Barometer for St Louis

[Redbird222]

Our next 4 games are

@Drake
Loyola
Valpo
@MSU

I think these 4 games will be an indicator of what to expect in St Louis (barring major injuries to the birds or other teams). I think if we win

0 - 1 no chance of winning St Louis
2 possible but not probable
3 in the hunt most likely with Loyola. Loyola sweeps and they have to be the favorites
4 the table is set.

This league has been a hot mess the entire season and ultimately we will see who is hot at the right time. I do think these 4 games can be a catalyst though.

Thoughts?

 

[SgtHulka]

This is the current top half of the conference with us. Certainly very telling four game run coming up here. If we get swept by any of them and meet them in the tourney i hate our odds.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

I think this is spot on.

Let’s not be happy with simply winning the Lou, though. The key to launching this program back to a level of respect is at least one win in the NCAA.

 

[Flagship08]

I think we go 2-2, winning the two home games... to me the key is getting the #2 seed so we play a team that played the night before on Friday. The #1 seed doesn’t mean much this year since there is so much parity and the 1 and 2 seeds don’t presumably play each other until Sunday anyway.

 

[Redbird Alum 2004]

It's funny but two games ago Missouri State was 2-4. Now they look like the team to beat in the valley. That game at their place will tell us a lot. Valpo is hurting, literally. They were already down two guys and then golder went down Saturday with what looked like a high ankle sprain. I haven't heard what his diagnosis is. Drake scares me because Nick McGlynn seems to give us fits and he gets away with so much. For some reason Loyola doesn't worry much. If krutwig gets going we just put Rey in. Gonna be a fun two weeks.

 

[SoCalRedbird]

At this point, I want the MVC regular season title and an auto-bid to the NIT.

Then I'll start thinking about Arch Madness.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[bb fan]

Yeah, it's usually the case, but it seems the home teams are dominating even more than usual. I think the teams that prove more on the road will get the better seeds (of course), and show more in St. Louis. Let's take a big step forward in Des Moines.

 

[DoubleDeuce]

I worry about Yarb's knee over final drive. I wonder if this is something that gets better with rest between games or if it's just something he has to fight through the rest of the season.

 

[Birdswin]

Very good observation on the next four games. I think the Birds will play well in Des Moines - whether that translates to a win or not, remains to be seen. But, I like our chances if we play well. I agree, we need to be either the #1 or #2 seed in St. Louis - better game times and the Friday game is with a team who played the night before - all good.

Like or not, and why in the world young folks do this - is beyond me - BUT, I think several of our players took BU lightly, which translated to a lackluster effort by several players - not all, but some did. Got Burned and it sucked.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

Very good observation on the next four games. I think the Birds will play well in Des Moines - whether that translates to a win or not, remains to be seen. But, I like our chances if we play well. I agree, we need to be either the #1 or #2 seed in St. Louis - better game times and the Friday game is with a team who played the night before - all good.

Like or not, and why in the world young folks do this - is beyond me - BUT, I think several of our players took BU lightly, which translated to a lackluster effort by several players - not all, but some did. Got Burned and it sucked.

Coaches dropped the ball if players take any team lightly. ISU sh*t the bed big time in that game. It happens, just can't let it happen more than a couple of times in a season. At large bid long gone so no real damage other than pride. Coaches need to learn from that one as ISU should beat that BU team 80% of that time and be competitive when they do lose.

 

[chuckie1980]

I tried to post to this thread and had difficulty....then read the vidette article....and talk about SPOT ON with the team. This team is impossible to speculate.

http://www.videtteonline.com/sports/coin-flip-inconsistency-plagues-birds-down-the-stretch/article_568239ca-228e-11e9-96c3-d3cce52af6ea.html

 

[Bird Friend]

Very good observation on the next four games. I think the Birds will play well in Des Moines - whether that translates to a win or not, remains to be seen. But, I like our chances if we play well. I agree, we need to be either the #1 or #2 seed in St. Louis - better game times and the Friday game is with a team who played the night before - all good.

Like or not, and why in the world young folks do this - is beyond me - BUT, I think several of our players took BU lightly, which translated to a lackluster effort by several players - not all, but some did. Got Burned and it sucked.

Coaches dropped the ball if players take any team lightly. ISU sh*t the bed big time in that game. It happens, just can't let it happen more than a couple of times in a season. At large bid long gone so no real damage other than pride. Coaches need to learn from that one as ISU should beat that BU team 80% of that time and be competitive when they do lose.

And yet the players said they were ready and not taking BU lightly before the game. Fact is a coach can do all the right things, but the players still take opponents lightly. Every 2-, 3-, and 4-seed in the dance (and add UVA as a 1-seed last year) take their opponents lightly to some degree. Sometimes they get bit.

