Thursday night teams next year

[Mikovio]

1. WSU
2. ISU Blue

3. UNI
4. Bradley
5. MSU

6. Evansville

7. Loyola

8. SIU
9. ISU Red
10. Drake

[rlh04d]

As I look around the MVC, I've got to ask, who thinks they will have a better squad this year than last year?

I think WSU will be better. Even if we just hold steady after the loss of Hall and Armstead, I still think we do significantly better this next year if healthy -- I think we dropped three games last year due to injuries. And, like you said, the MVC will be significantly down next year. WSU's big challenge will be putting together a solid at-large resume in case we lose the tournament, since the MVC will likely hurt our resume and not give us many shots at top 100 RPIs, and no more than one other team top 50.

Indiana State should be better. Missouri State will be better. Bradley will be better. Loyola will be better, but likely win less. For the conference, I'm still hoping that WSU and Indiana State can dominate the conference and both make the tournament.

[BCPanther]

As I look around the MVC, I've got to ask, who thinks they will have a better squad this year than last year?

I think WSU will be better. Even if we just hold steady after the loss of Hall and Armstead, I still think we do significantly better this next year if healthy -- I think we dropped three games last year due to injuries. And, like you said, the MVC will be significantly down next year. WSU's big challenge will be putting together a solid at-large resume in case we lose the tournament, since the MVC will likely hurt our resume and not give us many shots at top 100 RPIs, and no more than one other team top 50.

Indiana State should be better. Missouri State will be better. Bradley will be better. Loyola will be better, but likely win less. For the conference, I'm still hoping that WSU and Indiana State can dominant the conference and both make the tournament.

That's a really good point. The league may only have 3 (WSU, InSU, UNI) Top 100 teams next year. This is the worst year in recent memory. Only hope is for the top three to all have 14+ wins and only lose to each other...

[2livewu]

3? I hope for 2. I don't see how UNI is a top 100 team. They were 83 at the end of this year against a fantastic non conference schedule that isn't being duplicated this fall and no games against Creighton.

They are going to have to be significantly more successful in wins and losses to be a top 100 team. Maybe, but I wouldn't bet on it.

[rlh04d]

That's a really good point. The league may only have 3 (WSU, InSU, UNI) Top 100 teams next year. This is the worst year in recent memory. Only hope is for the top three to all have 14+ wins and only lose to each other...

Yep. Unfortunately I think the MVC next year will be WSU as a top 25 RPI, Indiana State *maybe* as a top 50 RPI, UNI *maybe* as a top 100 RPI ... and most of the others likely closer to 200 than 100.

[Wufan]

I think UNI is a top 100 next year. The schedule they played was too good. They lost some confidence and just weren't ever quite "right". UNI will have a much better record against a weaker schedule and will be a 50-75 RPI team. Indiana State will be similar, but will be the better team.

I actually think Evansville will be a decent team (top 150 RPI) next year, but I appear to be in the minority.

Bradley and MSU are still 1+ years away from being better than 4th.

[achrist70]

UNI will again be in that 50-100 RPI they have a tough enough schedule to bolster SOS but nowhere the killer that they put together last year. But they have a decent tournament, VCU, Iowa State, and I feel like I am forgetting someone.

But as a whole the conference RPI will come down to wins out of conference by everyone. Missouri State can't do nothing out of conference then decide to turn it on once conference play begins that made the conference look weak last year, I didn't mean to single out the Bears but they are the most recent example of this.

[rlh04d]

Comparing UNI's RPI as a reflection of last year's is probably off, as conference wide RPI will be down. Lots more games against lower RPI teams in conference next year.

UNI will have to make up for that with more wins in conference or a better performance in the noncon.

[kcmsaluki12]

Loyola, IL St, Drake, SIU

In the case of SIU, I think they've upgraded their talent overall, but the lack of size will absolutely kill them, and they'll have no Jeff Early to help mitigate that. Losing Daniels was a big time blow, and our only forwards will be Drinkard and Bola Olaniyan who has yet to ever play a D-1 game. It's gonna to be a big time struggle again for the Dawgs next year.