Conference standing predictions

[Redbirdfan76]

Just wanted to start the discussion.

My prediction:

1. Drake
2. Loyola
3. UNI
4. Missouri State
5. Southern Illinois
6. Bradley
7. Evansville
8. Valparaiso
9. Indiana State
10. Illinois State

Flip of a coin between Drake and Loyola, but without Krutwig, I give the Bulldogs the edge. Will be interesting to see how AJ Green comes back from the dual hip surgeries. If he is back to the player of a couple years ago, they may take the title at the MVC tournament.
Missouri State has all that talent, but they have yet to play together as a team consistently for me to pick them any higher.
Southern has a similar situation as UNI....will Domask be as effective as he was two years ago? I am betting on Mullins coaxing these guys into a good team.
Bradley has an experienced front court, but similar to last year, questions surround their guard play.
7-10 you can throw into a hat and pull out in a different order, so the final order could change, but this is my guess on how it will finish.

Additionally, I think the regular season champion with have 14 wins!! Games involving those top 4 picks will be fun to watch.

interested to hear everyone's thoughts!

 

[topiarydan]

Dan's swan song - 8th

 

[gobirds85]

1. UNI
2. Drake
3. Misery St.
4. Poodles
5. Loyola
6. Valpo
7. E'ville
8. Indy St.
9. Birds

12. bu

 

[WoodlandWarrior]

I really do think this season will be make or break for Dan. A bottom 3 finish and early MVC Tournament exit and he will be gone. An ideal scenario for the new AD to assert himself. Donewald was removed for far less justification.

 

[Redbird222]

I see the league currently in three tiers

The top tier has 4 teams should be
Drake, Loyola, MSU, and UNI (not a prediction order). There are several question marks within this group like
- how will AJ Green recover
- how Loyola's team responds to a new coach and life without Krutwig
- Is Roman Penn foot fully recovered from his injury and Yusafu transfer depletes depth
- How does Dana uses Donovan Clay.

I this SIU is alone in the next tier. Damask is coming back from a foot injury. His healthy recovery pushes them closer to the first group. If he struggles they will be closer to the bottom 5.

The remaining teams have so many question marks between coaching and player turnover. Valpo got some Big Ten transfers but none had significant playing time. Bradley underperformed last year, was a train wreck at the end, and arguably lost their best player. Trees have a new coach, and lost some better players but the coach brought in talent from his D2 runner up team. We know the Redbird woes. Evansville played more cohesive last year but still doesnt have great talent.

We will get a better feel during the nonconference schedule especially the impact on the recovery of these injuries.

 

[gobirds85]

I really do think this season will be make or break for Dan. A bottom 3 finish and early MVC Tournament exit and he will be gone. An ideal scenario for the new AD to assert himself. Donewald was removed for far less justification.

Donewald's attitude and demeanor made it easy for ISU to show him the door and I do not believe his contract was anything like we have with Dan right now. I can't find anyone who doesn't think Dan should have been released until you factor in the YUGE backend payout that exists.

Now for the obligatory, "Thank you, Larry Lyons".

 

[SgtHulka]

I really do think this season will be make or break for Dan. A bottom 3 finish and early MVC Tournament exit and he will be gone. An ideal scenario for the new AD to assert himself. Donewald was removed for far less justification.

Elder Price will be our coach after this season. Book it!

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

Just wanted to start the discussion.

My prediction:

1. Drake
2. Loyola
3. UNI
4. Missouri State
5. Southern Illinois
6. Bradley
7. Evansville
8. Valparaiso
9. Indiana State
10. Illinois State

Flip of a coin between Drake and Loyola, but without Krutwig, I give the Bulldogs the edge. Will be interesting to see how AJ Green comes back from the dual hip surgeries. If he is back to the player of a couple years ago, they may take the title at the MVC tournament.
Missouri State has all that talent, but they have yet to play together as a team consistently for me to pick them any higher.
Southern has a similar situation as UNI....will Domask be as effective as he was two years ago? I am betting on Mullins coaxing these guys into a good team.
Bradley has an experienced front court, but similar to last year, questions surround their guard play.
7-10 you can throw into a hat and pull out in a different order, so the final order could change, but this is my guess on how it will finish.

Additionally, I think the regular season champion with have 14 wins!! Games involving those top 4 picks will be fun to watch.

interested to hear everyone's thoughts!

What was your over/under on how many post it would take to hi-jack your thread to a fire Muller thread?

 

[Total Red]

#DANFAN - I'll hang up now and listen

 

[CaliRdBrd]

What’s so pathetic is how teams have gone from good, to average, to horrible, to rebuilding, and then back to good again. While the Redbirds (aside from one decent season where Muller caught lightning in a bottle) have remained completely stagnant.
Like I tell the girl who keeps calling me regarding fundraising…color me ”interested” once Muller is gone.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

What was your over/under on how many post it would take to hi-jack your thread to a fire Muller thread?

You should consider following along with Muller to whatever NAIA school he’ll be destroying in 2023.

 

[isuquinndog]

Knock it off. Post a predication with a reason or move along.

 

[DannyCooksey]

I think if we stay healthy and get a few breaks we could finish 8th.

I am not sure we are ready to ascend any higher. Next year we should be able to avoid Thursday Night. But this year we aren’t quite ready I’m afraid.

 

[gobirds85]

1. UNI
2. Drake
3. Misery St.
4. Poodles
5. Loyola
6. Valpo
7. E'ville
8. Indy St.
9. Birds

12. bu

I have to re-rack my predictions...slide Belmont into the 4th slot, and push bu back to 15th.

 

[Redbirdfan76]

With Belmont being added, we go to an 11 team tournament (assuming no other additions or defections). One scenario for an 11 team tourney is to add another Thursday game with the 6 seed playing the 11 seed. In that scenario only the top 5 in the conference standings avoid Thursday. Getting harder all the time for the Redbirds to avoid Thursday. I am sure there are other possibilities for At h Madness brackets, but ISU will have to really step up the next couple of years to avoid play in games.

 

[redbirds2000]

What’s so pathetic is how teams have gone from good, to average, to horrible, to rebuilding, and then back to good again. While the Redbirds (aside from one decent season where Muller caught lightning in a bottle) have remained completely stagnant.
Like I tell the girl who keeps calling me regarding fundraising…color me ”interested” once Muller is gone.

I tell her to call me on Selection Sunday when Illinois State is in the bracket.

 

[ISUBird]

I'm predicting a finish of 9th only to Evansville and right behind ISU.

With all the realignment talk going around I've paid close attention and one thing that really caught my eye is that we have the 3rd lowest men's basketball budget in the MVC ahead of only Valpo and ISU at around $2.5 million. If we expect to truly compete, and not finish in 9th, we need to increase our budget by another $1 million.

 

[TIMMY]

With Belmont being added, we go to an 11 team tournament (assuming no other additions or defections). One scenario for an 11 team tourney is to add another Thursday game with the 6 seed playing the 11 seed. In that scenario only the top 5 in the conference standings avoid Thursday. Getting harder all the time for the Redbirds to avoid Thursday. I am sure there are other possibilities for At h Madness brackets, but ISU will have to really step up the next couple of years to avoid play in games.

Good call. 3 play-in games are the only way to do an 11team single elimination bracket. I'm thinking by next year it will be a 12 team conference.

 

[isuquinndog]

We got a year, they don't join until next season.

 

[DoubleDeuce]

This site will have at least 3 Valley teams in their top 50. They already have MSU #50 and LUC #39 and picked Drake as the sole Valley team in their bracketology. Northern Iowa (NIU just to irk them) would be the other possibility. They have only released to #36 so far.