Wichita Beat Writer Posts his Picks

[BradleyBrave]

I would be shocked if ISUR, SIU, and Loyola aren't 3 of the 4 pillow fight participants. Drake I think is likely the 4th. Aces I think sneak into 6th and BU and MSU interchangeable at 4/5.

Where's the guy who was all crabby about BU being considered for 4th? This writer has us 3rd. Oh the humanity.

Ron Baker impressed the hell out of me. I would love to see what he can do if he's healthy a whole year.

[Aargh]

I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see Baker EARN 1st team All-Valley. If he plays the way he did in the NCAA tourney, he's golden for 1st team. The other side of that is that no one had scouted him, and he may have been overlooked and had an easier go at it than if he had played all season. That's legitimate.

Before last season started, Shocker fans had Baker as one of the last two off the bench. Insiders and those who get to watch the team a little more and have some experience evaluating talent assured WSU fans that there was no way Baker could be kept off the floor, even with the ridiculous depth WSU had last year.

Baker won't see 2" of daylight. Defenses will have a guy on him like white on rice. Baker will have to have handles to drive past that kind of D. His handles were fine against Louisville's press. He was one of 3 guys to bring the ball upcourt against that press.

It's said that with Bowles out (Fr PG who collapsed and did not get medical clearance), Baker will get some minutes at PG, so he probably has some handles we haven't seen. It's been reported from summer (summer reports are suspect, but that's all we've got right now) that Baker is hitting guarded 3's.

As a SO, Baker is going to have to light the league up, or the All-Valley honor will go to an older player.

[rlh04d]

I would still say he is off base by picking LU 9th. 6th or 7th is the right place to put us for the moment.

Sometimes low expectations are better. Always better to overachieve than underachieve.

I am fine with that. I recall when LU made the move to the MVC and I hopped over here. Not a single person was on board with the move. I think I said something to the effect of "I think we are going to surprise some folks" so I was fine with being overlooked.

I think you'll be a decent team this year, but I'm still down on the move. Theoretically you've got lots of promise, but promise only matters if you actually achieve it. If you guys finish sixth, it doesn't justify the move. You guys becoming a significantly better program with real support in the Chicago area in the next decade will.

[Aargh]

I think Loyola can avoid Thursday night. There are going to be some MVC fans who won't want to see a fired coach come back into the league and have success. I'm not one of those.

If anybody watched the NCAA tourney last year, I hope you figured out there isn't that much difference between an upper-level MVC team and the better teams in the nation. Well, unless you were following Creighton.

There also isn't that much difference between the Horizon and the MVC. Last year the top end of the Valley would have beat the top end of the Horizon, but it wouldn't have been a cakewalk. The bottom end of the Valley would have beat the bottom end of the Horizon. That would have been closer than we'd care to admit.

Loyola was a very young team last year, but still had more D1 experience than IlSU has this year. Hello, IlSU fans. This year, Loyola should be about what IlSU should be next year.

[AngryShock]

Sometimes low expectations are better. Always better to overachieve than underachieve.

I am fine with that. I recall when LU made the move to the MVC and I hopped over here. Not a single person was on board with the move. I think I said something to the effect of "I think we are going to surprise some folks" so I was fine with being overlooked.

I think you'll be a decent team this year, but I'm still down on the move. Theoretically you've got lots of promise, but promise only matters if you actually achieve it. If you guys finish sixth, it doesn't justify the move. You guys becoming a significantly better program with real support in the Chicago area in the next decade will.

If Loyola can finish 6th this year and then continue to improve what they have, then it's a fine add. They still wouldn't have been my first choice, but I think they could be a consistent upper half team within 5 years if they're as dedicated to things as they say. And even though they have a small arena, for some reason I think they could be a school that develops into a consistent top 3 or so team and could help keep the top of the MVC strong.

Granted, we'll have to see how it all shakes out, but we didn't have a lot of homerun options to go with. I'd have liked to seen them go outside of the current footprint, but that was probably asking too much.

[JayPak]

FWIW, here are the picks from Steve Pivovar of the Omaha World-Herald, who was an MVC beat writer for 30+ years. Before you point out that he's in the Big East now, you should know that he still has an official vote for the MVC preseason team and POY rankings, so I consider his opinion relevant.

1, WSU, 2, Indy State, 3, UNI, 4, Missouri State, 5, Bradley, 6, Loyola, 7, Illinois State, 8, Drake, 9, Evansville, 9, SIU (guess he tied UE and SIU)

All-MVC: Early, Tuttle, Lemon, Odum, Jackson.
POY: Early.
Most quotable coach: Hinson.

[rlh04d]

Before you point out that he's in the Big East now, you should know that he still has an official vote for the MVC preseason team and POY rankings, so I consider his opinion relevant.

Is that just a respect for him as a professional thing or will he be losing that soon?

[Aargh]

Before you point out that he's in the Big East now, you should know that he still has an official vote for the MVC preseason team and POY rankings, so I consider his opinion relevant.

Is that just a respect for him as a professional thing or will he be losing that soon?

It wouldn't make much sense to give the Loyola beat writer a vote this year.

[agrinut]

Before you point out that he's in the Big East now, you should know that he still has an official vote for the MVC preseason team and POY rankings, so I consider his opinion relevant.

Is that just a respect for him as a professional thing or will he be losing that soon?

It wouldn't make much sense to give the Loyola beat writer a vote this year.

Does Loyola have a bear writer?

[PantherSigEp]

Is that just a respect for him as a professional thing or will he be losing that soon?

It wouldn't make much sense to give the Loyola beat writer a vote this year.

Does Loyola have a bear writer?

No I believe only Missouri State does