It's Time - New Prediction Thread

[Aargh]

Now that the OOC portion of the schedule is about done we've got a better idea of how the year is going to work out.

Can Drake stay hot?
Is Bradley as bad as they've looked in some of their games?
Is MSU going to challenge for a top-3 finish?
Which way are the schizo Panthers going to go in league play?

Here's my latest guess:

1. WSU
2. InSU - I still think they'll pull it together to get this - barely.
3. MSU - If InSU stumbles AT ALL, MSU is looking like #2 - but not how SIU is looking like #2.
4. UNI - I'm giving this to Jacobsen over Giacoletti's miracle with the Bulldogs
5. DU
6. - 7. IlSU - They're better than I thought earlier, but with Middlebrooks out, got huge questions
6. - 7. UE - Stop Balentine = stop the Aces. Stop Balentine and D Mockevicious and UE = Thursday.
8. BU - This could put Geno on a hot seat - particularly with BU's Les supporters.
9. LU - Worse at this point than I was expecting
10. SIU - Unless Barry's wife has some eligibility. She shot fakes and believes size doesn't matter.

[saluki762]

Now that the OOC portion of the schedule is about done we've got a better idea of how the year is going to work out.

Can Drake stay hot?
Is Bradley as bad as they've looked in some of their games?
Is MSU going to challenge for a top-3 finish?
Which way are the schizo Panthers going to go in league play?

Here's my latest guess:

1. WSU
2. InSU - I still think they'll pull it together to get this - barely.
3. MSU - If InSU stumbles AT ALL, MSU is looking like #2 - but not how SIU is looking like #2.
4. UNI - I'm giving this to Jacobsen over Giacoletti's miracle with the Bulldogs
5. DU
6. - 7. IlSU - They're better than I thought earlier, but with Middlebrooks out, got huge questions
6. - 7. UE - Stop Balentine = stop the Aces. Stop Balentine and D Mockevicious and UE = Thursday.
8. BU - This could put Geno on a hot seat - particularly with BU's Les supporters.
9. LU - Worse at this point than I was expecting
10. SIU - Unless Barry's wife has some eligibility. She shot fakes and believes size doesn't matter.

1. WSU
2. InSU - I still think they'll pull it together to get this - barely.
3. MSU - If InSU stumbles AT ALL, MSU is looking like #2 - but not how SIU is looking like #2.
4. UNI - I'm giving this to Jacobsen over Giacoletti's miracle with the Bulldogs
5. DU
6. - 7. IlSU - They're better than I thought earlier, but with Middlebrooks out, got huge questions
6. - 7. UE - Stop Balentine = stop the Aces. Stop Balentine and D Mockevicious and UE = Thursday.
8-10 BU - This could put Geno on a hot seat - particularly with BU's Les supporters.
8-10 LU - Worse at this point than I was expecting
8-10 SIU - Unless Barry's wife has some eligibility. She shot fakes and believes size doesn't matter

I agree with you almost completely. I have never predicted anything but 10th place for the Salukis this year even when some idiots here were saying 6th for them. All that said, BU and LU are terrible as well at this point, they should all finish 10th.

[ptownbraves]

8. BU - This could put Geno on a hot seat - particularly with BU's Les supporters.

Unless things go terribly, catastrophically wrong in Peoria, I don't think Geno is on the hot seat this season. They've invested quite a bit in getting and retaining him and the administration is probably not itching to deal with another coach termination after just a few seasons. To your point though, this is more Geno's team than Les's now, and his recruits had better start performing.

Also, so tired of the Jim Les fanboys. It's done and over with. Move on.

[glm38]

Now that the OOC portion of the schedule is about done we've got a better idea of how the year is going to work out.

Can Drake stay hot?
Is Bradley as bad as they've looked in some of their games?
Is MSU going to challenge for a top-3 finish?
Which way are the schizo Panthers going to go in league play?

Here's my latest guess:

1. WSU
2. InSU - I still think they'll pull it together to get this - barely.
3. MSU - If InSU stumbles AT ALL, MSU is looking like #2 - but not how SIU is looking like #2.
4. UNI - I'm giving this to Jacobsen over Giacoletti's miracle with the Bulldogs
5. DU
6. - 7. IlSU - They're better than I thought earlier, but with Middlebrooks out, got huge questions
6. - 7. UE - Stop Balentine = stop the Aces. Stop Balentine and D Mockevicious and UE = Thursday.
8. BU - This could put Geno on a hot seat - particularly with BU's Les supporters.
9. LU - Worse at this point than I was expecting
10. SIU - Unless Barry's wife has some eligibility. She shot fakes and believes size doesn't matter.

I like your predictions. Spot on at this point. ISUr seems high to me but I'm not sure who would go above them? Hilarious comments regarding SIU.

[musiccitybulldog]

4 way tie for first place WSU, Drake, UNI, MSU
Ill State,
Indiana State
Evansville
Bradley
Southern Illinois
Loyola

[Snaggletooth]

Also, so tired of the Jim Les fanboys. It's done and over with. Move on.

WSU is going through a little of that with their Baseball program and the Gene fan boys. Only way to get beyond that is to Win. I think Geno will do that, it just takes time and we (fans) are a impatient lot.

[pafan]

I'll go this way:

1. Wichita State: 17-1
2. Indiana State: 14-4
3. Northern Iowa: 10-8
4. Drake: 10-8
T5. Missouri State: 8-10
T5. Bradley: 8-10
7. Evansville: 7-11
8. Illinois State: 6-12
T9. Southern Illinois: 5-13
T9. Loyola-Chicago: 5-13

[TheAsianSensation]

1) Wichita St 16-2
2) Indiana St 12-6
t3) Missouri St 11-7
t3) Northern Iowa 11-7
5) Drake 9-9
t6) Illinois St 8-10
t6) Evansville 8-10
t6) Bradley 8-10
9) Loyola (Chicago) 4-14
10) Southern Illinois 3-15

I'll predict @Illinois St (because it's exactly the type of upset schizo teams get) and @Indiana St as the Wichita losses.

Indiana St will absorb enough body blows to miss the NCAA tournament. 3 seed in the NIT.

MSU and UNI on the NIT bubble. I'll say MSU in and UNI out based on the selection committee's infatuation with W-L record.

Drake is consistent enough to beat the bad teams, so they have a leg up on the race for 5th. It'll be a logjam the whole year.

Loyola and SIU are the clear worst teams.

NCAA: Wichita St
NIT: Indiana St, Missouri St
EIEIO: Northern Iowa, Drake

[isumvc1]

people are over rating the Sycamores, we have one good win on the season, over Notre Dame. All our other wins have either been over D-II teams or low majors. And those wins have not been convincing wins. I would guess this is how it will play out

Wichita State 18-0, don't see them tripping up unless injuries occur
Missouri State 12-6
UNI 11-7
Indiana State 10-8 (we'll have several inexplicable losses once again this year)
Drake 9-9
Evansville 8-10
Illinois State 3-15
Bradley 2-16
Loyola 1-17
SIU 1-17

Thursday in St Louis will be "Illinois Invitational" day this year

one post season NCAA bid for WSU only from this conference, no NIT bids, maybe a few XYZ tournament bids for places 2, 3, 4

[Redbird Recon]

Wichita State 18-0, don't see them tripping up unless injuries occur
Missouri State 12-6
UNI 11-7
Indiana State 10-8 (we'll have several inexplicable losses once again this year)
Drake 9-9
Evansville 8-10
Illinois State 3-15
Bradley 2-16
Loyola 1-17
SIU 1-17

This is where you know The Valley is really down this year.
75-105 in conference games!