Valley back 9

[bb fan]

First of all, an important warning. This post my contain some positive, encouraging thoughts about the Illinois State University Men's basketball team and the rest of this season -- that some posters my find disturbing and upsetting. Perhaps posters who detest such thoughts may want to stop reading now.

Looking at the rest of the Valley sked, we have 5 homes and 4 aways. We have many of the tougher home and road games out of the way. We still have Valpo twice and Bradley on the road. I think we have a shot at going 6-3 to finish 10-8. With our RPI we have a very good shot at breaking many tiebreakers with the teams going into tonight with 4 losses like us to stay out of Thursday. Anyone avoiding Thursday can still win the tourney, IMHO.

Yep, these were two ugly losses. But they are losses we have absorbed many seasons in the past. Hulman and McLeod have almost always been houses of horrors for us. I will dare to say it, I think we still have a shot to turn this thing around.

 

[ISU FAN 1]

I hope you’re right. I have never really piled on Bradley for their annual Thursday night game, figuring what goes around, comes around. I actually never thought our program would threaten to be a bottom feeder in this league again. The other teams in this league always seem to be a little better than some give them credit for.

 

[bb fan]

Just to say as I did in another post, there are some posters I am not reading. So what I reply may not jive just right with the discussion.

I just wanted to add to my thoughts that we have come back from more desparate situations to avoid Thursday. During the Muller years.

 

[Manchester Matt]

Absolutely believe we will sweep Valpo and not sure there’s a team left that could beat us at home (UNI maybe?). Just a different club at home.

Starting to look like a 9-9 team could finish seventh.

 

[bb fan]

Santa, we win out at home and sweep Valpo as you say might be possible, that puts us at 10 - 8, correct?

 

[Manchester Matt]

Santa, we win out at home and sweep Valpo as you say might be possible, that puts us at 10 - 8, correct?

Yep.

I think at this point we can pencil Valpo and Evansville into Thursday.

Loyola's going to win the regular season if it stays healthy.

A lot to be determined. Will be an interesting month.

 

[bb fan]

I think there are at least 6 teams that could still play Thursday. Crazy year.

When do the start posting the multicolor grid charts

 

[V Boy]

Valpo doesn’t suck. Their backcourt is notably better than ISUs. If Yarbrough and Fayne don’t bring it for 35 mins we could easily lose.

Don’t see any way we win @MoSt @Loyola. @Bradley doesn’t look good either. Home against Drake won’t be a slam dunk either.

Let’s hope the 2nd half awakening at UNI carries over. By now, our big 3 should know:

1) no one can guard them when they are on and the effort is there

2) if any of them lets down for any block of time during a game, we will lose

 

[bb fan]

I agree that @LUC and @MSU won't be pretty. Probably like the last couple of games.

All others are winnable.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

Loyola is the real deal relative to the remainder of the MVC. Crazy thing is they have 2 freshman (Krutwig and Williamson) that are significant contributors so their future looking real good. Do not like the thought of ISU going up to Gentile.

 

[tpskult]

Call me crazy but optimistically i think the Birds can win on the road over in Valpo and in Peoria at the ice rink.
That being said i think I still think they drop one more at Redbird leaving them at 10-8 and hopefully avoiding the dreaded Thursday night.
However i can realistically also see them only picking up 4 more wins and finishing 8-10...

 

[rdt99]

Everyone thinks we are going to be great next year, but this group can't play defense.

 

[bb fan]

Everyone thinks we will be great, rdt99? Next year or any year? Surely you can't possibly be talking some of the active posters here.

I dunno how good we will be next year. But reading some of the stuff on Redbirdfan, we won't have any players next year, and our coach is bad.

Anyhow, it starts Saturday. I think we can get 6 of the last 9 and get a decent seed this year. Hard to even think about next year.

 

[ISU FAN 1]

Everyone thinks we will be great, rdt99? Next year or any year? Surely you can't possibly be talking some of the active posters here.

I dunno how good we will be next year. But reading some of the stuff on Redbirdfan, we won't have any players next year, and our coach is bad.

Anyhow, it starts Saturday. I think we can get 6 of the last 9 and get a decent seed this year. Hard to even think about next year.

Before this season started, I thought next year could be our year ..... based on no seniors. But now I have seen them play. I don't see his team being magically developing the quickness to guard people next year. Just not seeing the development required to make next year our year, unless changes are made. It's still possible, but the Big 3 or really Just 3 approach won't get it done.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

Everyone thinks we are going to be great next year, but this group can't play defense.

