2017/2018 Preseason Vally Predictions

[DoubleDeuce]

Does anyone on this board have any faith in Porter Moser?

I do.

 

[DWRedbird]

My predictions:

1. Missouri State - Probably have the most talent in the league right now (before we see everyone's new comers play), but have to overcome the Lusk factor and some real head scratchers.
2. Illinois State - I think come Valley time this team will be clicking and we will know what we are capable of, but we have a lot of question marks on the roster again this year.
3. Loyola - Porter I think is going to get this team to compete for the top of the Valley this year, but I think they lack depth and experience down low to win the Valley
4. Northern Iowa - It is hard to keep a Ben Jacobson coached team down for long. I think they will surprise a few people this year.
5a. Bradley - I think they will improve, and the bottom half of the Valley took a dive. I still think they are a ways away from competing for the top spot
5b. Southern Illinois - Like Bradley they improve and the bottom half got worse. I think they'll surprise a few, but not nearly enough.
7. Valpo - Quite frankly I don't know enough about their current roster to put them any higher. I could see them slipping by Bradley and SIU, but I have a feeling they are way better than the bottom three.
8. Drake - Best of the Saturday Guarantees...I think there will be improvement on the team, but they will not be competitive in the valley
9. Evansville - Marty needs a new work horse for his offense, and I don't think he really has one this year. They will struggle mightily in Valley play (probably out of valley play too)
10. Indiana State - I like nothing about their current roster this year

NCAA - Birds winning the Auto bid and the Valley Tourney
NIT - Missouri State and Loyal
Other Tournaments - UNI

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

Think the key to the Birds will be how much better Keyshawn Evans is from last year. If he's the same, we're in trouble. If his ball-handling and defense improved, then I think we could be a dangerous team. On a team with not a lot of ball handlers, he needs to be the man.

Athletically I think we'll be right there with MoSt.....a little ahead of Loyola. Skill-wise not so sure.

You're right, V. I like everything about Keyshawn EXCEPT his ball-handling. We desperately need a dependable ballhandler who's not afraid of pressure D. Key was very skittish last year under pressure. I like him a lot because I think he brings a lot to the table (he had a GREAT MVC tourney game) but if his ballhandling isn't improved significantly...we're gonna be a higher turnover team.

Man do we need ballhandlers. (wide open for ya there, Hulka)

Keyshawn is 20 or 21 years old and been working on ballhandling all of his life. He is basically as good as he is going to get and off season improvement (especially while recovering from an injury), if there is any, will be hardly noticeable . All ISU can do to avoid unnecessary ballhandling turnovers by Keyshawn is to have him plan in a style/setting where his mistakes are limited or let someone more capable handle the ball. All Keyshawn can do to avoid the mistakes is play under control and with discipline to avoid putting himself in a position where he turns over the ball.

 

[birdballfan]

Think the key to the Birds will be how much better Keyshawn Evans is from last year. If he's the same, we're in trouble. If his ball-handling and defense improved, then I think we could be a dangerous team. On a team with not a lot of ball handlers, he needs to be the man.

Athletically I think we'll be right there with MoSt.....a little ahead of Loyola. Skill-wise not so sure.

You're right, V. I like everything about Keyshawn EXCEPT his ball-handling. We desperately need a dependable ballhandler who's not afraid of pressure D. Key was very skittish last year under pressure. I like him a lot because I think he brings a lot to the table (he had a GREAT MVC tourney game) but if his ballhandling isn't improved significantly...we're gonna be a higher turnover team.

Man do we need ballhandlers. (wide open for ya there, Hulka)

Keyshawn is 20 or 21 years old and been working on ballhandling all of his life. He is basically as good as he is going to get and off season improvement (especially while recovering from an injury), if there is any, will be hardly noticeable . All ISU can do to avoid unnecessary ballhandling turnovers by Keyshawn is to have him plan in a style/setting where his mistakes are limited or let someone more capable handle the ball. All Keyshawn can do to avoid the mistakes is play under control and with discipline to avoid putting himself in a position where he turns over the ball.

Well it sure seems to me that the ball handling skills of Paris improved from his freshman year to his senior year!?!?

 

[Redbird Alum 2004]

Think the key to the Birds will be how much better Keyshawn Evans is from last year. If he's the same, we're in trouble. If his ball-handling and defense improved, then I think we could be a dangerous team. On a team with not a lot of ball handlers, he needs to be the man.

Athletically I think we'll be right there with MoSt.....a little ahead of Loyola. Skill-wise not so sure.

You're right, V. I like everything about Keyshawn EXCEPT his ball-handling. We desperately need a dependable ballhandler who's not afraid of pressure D. Key was very skittish last year under pressure. I like him a lot because I think he brings a lot to the table (he had a GREAT MVC tourney game) but if his ballhandling isn't improved significantly...we're gonna be a higher turnover team.

Man do we need ballhandlers. (wide open for ya there, Hulka)

Keyshawn is 20 or 21 years old and been working on ballhandling all of his life. He is basically as good as he is going to get and off season improvement (especially while recovering from an injury), if there is any, will be hardly noticeable . All ISU can do to avoid unnecessary ballhandling turnovers by Keyshawn is to have him plan in a style/setting where his mistakes are limited or let someone more capable handle the ball. All Keyshawn can do to avoid the mistakes is play under control and with discipline to avoid putting himself in a position where he turns over the ball.

Remember Key didn't play much as a freshman, so last season was his first real taste of D1 ball. I think he did well and I believe we will see a very noticeable bump in play this season.

 

[WSpringsBird]

Bradley is going to surprise.

Totally agree with this. They'll be second or third.

And Missouri State should be vastly better than anyone else in the league.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

They'll be better but a year away from taking the next step. Sixth at best.

