesn't happen in year 4, it's hard to see it happening.

The joke going around in some MVC circles is the best person to keep Lance Jones from scoring is Bryan Mullins.

[DUBulldog]

I think Jones especially. There are moments where it feels like he's being held back offensively by design.

The top of this league isn't getting any worse with UNI, Drake, Murray, Belmont and Bradley set up to be pretty good on paper next year so he's going to have to figure out how to either play faster so the defensive efficiency doesn't kill him or get the same group to buy in to defend at a higher level which is insanely difficult with no turnover. If it doesn't happen in year 4, it's hard to see it happening.

The joke going around in some MVC circles is the best person to keep Lance Jones from scoring is Bryan Mullins.

It’s like the old joke that the only person who could hold Michael Jordan to less than 20 points was Dean Smith.

Jones seems like a really bad fit for SIU’s offense. He’d be great on any uptempo team.

[Bearvision]

Bears absolutely pistol whipped an SIU team that played about as hard as they could. Massive gap in talent between those two teams.

Winning on the road is difficult, as ISUb showed the Bears, so I was quite pleased with their performance. Going to be a real fight for those top-4 seeds and MSU could finish anywhere from 2nd to 4th in my view.

SIU isn't very good.

Which is what I said.

[Bearvision]

I keep seeing teams that are supposed to be next year and none list MSU and I’m wondering if I’m not seeing something. The only loss of any significance at this point is Prim. Returning Mosley/Clay is pretty good with incoming talent as well.

Maybe others see the loss of Prim as a death knell?

[BCPanther]

I keep seeing teams that are supposed to be next year and none list MSU and I’m wondering if I’m not seeing something. The only loss of any significance at this point is Prim. Returning Mosley/Clay is pretty good with incoming talent as well.

Maybe others see the loss of Prim as a death knell?

As soon as we're sure Mosely is back, they jump right into that group for me. I truly hope he is because he's a blast to watch.