Is this the worst the Valley has ever been?

[kcmsaluki12]

Yes, the Valley is terrible this year, but many programs are rebuilding and have new coaches, so I guess that is to be expected.

I think next season will be MUCH improved, it can't get any worse than this year.

Agreed

[rlh04d]

Yes, the Valley is terrible this year, but many programs are rebuilding and have new coaches, so I guess that is to be expected.

Many programs are rebuilding and have new coaches every year in the Valley.

Granted, I do think UNI, Illinois State, and Missouri State will be significantly better next year. Hopefully some of the non-UNI teams will grow some balls with their nonconference schedules, too. For crap sake, swap the 300+ RPI teams for 200+ RPI teams, at least.

[wsushox1]

Call me crazy, but I think Loyola could get something going on the next 2-3 years or so.

[Wufan]

Call me crazy, but I think Loyola could get something going on the next 2-3 years or so.

Loyola has a core (Doyle, Thomas, White) but they need to build around that core and upgrade some talent as well.

[Mike]

It's absolutely the biggest gap between the top team and the rest. Probably since Bird.

It's all the Loyola/Creighton swap. This would be an amazing Valley season with Creighton. It's a very bad season with Loyola.

Here's the swap that was made based on some current rankings:
Kenpom: No. 3 Creighton for No. 236 Loyola
RPI: No. 25 Creighton for No. 301 Loyola
Sagarin: No. 3 Creighton for No. 247 Loyola

WSU is now to the MVC what Memphis State was to Conference USA

[m-v-c]

Yes, the Valley is terrible this year, but many programs are rebuilding and have new coaches, so I guess that is to be expected.

If being the #11 conference with a top 5 team and another at least on the edge of at-large consideration is a terrible year, then this conference is doing just fine.

Conference play cannibalization happens every year in the MVC, nothing new about it this year. The league had a few less wins and a few more bad losses out of conference, mainly because of its youth. It happens. Valley will be just fine.

[Cdizzle]

Yes, the Valley is terrible this year, but many programs are rebuilding and have new coaches, so I guess that is to be expected.

If being the #11 conference with a top 5 team and another at least on the edge of at-large consideration is a terrible year, then this conference is doing just fine.

Conference play cannibalization happens every year in the MVC, nothing new about it this year. The league had a few less wins and a few more bad losses out of conference, mainly because of its youth. It happens. Valley will be just fine.

It's the fact that some people think the Valley is doing just fine that is so infuriating.

No one is on any edge of any at-large consideration.

[rlh04d]

Yes, the Valley is terrible this year, but many programs are rebuilding and have new coaches, so I guess that is to be expected.

If being the #11 conference with a top 5 team and another at least on the edge of at-large consideration is a terrible year, then this conference is doing just fine.

Conference play cannibalization happens every year in the MVC, nothing new about it this year. The league had a few less wins and a few more bad losses out of conference, mainly because of its youth. It happens. Valley will be just fine.

Wichita State is doing great. But one team doesn't make a conference. And as much as I'd like it to, wichita's current run likely isn't sustainable in future years. We're not going to be a top 5 team yearly.

[martymoose]

Just throwing this out there, really have no idea...but what about the year Drake won the regular season and Tourney. That year had to be worse.

[Wufan]

Just throwing this out there, really have no idea...but what about the year Drake won the regular season and Tourney. That year had to be worse.

Here is the record of every team going into St. Louis in 07-08:

BU 17-14 (9-9)
CU 20-9 (10-8)
Drake 28-4 (15-3)
UE 9-20 (3-15)
ISUr 14-15 (8-10)
ISUb 14-15 (8-10)
MSU 16-15 (8-10)
UNI 17-13 (9-9)
SIU 17-13 (11-7)
WSU 11-19 (4-14)

Definitely not a great year. WSU and UE played the patsy and Drake was the hero. Everyone else just ate each other up.