Coaches can do everything in their power, do all the right things, but the human mind is a tricky thing. And jumping out to a 9-2 lead in a dominating fashion can quickly undo all the coach's prep work.

 

[Bird Friend]

I worry about Yarb's knee over final drive. I wonder if this is something that gets better with rest between games or if it's just something he has to fight through the rest of the season.

MY played his most controlled game overall because of his knee. It may be a blessing in disguise. While it sucks he's in pain, he also didn't try to do too much. He still showed some good moves at times, and played more intelligently.

 

[Adunk33]

These four games are important. The same could have been said for the previous two (@Bradley, vs Indiana State). Had we taken care of business in Peoria, we would be sitting tied with Loyola for first instead of in the three team logjam for second. Even before that, had we not crapped the bed at Valpo (and Bradley) we would be alone in first with just one conference loss. Its frustrating but can't be dwelled on.

Drake is the hottest team in the league and on a four game winning streak where none of the games have been decided by less than 11 points. Shut down McGlynn and make someone else beat you. I am not as worried as I should be about Loyola and Valpo at home because we almost had Loyola, and had Valpo beat already. Valpo is also one of the most hurt teams in the league. Smits was out last game with a back injury but is expected to play midweek against Mo State, but they will be without Fazekus and Golder. That's their three top scorers, averaging about 35 ppg combined. Mo State is the team that has the ability to make some noise.They have been playing some good defense over the past few games and seem like a totally different team when De Silva started playing for them.

It is still anyone's league! A first place finish is not outside the realm of possibility. 3-1 the next two weeks would do a lot towards that goal. 2-2 keeps us right in the muck of the of the league and a possible Thursday night game. Just four games separate first and 10th. Two games separate second and 9th.

 

[ISU FAN 1]

Our next 4 games are

@Drake
Loyola
Valpo
@MSU

I think these 4 games will be an indicator of what to expect in St Louis (barring major injuries to the birds or other teams). I think if we win

0 - 1 no chance of winning St Louis
2 possible but not probable
3 in the hunt most likely with Loyola. Loyola sweeps and they have to be the favorites
4 the table is set.

This league has been a hot mess the entire season and ultimately we will see who is hot at the right time. I do think these 4 games can be a catalyst though.

Thoughts?

Considering it looks like ISU will be underdogs in 3 of the 4, it doesn’t portend great optimism.

 

[Tpguy]

Very good observation on the next four games. I think the Birds will play well in Des Moines - whether that translates to a win or not, remains to be seen. But, I like our chances if we play well. I agree, we need to be either the #1 or #2 seed in St. Louis - better game times and the Friday game is with a team who played the night before - all good.

Like or not, and why in the world young folks do this - is beyond me - BUT, I think several of our players took BU lightly, which translated to a lackluster effort by several players - not all, but some did. Got Burned and it sucked.

Just shows how the old rivalry has all but vanished, would never have happened 5 or 10 years ago. A lack of real pride.

 

[Redbird222]

Our next 4 games are

@Drake ✔
Loyola ✔
Valpo
@MSU

I think these 4 games will be an indicator of what to expect in St Louis (barring major injuries to the birds or other teams). I think if we win

0 - 1 no chance of winning St Louis
2 possible but not probable
3 in the hunt most likely with Loyola. Loyola sweeps and they have to be the favorites
4 the table is set.

 

[JHBird]

Our next 4 games are

@Drake
Loyola
Valpo
@MSU

I think these 4 games will be an indicator of what to expect in St Louis (barring major injuries to the birds or other teams). I think if we win

0 - 1 no chance of winning St Louis
2 possible but not probable
3 in the hunt most likely with Loyola. Loyola sweeps and they have to be the favorites
4 the table is set.

This league has been a hot mess the entire season and ultimately we will see who is hot at the right time. I do think these 4 games can be a catalyst though.

Thoughts?

So sar, so good. I was more impressed with their Drake road win versus last night's win over Loyola. A Valpo home win should there for the taking.

 

[Phantom]

Really need to take care of Valpo on Tuesday as after that three of the next four are on the road. It's great that we took roadies at UE and DU, but they are always a precious thing anywhere you can get them. One of those upcoming road games is at the damn Hulman Center too. The stretch run here is going to be a tough one, even with the whole league being the complete whirlpool of unpredictable badness that it's been.

 

[SgtHulka]

Our next 4 games are

@Drake ✔
Loyola ✔
Valpo
@MSU

I think these 4 games will be an indicator of what to expect in St Louis (barring major injuries to the birds or other teams). I think if we win

0 - 1 no chance of winning St Louis
2 possible but not probable
3 in the hunt most likely with Loyola. Loyola sweeps and they have to be the favorites
4 the table is set.

So far so good