Thursday night teams next year

by **Red** » May 22nd, 2013, 1:22 pm

I've seen people suggest that Illinois State will be down next year and I understand that, but who will be the bottom four playing in Arch Madness on Thursday night. I'd bet strongly that Drake, Evansville, and Loyola are three. Illinois State could be the 4th or it could be SIU, Missouri St, Bradley, maybe even UNI?

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by **rlh04d** » May 22nd, 2013, 1:58 pm

Red wrote:I've seen people suggest that Illinois State will be down next year and I understand that, but who will be the bottom four playing in Arch Madness on Thursday night. I'd bet strongly that Drake, Evansville, and Loyola are three. Illinois State could be the 4th or it could be SIU, Missouri St, Bradley, maybe even UNI?

I'd bet strongly that Missouri St, Bradley, and UNI are all far better than Illinois State next year. But then it's really hard to predict anything about Illinois State when there is nothing to go off of with the team ... it's certainly possible they click like WSU did last year. However, it would take a magnificent coaching job to keep them out of Thursday night. Even WSU still returned a lot of experience in the program despite losing all of their starters -- ISU's players are new to the starting lineup, the program, and D1.

So I'd say Loyola, Drake, SIU, and IlSU. Evansville could easily replace any of those, though.

by **BCPanther** » May 22nd, 2013, 2:03 pm

7- Loyola
8- SIU
9- Illinois State
10-Drake

Evansville and Bradley will be your 5-6 teams, but I don't really think either one of them falls to Thursday...

by **2livewu** » May 22nd, 2013, 2:28 pm

Total crapshoot 3-10. Every team has strengths, and every team has glaring weaknesses.

by **2livewu** » May 22nd, 2013, 2:33 pm

That's not to say WSU and ISUB are locks for 1 and 2 but they aren't going to be in that washing machine mess at the bottom either.

by **Redbird23** » May 22nd, 2013, 3:24 pm

I think ISU surprises the MVC finishing maybe 4/5. McIntosh, Lofton, and Hunter are going to shine...
10- Loyola
9- Evansville
8- SIU
7- Drake

by **rlh04d** » May 22nd, 2013, 3:35 pm

Redbird23 wrote:I think ISU surprises the MVC finishing maybe 4/5. McIntosh, Lofton, and Hunter are going to shine...
10- Loyola
9- Evansville
8- SIU
7- Drake

Nice thought, but the only facts you have to go off of are that you have a coach who took a team predicted to be top 2 and dropped them to 6th place in the conference. A roster filled with newcomers, especially JUCOs who traditionally transition slowly to D1 ball.

No positive prediction about IlSU can be made next year based on anything but blind fandom. They might have everything click, but no prediction that they will do so can be based on anything logical.

by **saluki762** » May 22nd, 2013, 3:47 pm

SIU was 10th this year. Should be worse next year. Why does everyone here see improvement? Or are other teams regressing that much?

by **valleyclimber** » May 22nd, 2013, 4:11 pm

I'm going to weigh in, and IMHO ISU's Redbirds may suprise quite of few of the naysayers. Muller had his system and had Jank's freeflow players last season, and the results were a lower than predicted finish for the team.

It looks like Muller has cleaned house and now has players that will fit his system and will buy into what he's preaching. Should be interesting, but think Muller & co. really went out and recruited some athletic players that should gel into a very competitive team.

Like a earlier poster mentioned, it's hard to tell because ISU-R has so MANY new players, but I'm willing to bet that the Redbirds will be better than many predict.

ROCK IT VALLEY!!

by **Wufan** » May 22nd, 2013, 5:56 pm

Anything outside of a top two finish for WSU and Indiana State will be a disappointment.

UNI WILL avoid Thursday and could be a contender for first.

So there are 5 additional teams that should feel REALLY good about their chance to avoid Thursday next year. Drake and SIU should hunker down and hope for the best, but they are going to struggle.

Evansville will be mediocre and should finish mid-pack. I expect a first round bye out of the Coltless Aces.

MSU and Bradley were bad last year, but should be improved. Thursday will be disappointing, but is a very real possibility.

I don't know what to expect out of Loyola, but they are NOT a top four fisher. Thursday is probable.

Illinois State is going to regress BIG TIME. If Muller can hold together the talent from what is sure to be a disaster of a season, then the Redbirds should return to mid-pack + in 2014-15. IMO this class is going to have to WELL exceed the hype it is receiving for the birds to pull it together by Christmas break.