The valley

[Redbird Alum 2004]

Loyola is playing really really well. Now that they are back being healthy that team is scary. I wonder if they continue on this trend and dominate the rest of the valley but lose in St Louis if they would get an At Large look.

Missouri State looks like us even with all of that talent. They look like they are still trying to get as a team.

Drake is an odd team. They play great at home and shoot it unbelievably. Away they seem to play hesitant. I find that odd since they are so senior laden.

Southern could have had a great year if they didn't suffer all those injuries. Next year with Pippin and Bol they will be really tough in the paint.

St Louis is going to be fun to year. Not sure if there is a team everyone hates like Wichita in years past. I think attendance will actually be pretty damn good this year just because any team can get hot for 3 days or even 4 and win it. I think ISU had a great shot with the shooters were have. If they get going down there and the shots are falling... Watch out for a red out.

 

[KenM]

Our blessed grandson goes here to University of Illinois State and says Lyola is very GOOD

 

[saxman210]

Nobody seems to want to separate themselves in the Valley this year. I think we're going to see a lot of 11-7, 10-8, 9-9, 8-10, 7-11 in the final standings.

 

[cpacmel]

Thought someone said the home team is 26-9 at home in mvc conference games.

 

[dpdoughbird06]

Arch Madness attendance will be telling. Most teams will play final week still trying to escape Thursday. Other than perhaps Loyola - or Birds if we stay healthy and get hot - top two seeds will likely also come down to the wire. No one should feel locked into a Saturday game, which is a major departure from past years.

Will fans of all ten teams show up amidst this uncertainty? I think this could be the craziest Friday ever! And the BU Invitational will be epic!

 

[ISU FAN 1]

Arch Madness attendance will be telling. Most teams will play final week still trying to escape Thursday. Other than perhaps Loyola - or Birds if we stay healthy and get hot - top two seeds will likely also come down to the wire. No one should feel locked into a Saturday game, which is a major departure from past years.

Will fans of all ten teams show up amidst this uncertainty? I think this could be the craziest Friday ever! And the BU Invitational will be epic!

Is it good parity or bad?

 

[Birdman85]

Stay out of Thursday games in St Louis and I like our chances. Then if we could somehow land on the opposite side of MSU and Loyola we would be sitting great.

 

[ISU FAN 1]

Stay out of Thursday games in St Louis and I like our chances. Then if we could somehow land on the opposite side of MSU and Loyola we would be sitting great.

Why not just add that they both get knocked off before the title game? And Bradley leak thru.

 

[SgtHulka]

Most teams will play final week still trying to escape Thursday.

Generally, other than the top 2 and bottom 2, that can be said every year. Last year was by far the earliest we've know there would be no Thursday game in quite some time. But this year is slightly more clogged than in the past 5 or so years. No Undefeated teams and everyone crunched between 5-2 and 2-5

 

[Adunk33]

Stay out of Thursday games in St Louis and I like our chances. Then if we could somehow land on the opposite side of MSU and Loyola we would be sitting great.

I could see a Thursday team making it to Saturday this year. Right now, I have 3 "locks" for Thursday.
9-Southern Illinois- Yes, they beat us, everyone agrees they shouldn't have. I'll take the Birds by double digits in Normal. But they are playing with 7 guys. Barry is looking for an 8th to emerge. Eventually, they will get gassed and if they were to win Thursday, they wouldn't have much of a chance to win Friday.
10-Valpo- Woof. Haven't watched them a ton this year but their 5 MVC losses have come by an average of 9.4 points. They did beat Drake by 17 though. I see them having a season like Loyola's first in the MVC and enjoying the Thursday night special.
8- Evansville They have lost a lot of close games through the first 7 conference games. Not including the Drake game they lost by 16, they've lost by an average of 4.75. Their two wins have been of 24 at BU and 9 vs MSU. They have to learn to win close if they want to get over the hump.

Despite being 2-5, I can not list UNI as a lock for Thursday quite yet, especially after watching their second half vs Drake. Defense picked it up, Drake went cold, and UNI started shooting like UNI.

Other consideration for Thursday would have to be Bradley, keeping the tradition alive. Watching last night, I was not impressed by anything. I'm guessing the 7 seed will be a 9-9 team that loses a tie breaker. (Bradley, INST, or UNI.)

 

[chuckie1980]

Maybe Loyola Chicago would get an at-large bid...since they are a past national champion in 1963 and volleyball champion in 2014+...even though the Redbirds ended up with their best record and 17-1 conference play.

