Will your team be better or worse next year?

[veeny009]

Drake will be better, because we can't really be worse.

[BuBrave2006]

Drake will be better, because we can't really be worse.

Kurt Kanaskie may beg to differ.

[uniftw]

Drake will be better, because we can't really be worse.

You'd think...

[Blers]

Blers, thanks for the in depth report on Loyola!

Agreed, looks like a nice recruiting class for Loyola!

Happy to be of service! The biggest thing will be if our shooting can bounce back after last year and how our new post players adjust

[veeny009]

When comparing 2-16 to 0-18, its all really just semantics at that point. The suck is real regardless.

[MSUDuo]

Are we going by overall record? Valley record? The "eye test"?

I don't think we can get worse with what we have coming back...but we've all seen what Paul can do to a team that should be decent

[tribecalledquest]

Loyola will be slightly better because they under performed so badly last year. Great incoming players (the average star rating of the team jumps from 2.14 to 2.47 with Custer, Andres, Chastain, and Satterwhite), more depth, more versatility, and better health should overcome the loss of Turk, Montel James, and Earl Peterson.

"Great" incoming players? Let's not overdo it. I wouldn't sneeze at losing Peterson and especially James.

[shockalot]

We all would love to see the MVC become a strong conference again, consistently in the top 6 to 9 conferences. It is a tall order with the current cast, given the penchant for the longer struggling programs becoming farm teams for middling P5 schools who are regularly poaching the overlooked gems that have a great showing their freshman or sophomore year. It can only change if at least 2 or 3 more schools can become consistent winning basketball programs (ala WSU). I'm heartened by UNI making a game attempt at being one of those, and hope they will have less of a fall off next season than I had initially assessed.
I think Moser is making some good potential progress and if he can sustain the same level of talent upgrade then Loyola could be one also.
Can BU put itself back in play? They would seem the next best bet if this coach is the upgrade they hoped they'd get after Les. There are signs of hope there.
SIU and MSU are rebuilds that have a lot of ground to cover and a lot of hurdles in the way.
ILSU should be the most likely program after WSU to be a top contender, but IMO they goofed with Mueller and wont admit it soon enough and will continue to waste their potential.
Unfortunately, I don't see the other 3 current basketball programs ever being able to overcome their liabilities to be consistently good.
It all makes for an uphill fight for this conference, as is, to be as good as it could be, yet it still has a chance to do it, admittedly not a great chance in today's CBB environment, but 2 or 3 more consistently strong programs would do it.

[underdawg]

Just Signed Wing Guard Jonathan Wiley of Panola CC in Texas (Pius the X high in Houston) averaged 12.1 ppg and 8.3 rpg so we ought to be able to rebound as well as any team in the league with 6-7 O'Brien, 6-7 Bola and 6-8 Thik Bol . Wiley's JUCo coach that he is near 6-8 now

[Redhawk]

Now that the Redbirds roster has been set for next season I finally can say I think they will be better. The spring signings brought in two important pieces that when added with the 4 returning starters should lead to a better ISU overall and conference record.

6'6" JC guard DJ Clayton will most likely start along with Lee, Wills, McIntosh and Hawkins. DJ is not as explosive as DAP was but based upon what I have seen he should be a better shooter, ball handler and defender. He will immediately be the 3rd best option offensively after MM and Hawkins which will allow PLee and TWills to be facilitators which is a better fit for their talents.

6'9" forward Phil Fayne is the athletic rebounder and rim protector that the Redbirds were sorely lacking last year. He should get the most minutes off the bench and could also start depending upon match-ups. Hopefully his defensive presence will help limit foul issues for MM and Hawkins.

I still see the Shockers as the team to beat but would put ISUr right there with UNI as the strongest challengers.