2012-13 MVC predictions

[DoubleJayAlum]

No one has said that UNI is a program like any of those you listed...However, the UNI program has been the most consistant (or top or 3, as I haven't looked real deep into the numbers) over the last decade. 6 NCAA's, 9 post season tournaments, Sweet Sixteen, no PIGs, average finish of 3.2 (using your numbers and corrected as UNI didn't finish 7th no matter how you want to spin it).

I'm not sure about your numbers and it doesn't really sound like you are either.

A quick check of wikipedia, FWIW, shows UNI NCAA tourney appearances in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010. According to my math, that is FIVE appearances, not six. I'm also not sure that you have UNI's number of post-season tournaments right either - 9 seems high. Off of the top of my head, I'd say it is closer to 7 than it is to 9.

I'd watch some of your other language as well. Probably better to go with "one of the most consistent" instead of "the most consistent" unless you really sit down and compare numbers with some of your conference mates. I think when you do that, you may just find that UNI's number of post season tournaments and average finish may not be the best in the league as you seem to believe.

PS - If you use the start of this century as the period of evaluation instead of the last ten years, the disparity is even greater.

[valleychamp]

Clutching, grabbing and standing around for 30 seconds of the shot clock will make the outcome of games closer and can make a team look a lot better than it really is. There was a period of time in which Chris Lowery looked like an all-world coach running essentially the same system that UNI runs (except that SIU also had tremendous athletes).

It ain't a pretty product (as witnessed by pretty weak attendance figures), but it can be effective in countering the imbalance in athleticism if that is a recurring problem for your school.

LOL, so let me get this straight...You are saying that despite the acutal results on the court (many wins), despite the results of the last decade (multiple titles), despite the NCAA tournament success (5 appearances, sweet 16, beat #1 team), UNI simply is not that good, and their results have been skewed by some unfair style of play that has made them look better than they actually are, especially against the superior players from the other teams.

Ok, gotchya.

[valleychamp]

While the Panther program has enjoyed some success, it should not be considered in the same sentence with Duke, North Carolina or even Gonzaga.

Certainly the success of the program exceeds that of some other teams in the Mo Valley and it should be respected. Given the circumstances of the university, it should be admired.

In the last ten years, here are its finishes in conference play as follows:
3, 4, 1, 1, 5, 5, 5, 3, 2, 7

I do not think the Panthers are dominating, but I could be wrong.

I do not think the Panthers achievement is eye popping, but I could be wrong.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder unless you are driven blind by purple Kool-Ade.

Huh? Who said any of that?

Fact is, UNI has been amongst the best programs in this conference for the last decade, and that is a significant amount of time. That's the only point that has been made.

[Ali]

Straight up would you take UNI's accomplishments of the last 10 years or Wichita State's? I don't think it is even close.

[DoubleJayAlum]

Clutching, grabbing and standing around for 30 seconds of the shot clock will make the outcome of games closer and can make a team look a lot better than it really is. There was a period of time in which Chris Lowery looked like an all-world coach running essentially the same system that UNI runs (except that SIU also had tremendous athletes).

It ain't a pretty product (as witnessed by pretty weak attendance figures), but it can be effective in countering the imbalance in athleticism if that is a recurring problem for your school.

LOL, so let me get this straight...You are saying that despite the acutal results on the court (many wins), despite the results of the last decade (multiple titles), despite the NCAA tournament success (5 appearances, sweet 16, beat #1 team), UNI simply is not that good, and their results have been skewed by some unfair style of play that has made them look better than they actually are, especially against the superior players from the other teams.

I never said their style of play was unfair.

[Khan4Cats]

Clutching, grabbing and standing around for 30 seconds of the shot clock will make the outcome of games closer and can make a team look a lot better than it really is. There was a period of time in which Chris Lowery looked like an all-world coach running essentially the same system that UNI runs (except that SIU also had tremendous athletes).

It ain't a pretty product (as witnessed by pretty weak attendance figures), but it can be effective in countering the imbalance in athleticism if that is a recurring problem for your school.

Curious. I remember seeing a lot of clutching, grabbing, and, oh yeah, fore-arm shivers during the round of 32 at the NCAA tournament last year being used against North Carolina. Must have been because the team playing them was out-classed athletically.

[Khan4Cats]

While the Panther program has enjoyed some success, it should not be considered in the same sentence with Duke, North Carolina or even Gonzaga.

Certainly the success of the program exceeds that of some other teams in the Mo Valley and it should be respected. Given the circumstances of the university, it should be admired.

In the last ten years, here are its finishes in conference play as follows:
3, 4, 1, 1, 5, 5, 5, 3, 2, 5

I do not think the Panthers are dominating, but I could be wrong.

I do not think the Panthers achievement is eye popping, but I could be wrong.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder unless you are driven blind by purple Kool-Ade.

FIFY....There was no 7th place finish last year....If you want to put it in terms of the tie break, fine...then it would be 5th, with the third best record in the conference.

No one has said that UNI is a program like any of those you listed...However, the UNI program has been the most consistant (or top or 3, as I haven't looked real deep into the numbers) over the last decade. 6 NCAA's, 9 post season tournaments, Sweet Sixteen, no PIGs, average finish of 3.2 (using your numbers and corrected as UNI didn't finish 7th no matter how you want to spin it).

People certainly want to degrade UNI all the time, but the fact is it has been one of the best programs in the conference the last decade.

His numbers are right, yours are off. 10 years ago we finished in 7th. His list goes from most recent to furthest back in time. In the last 9 years, we are one of only two Valley teams to not appear in the play-in, the other team is Creighton and they are going on something like a dozen years or more since a play-in game. We came close to slipping with a young team last year, but still made the second round of the NIT. UNI has been very consistent in recent years, but 10 years ago we were still buried in the bottom half. 9 years ago we pulled ourselves out.

[Ricardo del Rio]

Straight up would you take UNI's accomplishments of the last 10 years or Wichita State's? I don't think it is even close.

I agree. Neither program has been all that extra special.

NIU has been more special than WSU.

The winds have sifted and it is not likey that NIU will win the conference for quite awhile into the future.

[uniftw]

Straight up would you take UNI's accomplishments of the last 10 years or Wichita State's? I don't think it is even close.

I agree. Neither program has been all that extra special.

NIU has been more special than WSU.

The winds have sifted and it is not likey that NIU will win the conference for quite awhile into the future.

I agree....Northern Illinois won't win the MVC for many years to come.

[PantherSigEp]

Straight up would you take UNI's accomplishments of the last 10 years or Wichita State's? I don't think it is even close.

I agree. Neither program has been all that extra special.

UNI has been more special than WSU.

The winds have sifted and it is not likey that UNI will win the conference for quite awhile into the future.

How have the winds sifted unfavorably for the Panthers? They still have Ben Jacobson running the show and this upcoming season all of the players, from what has been thought to be one of the most talented and exciting recruitment classes we have had, will be done red-shirting and ready to contribute. You've already seen what some of those guys, like Seth Tuttle and Deon Mitchell, can do. Be prepared for someone like Matt Bohannon who was also a highly touted recruit and Nathan Buss who sat out last year with a broken arm, has looked very impressive in summer practices. Being 6'8 his length and skills could give some teams fits when trying to deal with Koch and Tuttle as well. 9-9 in conference last season was a bit disappointing and an underachievement based on what we saw earlier in the season from the Panthers, the MVC race could've been much different if UNI hadn't taken a nosedive after playing Ohio.