Dark Horse in Valley

[Veritas]

As LuC will have it winning a few more than expected. They will be psyched playing most teams in the MoVal, but that excitement wont be returned, except for maybe IlSU. I see a few teams sleeping on LuC.

[agrinut]

Loyola or Bradley. Loyola is hard since they're new to the MVC. Many think they're a Thursday team but could finish as high as 5th depending on how their young team comes together. I don't know what everyone's expectations of Bradley are, but I could actually see them finishing as high as 2nd but finishing 3rd and edging out UNI wouldn't surprise me.

Cant pick a team that lost an exhibition in the Bahamas.

[Mikovio]

I'm not reading too much into the Bahamas loss for a few reasons. 1. A projected Bradley starter was suspended (Auston Barnes), 2. The Commonwealth Giants were given a ridiculous 53 free throws, 3. The Giants had already beaten Manhattan and lost to Maryland by 7, and 4. It's August 12th and the team, 8 of which are newcomers, just arrived on campus a couple weeks ago. A couple of the stats were troubling but it's only one game.

[agrinut]

I'm not reading too much into the Bahamas loss for a few reasons. 1. A projected Bradley starter was suspended (Auston Barnes), 2. The Commonwealth Giants were given a ridiculous 53 free throws, 3. The Giants had already beaten Manhattan and lost to Maryland by 7, and 4. It's August 12th and the team, 8 of which are newcomers, just arrived on campus a couple weeks ago. A couple of the stats were troubling but it's only one game.

All of that adds up to the basement, Same story with Missouri State last year...

[Shockerfan13]

I still think Bradley will be ok. I have learned over the years to not pay too much attention to outcomes in these over-seas tourneys. This one game doesn't really say anything about how they will do in November. I am gonna wait before throwing them to the basement of a very down Valley year.

[Mikovio]

How exactly is that the "same story with Missouri State last year?"

[Redbird Recon]

BU fans like their current squad more than Geno does.
They'll still probably be a top half team.
Again, MVC is gon' be bad.

[CaseyGarrisonforPrez]

How exactly is that the "same story with Missouri State last year?"

It's a different chapter of the same book. At least we took it to a bunch of Costa Rican teams. Showed them a thing or two.

A single result might not be all that great but it sounds bad to lose to a Bahamian...Bahaman...or whatever a team from the Bahamas is called. If I was Geno I would have sucker punched an opposing player or coach. Especially with the foul disparity. Then there would be a big melee and the match would be abandoned. And nobody would care about the fact that you were losing. Plus it would be a great bonding experience. It worked well for Georgetown in China last summer.

But yeah. A lot of newcomers and losing to something called the Commonwealth Giants has you ticketed for a lower division finish. At least right now. Geno will learn next time, when you are on an international tour you either want to win big or fight some foreigners.

[Wufan]

MVC is gon' be bad.

Beating a team in the Bahama's tells you very little about your team. Losing tells slightly more. Losing, even if it means little, is a BAD thing and any number of misfortunate events that lead to that loss can not make up for the fact that it is a bad loss.

[jackwagon]

Bradley is a middle tier team at best. You were missing a potential starter even though he has never played for you? Ok.... Still you lost to a team that is from the BAHAMAS! I didn't even know they had basketball goals there. Poor walt lemon jr. , what a way to spend his senior season.