February 17/18th Games

[DUBulldog]

The young Bulldogs were nipping at the heals of Evansville. Evansville won 80-74.

Bulldogs played the last 10-12 minutes with only freshmen and sophomores on the court, and cut a 16 point lead down to 4-5 on a few occasions. DU got 25 points and 15 rebounds out of the center position.

But, in a move I've never seen before, Drake turned in the wrong starting line-up, and 2 seconds after the jump ball fouled intentionally to get the "right" line-up out there.

I think Giacoletti has finally figured out that Kale Abrahamson belongs at the end of the bench.

[Redbirdgrad]

Apparently, UNI are the ones who can only get up for big games.

This whole "gets up for big games" argument is crap (by the way I know your comment was tongue in cheek, just wanted to address the theory as a whole). We're dealing with teenagers for the most part who have been competing practically their entire lives. Of course you're going to be a little more amped up to play some teams (or go head to head with some players) than others. Nature of the beast when you're an athlete.

I think it's more of a consistency of effort that teams need to find. ISU didn't have it to start the year, as evidenced by the TCU game among a few others. Zero reason we should have lost that one, but we weren't clicking yet and didn't realize as a team what it meant to give 100% night in and night out. Over the course of this year, this team has learned it and is now capable of playing to their talent level no matter who is in front of them.

Doesn't mean they wont get a little more jacked when playing a ranked team, etc., but once your team starts clicking, you don't play to your "lows" as much anymore.

Has zero to do with the desire to play another team, and everything to do with finding the desire to play at a championship level night in and night out. Hope the Birds maintain this compete level for the rest of the year.

[mathewson10]

No disrespect to ISUb but I'm excited ISU finally blew someone out. I've felt like all season they have played at the level of their competition. This can be good when you are playing top tier teams but it's a horrible feeling when you're playing struggling teams & only beating them by single digits. Birds have won 8 of their last 9. Let's keep it going!

[BirdsEyeView]

Anybody have updated RPI standings?

I'll answer my own question -

WSU - 50
Eville - 91
ISUr - 107
UNI - 115
SIU - 128

[BuBrave2006]

Bulldogs played the last 10-12 minutes with only freshmen and sophomores on the court

Wow, that must be incredibly difficult to watch a team playing only freshman and sophomore's. I don't know if i could do it consistently.

[PurpleAcesFootball]

Anybody have updated RPI standings?

I'll answer my own question -

WSU - 50
Eville - 91
ISUr - 107
UNI - 115
SIU - 128

It seems like those are fairly low historically. I found this link:
http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/mvc/

The "SRS" column is a rating. This year and 2 years ago seem to be some of the lowest rated years for Valley teams in the last 15 years. So it doesn't just seem down - statistically it is a down year.

The question is whether the soft rankings will mean only 1 NCAA berth (probably). It could mean that only 1 team gets in the NIT as well, which would be a bad thing and definitely not a positive trajectory.

[BirdsEyeView]

Anybody have updated RPI standings?

I'll answer my own question -

WSU - 50
Eville - 91
ISUr - 107
UNI - 115
SIU - 128

It seems like those are fairly low historically. I found this link:
http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/mvc/

The "SRS" column is a rating. This year and 2 years ago seem to be some of the lowest rated years for Valley teams in the last 15 years. So it doesn't just seem down - statistically it is a down year.

The question is whether the soft rankings will mean only 1 NCAA berth (probably). It could mean that only 1 team gets in the NIT as well, which would be a bad thing and definitely not a positive trajectory.

Need to go back to NonCon SOS for tiebreakers and ENFORCE again a good SOS in noncon like they did in the mid 2000s.....That will help again.

This is the 2nd year apparently they used RPI as a tiebreaker, and there is no reason that Evansville should win a tiebreaker over ISUr and UNI if they finish tied in the conference given their horrible NonCon schedule.

[hot nuts]

RPI takes SOS into account, I think it's fair. I get frustrated watching bubble team comparisons this time of year when they start throwing in RPI AND SOS onto the resume...in my mind the SOS is being double counted since it's already factored into the RPI. Just a way to bolster Power 5 teams.

[DUBulldog]

Bulldogs played the last 10-12 minutes with only freshmen and sophomores on the court

Wow, that must be incredibly difficult to watch a team playing only freshman and sophomore's. I don't know if i could do it consistently.

Yeah, Saturday's game should be "interesting"...the battle for last place.

Drake fans (the few that are left) were actually pretty happy to see all the young guys out there. The three upperclassmen for Drake (Enevold, Abrahamson and Madison) have been terrible, but until recently, Giacoletti has insisted on having them in the games at crunch time. I don't think I've ever seen a player more disliked by his own team's fan base than Abrahamson.

[tribecalledquest]

I wouldn't consider Abrahamson an untalented player--would you DUBulldog? What's the issue there?

I've never understood why Ray plays Karl Madison so much. He is a non factor on offense.

It would be nice for Bradley to win Saturday and finish alone in 9th place. Yes, make all the jokes about it...I get it. But they were picked last so not doing that would be a very, very, very small accomplishment.

If Luuk van Bree isn't back from injury I don't see the Braves winning it however.