Dark Horse in Valley

[GoRamblers]

We were putrid in the non con. IMO Loyola would have beaten us during the 1st half of the season. Totally different team during the 2nd half though and IMO no way we would have lost to you. But I happen to be of the opinion that Loyola will be better than expected. I think they stay out of Thurs.

Our season last year was rather interesting. The beginning of the year had our best player (Averkamp) and top point guard (Payne) active but the freshmen weren't playing much and were still adjusting. By the end of the year, we were without Averkamp and Payne (and down to 6 scholarship players) but the freshmen were playing and really growing. Those 7 games I mentioned earlier? They all happened during conference play.

I am hoping that the 2nd half of the year for LU taught the kids how to win. If they learned from last year, we will shock some folks.

[Wufan]

I don't want to complicate things. Why should I expect more out of bad team from an inferior conference? My Bears were putrid last year but they would have beat your ramblers.

I kinda doubt that. The Bears couldn't beat ANYBODY. Had they played Loyola in the non-con, I would have taken Loyola.

How about Bears as a dark horse? They finished…9th last year? If they finish 6th that would a HUGE improvement.

Non-con wins for the Bears:

Philander Smith - no RPI for D-II
Malone - no RPI for D-II
Eastern Michigan - RPI 236

Non-con record for Loyola:

Toledo - RPI 193
Rockhurst - No RPI for D-II
Maryland Eastern Shore - RPI 345
Northern Illinois - RPI 332
Tennessee Tech - RPI 242
Furman - RPI 343
Mississippi State - RPI 230
St. Peters - RPI 289
Depaul - RPI 204

In case you feel that Loyola was given the benefit of an easy schedule, I would like to point out that Loyola was 8-0 in non-con games against opponents ranked 193 or higher. Missouri State was 1-4 against non-con teams ranked 213 and higher. If only the bears could have handled some of those pesky SWAC teams!

AWESOME! You should talk more smack!

If you don't like these numbers, pull your own and see how you fair. Regardless of how the Bears do this year or have performed in the past, last years non-con was the most embarrassing thing I have ever witnessed from a Valley program.

We are not talking about non conference.... No one had even mentioned non conference.

I assumed that in your fantasy land that the Ramblers and Bears were still in different conferences. I hadn't realized that not only did you beat the Ramblers, but that they were also in the Valley. Congrats! In imagination land you were better than TWO MVC teams.

[agrinut]

You are right, forgot all about fantasy land...

[Shockerfan13]

MSU was the $th youngest team in D1, anyone that followed this league knows that they got much better as the year went on. MSU was also without one of their best players in Jarmar Gulley. The fact remains that you won less games against easier competition.....

We have one common opponent...Valpo. We beat them on their court (by 9) and then lost to them at home (by 9). You lost to them at home by 8.

By every metric, your team was at the very bottom of the NCAA (328th in ppg, 331st in rpg, 323rd in apg, 302nd in field goal percentage) While we "won less games against easier competition," we had better ppg, rpg, apg and managed to crack the top 100 in field goal percentage. Not to mention, MSU was 122 in points against giving up 64.7 ppg. Loyola was 64 in the nation giving up 62.4 ppg.

Am I saying we would have wiped you off the court? No chance in hell. But by all measurable metrics, we would have beaten you.

You will fit in just fine here! Nice job!

[rlh04d]

Wufan is right: Missouri State is the Dark Horse in the Valley.

[Wufan]

You are right, forgot all about fantasy land...

[Bradleyfan1]

The only reason you cant pic Bradley as a dark horse is because if you cant see how good we are the you arnt paying attention! We barely played Walt and Tyshon last night and ran away w/ the thing we r 2 and 1 in the bahamas..........going for w number 3 tonight .....how many games have yall played this yr? ;0 advantage us and with 8 new beasts its really helping

[GoRamblers]

The only reason you cant pic Bradley as a dark horse is because if you cant see how good we are the you arnt paying attention! We barely played Walt and Tyshon last night and ran away w/ the thing we r 2 and 1 in the bahamas..........going for w number 3 tonight .....how many games have yall played this yr? ;0 advantage us and with 8 new beasts its really helping

I wouldn't exactly brag about the games in the Bahamas. The competition isn't the same. Point of reference: Loyola played in Italy last year. Won all but 1 game. Several were straight blow outs. What did we do last season? 15-16.

Look. Bradley is a good team and should have a good year. But getting worked up over a summer trip to the Bahamas? Come on now.

[Bradleyfan1]

Peoria is 'worked up" about Bradley hoops this yr and the future.



Also don't hate on the Bahamians...... They are used to the Heat! and being in the sun all day, Get every call, the 3 is moved back less time to shoot FT's dont try and take away from what these guys are doin. When the shock go down in Peoria then youll get on board

[agrinut]

The only reason you cant pic Bradley as a dark horse is because if you cant see how good we are the you arnt paying attention! We barely played Walt and Tyshon last night and ran away w/ the thing we r 2 and 1 in the bahamas..........going for w number 3 tonight .....how many games have yall played this yr? ;0 advantage us and with 8 new beasts its really helping

I wouldn't exactly brag about the games in the Bahamas. The competition isn't the same. Point of reference: Loyola played in Italy last year. Won all but 1 game. Several were straight blow outs. What did we do last season? 15-16.

Look. Bradley is a good team and should have a good year. But getting worked up over a summer trip to the Bahamas? Come on now.

Why should they be a "good" team? They have 8 new players... Lemon is an elite guard and Pickett is a decent post but after that what do they have? I understand it is ridiculous for Missouri State to expect their group of freshman to be better then they were last year, so why should we expect Bradley's newcomers this year to be ready to carry the torch? Bradley lost 56% of its offense from last year, are you expecting those newcomers to make up for most of that?