 

[Redbird78]

You're right, V. I like everything about Keyshawn EXCEPT his ball-handling. We desperately need a dependable ballhandler who's not afraid of pressure D. Key was very skittish last year under pressure. I like him a lot because I think he brings a lot to the table (he had a GREAT MVC tourney game) but if his ballhandling isn't improved significantly...we're gonna be a higher turnover team.

Man do we need ballhandlers. (wide open for ya there, Hulka)

Keyshawn is 20 or 21 years old and been working on ballhandling all of his life. He is basically as good as he is going to get and off season improvement (especially while recovering from an injury), if there is any, will be hardly noticeable . All ISU can do to avoid unnecessary ballhandling turnovers by Keyshawn is to have him plan in a style/setting where his mistakes are limited or let someone more capable handle the ball. All Keyshawn can do to avoid the mistakes is play under control and with discipline to avoid putting himself in a position where he turns over the ball.

Remember Key didn't play much as a freshman, so last season was his first real taste of D1 ball. I think he did well and I believe we will see a very noticeable bump in play this season.

:text-+1:

 

[MPE773]

They'll be better but a year away from taking the next step. Sixth at best.

I'll take that action all day long. No way Birds are 6th. No way.

 

[V Boy]

You're right, V. I like everything about Keyshawn EXCEPT his ball-handling. We desperately need a dependable ballhandler who's not afraid of pressure D. Key was very skittish last year under pressure. I like him a lot because I think he brings a lot to the table (he had a GREAT MVC tourney game) but if his ballhandling isn't improved significantly...we're gonna be a higher turnover team.

Man do we need ballhandlers. (wide open for ya there, Hulka)

Keyshawn is 20 or 21 years old and been working on ballhandling all of his life. He is basically as good as he is going to get and off season improvement (especially while recovering from an injury), if there is any, will be hardly noticeable . All ISU can do to avoid unnecessary ballhandling turnovers by Keyshawn is to have him plan in a style/setting where his mistakes are limited or let someone more capable handle the ball. All Keyshawn can do to avoid the mistakes is play under control and with discipline to avoid putting himself in a position where he turns over the ball.

Well it sure seems to me that the ball handling skills of Paris improved from his freshman year to his senior year!?!?

Yes

 

[Metamoron]

They'll be better but a year away from taking the next step. Sixth at best.

I'll take that action all day long. No way Birds are 6th. No way.

I believe that quote was about Bradley, not ISU. Hard to say we would be better and finish 6th.

That is how I read it.

 

[DannyCooksey]

Bradley is going to surprise.

Totally agree with this. They'll be second or third.

And Missouri State should be vastly better than anyone else in the league.

I don't see the Bradley love. I saw only about 2 legit Valley level players on their roster a year ago and they only added 2 marginally regarded freshmen. who knows? those 2 frosh might be good.

but i don't see much from Bradley at all.

what do they do well? they don't defend all that well and they can't shoot and they don't have a lot of size. I also think they are average at best athletically.

I think their goal at this point should be to avoid Thursday and I'm not sure they will.

 

[ekeyfanclub]

Bradley is going to surprise.

Totally agree with this. They'll be second or third.

And Missouri State should be vastly better than anyone else in the league.

I don't see the Bradley love. I saw only about 2 legit Valley level players on their roster a year ago and they only added 2 marginally regarded freshmen. who knows? those 2 frosh might be good.

but i don't see much from Bradley at all.

what do they do well? they don't defend all that well and they can't shoot and they don't have a lot of size. I also think they are average at best athletically.

I think their goal at this point should be to avoid Thursday and I'm not sure they will.

:text-+1:

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

They'll be better but a year away from taking the next step. Sixth at best.

I'll take that action all day long. No way Birds are 6th. No way.

I believe that quote was about Bradley, not ISU. Hard to say we would be better and finish 6th.

That is how I read it.

You are correct. I meant Bradley finishes no better than sixth.

 

[WSpringsBird]

Bradley was sixth last year. With everyone coming back for Bradley and Wichita State leaving, it's sort of hard for me to imagine Bradley finishing sixth. But I am often wrong! And it's true that, in terms of conference games won, there wasn't much differentiation among the teams at the bottom half of the conference last year, so who knows?

 

[MPE773]

I'll take that action all day long. No way Birds are 6th. No way.

I believe that quote was about Bradley, not ISU. Hard to say we would be better and finish 6th.

That is how I read it.

You are correct. I meant Bradley finishes no better than sixth.

Gotcha.

 

[Baltimore Bird]

Bradley did finish tied for 6th, but was the 7th seed with a RPI of 220. It does suck to BU.

 

[Red75]

I get BU's last few games of the season they seemed to have improved but they are garbage & have a ways to go before I think they can be relevant

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

This Bradley team is the same team that didn't score their first field goal until 12 minutes in at Redbird Arena. They had a total of three points until 4:47 left in the first half.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/playbyplay?gameId=400918231

 

[Hamdonger]

This Bradley team is the same team that didn't score their first field goal until 12 minutes in at Redbird Arena. They had a total of three points until 4:47 left in the first half.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/playbyplay?gameId=400918231

ISU went from 5 total wins overall in '91 to winning The Valley regular season title (14-4) the very next season...with the same core group, essentially. And, they lost their leading scorer and rebounder from the '91 season to an early season '92 injury. What you had was quite a few very green youngsters who turned '91 playing time into a follow up championship.

Bradley's got a good group of youngsters with lots of playing time under their belt.

Outside of Mo State (and even that isn't guaranteed)...The Valley is WIDE OPEN this year. There's gonna be surprises. If Bradley is one of them - and it wouldn't surprise me - well, those BU peeps can bite me.