 

[DWRedbird]

Maybe Loyola Chicago would get an at-large bid...since they are a past national champion in 1963 and volleyball champion in 2014+...even though the Redbirds ended up with their best record and 17-1 conference play.

I don't think anyone will be in line for an at large from the Valley. Though as a conference I think we have some great OOC wins, no one team has done enough this year to merit an at large. If Loyola hadn't have dropped games to Milwaukee and Boise St, I'd say they'd have an outside shot, but as of now we are a one bid league.

 

[dpdoughbird06]

Maybe Loyola Chicago would get an at-large bid...since they are a past national champion in 1963 and volleyball champion in 2014+...even though the Redbirds ended up with their best record and 17-1 conference play.

I don't think anyone will be in line for an at large from the Valley. Though as a conference I think we have some great OOC wins, no one team has done enough this year to merit an at large. If Loyola hadn't have dropped games to Milwaukee and Boise St, I'd say they'd have an outside shot, but as of now we are a one bid league.

Boise is really good. And Custer was hurt.

 

[Reggie Redbird]

I think this is the best chance for a 1 or 2 seed to lose in the quarters. I could see a log-jam for the 4-seed where the last team on criteria gets the 7. That team pulls off a win over the 10 seed and then beats the 2 seed.

 

[BirdsEyeView]

Maybe Loyola Chicago would get an at-large bid...since they are a past national champion in 1963 and volleyball champion in 2014+...even though the Redbirds ended up with their best record and 17-1 conference play.

I don't think anyone will be in line for an at large from the Valley. Though as a conference I think we have some great OOC wins, no one team has done enough this year to merit an at large. If Loyola hadn't have dropped games to Milwaukee and Boise St, I'd say they'd have an outside shot, but as of now we are a one bid league.

Boise is really good. And Custer was hurt.

Committee doesn't care. They are NOT mid-major apologists. They will move the needle until they find a way to fit 16-15 Georgetown in instead.

One bid league.

 

[Redbird Alum 2004]

I don't think anyone will be in line for an at large from the Valley. Though as a conference I think we have some great OOC wins, no one team has done enough this year to merit an at large. If Loyola hadn't have dropped games to Milwaukee and Boise St, I'd say they'd have an outside shot, but as of now we are a one bid league.

Boise is really good. And Custer was hurt.

Committee doesn't care. They are NOT mid-major apologists. They will move the needle until they find a way to fit 16-15 Georgetown in instead.

One bid league.

Or perhaps they don't want another Muller type tweet going out. The birds getting snubbed last season got national media attention and it was negative for the committee. I wonder if they wouldn't throw the mid majors a bone this year knowing that the transfer rule will be going into effect. Once that happens they won't have to worry about At-Large births for the little guys anymore.

 

[DoubleDeuce]

Or perhaps they don't want another Muller type tweet going out. The birds getting snubbed last season got national media attention and it was negative for the committee. I wonder if they wouldn't throw the mid majors a bone this year knowing that the transfer rule will be going into effect. Once that happens they won't have to worry about At-Large births for the little guys anymore.

I appreciate your intent, but I'm not holding my breath waiting for the selection committee doing any favors for non-power 6 teams.

 

[DWRedbird]

Maybe Loyola Chicago would get an at-large bid...since they are a past national champion in 1963 and volleyball champion in 2014+...even though the Redbirds ended up with their best record and 17-1 conference play.

I don't think anyone will be in line for an at large from the Valley. Though as a conference I think we have some great OOC wins, no one team has done enough this year to merit an at large. If Loyola hadn't have dropped games to Milwaukee and Boise St, I'd say they'd have an outside shot, but as of now we are a one bid league.

Boise is really good. And Custer was hurt.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that Boise was bad. What I meant was they needed Boise and Milwaukee as notable non conference wins, because besides Florida the rest of their non-con wins are most a list of who cares.

 

[DWRedbird]

Boise is really good. And Custer was hurt.

Committee doesn't care. They are NOT mid-major apologists. They will move the needle until they find a way to fit 16-15 Georgetown in instead.

One bid league.

Or perhaps they don't want another Muller type tweet going out. The birds getting snubbed last season got national media attention and it was negative for the committee. I wonder if they wouldn't throw the mid majors a bone this year knowing that the transfer rule will be going into effect. Once that happens they won't have to worry about At-Large births for the little guys anymore.

More than likely they won't throw us a bone. The committee for the most part doesn't care what mid-majors say or do as long as people keep watching. Us not getting in didn't decrease ratings or revenue, so mid-majors are going to continue to get the fuzzy end of the selection lollipop.