I had previously thought ISU could possible be good this year and would likely be good next year. I was definitely wrong about this year and now believe next year's chance for being good are suspect at best. For next season we can't reasonably expect next year's newcomers to be immediately impactful when looking at their background (although maybe the big guy can provide some size and needed mass), believe Chastain will be a role player at best, it is likely best to not plan on Romine until we see him healthy and in action, and although the current roster has 3 solid/good players the overall team is sorely lacking in ability to play defense, offense and the transition portion of the game. If Clarance is not a big big contributor on both ends then i see another tough season next year. Muller likely has some tough personnel decisions to make post season unless he is highly confident he can win next year with this current group.

edit..btw when I say "good" that is measured on a national basis and not comparing how well ISU competes and ends up in standings vs the dogsh*t MVC....why>>>>well see last year....ISU was 19-2 vs MVC and yet was not the good on a national basis.

 

[Manchester Matt]

This is a program that’s had very successful juco guards.

If Copeland was eligible and gave anything near the production of Knight, Brown, hell even DJ Clayton, this would be a much better team. I’m counting on him to be a valuable contributor next year.

I also think Idowu will give this roster a lift We don’t have anyone defensively with his type of strength/athleticism on this roster. I don’t think he gets abused defensively like Bruninga has.

I’m a little more pessimistic than I was about next year, but there are some pieces coming in who should help cure some of this team’s biggest issues, imo.

 

[DWRedbird]

This is a program that’s had very successful juco guards.

If Copeland was eligible and gave anything near the production of Knight, Brown, hell even DJ Clayton, this would be a much better team. I’m counting on him to be a valuable contributor next year.

I also think Idowu will give this roster a lift We don’t have anyone defensively with his type of strength/athleticism on this roster. I don’t think he gets abused defensively like Bruninga has.

I’m a little more pessimistic than I was about next year, but there are some pieces coming in who should help cure some of this team’s biggest issues, imo.

I wouldn't expect Chief to come in and be an all world defender. He is still going to be a freshman, playing freshman defense. Don't be surprised if he leads the team in fouls or foul outs (though if Madison doesn't start playing D with his feet, he will continue to own this distinction for years to come). Not knocking the kid, it's just usually what happens with freshman big men.

 

[Baltimore Bird]

I was going to start this topic, but this work thing sometimes gets in my way. I sent out a text last night that I expected ISU to go 6 and 3 on the back 9 as it is referred to here. That puts us a 10 and 8 and with tie breakers probably in the 4-5 game against Bradley. I would prefer to be in the 3-6, but we need to avoid Thursday at all costs. Of course, a loss to Valpo at ISU this weekend and we will all re-think our position.

I am not even going to think much about next year yet because I don't have any idea who will be on the roster. It seems unlikely to me that Fayne or Key would transfer and sit out a year unless they are graduating after 3 years. That seems doubtful. Milik could be a different story as he will be in Year 5 in school. I have no idea how he has done between STL and ISU with his classes. Hopefully, the Del Y factor will keep him here and he also seems to like being the Big Fish. He would not be that a P5. I won't comment much on players 4-12 because that seems to offend others on this board. I have expressed my opinion in other posts.

GO BIRDS!

 

[Redbird Alum 2004]

I think Copeland would have been huge this year. But that will have to wait for next season. The rest of the season really depends on Saturday night. If the guys can come together as a team after the last two games I like our chances to go 6-3. MSU looks lost. Loyola is damn good. It's a shame they had those injuries or they could be sniffing top 25.

 

[Adunk33]

Putting this on here to try and get an idea of how the standings could end up and who has the toughest road leading to STL.
8 GAMES LEFT. The order listed are the current standings based off conference record, head to head, and then RPI. Remaining schedule for each team.
1-Loyola(8-2): @BU, MSU, DU, @INST, VALPO, @UE, @SIU, VS ILST
2-Drake (6-4): SIU, @BU, @LUC, UNI, INST, @MOST, @ILST, VALPO
3-Bradley(6-4): LUC, DRAKE, @UNI, @SIU, ILST, @VALPO, @MSU, INST
4-SIU (6-4): @DU, VALPO, @ILST, BU, MSU, @INST, LUC, @UE
5-ILST (5-5): @MSU, UE, SIU, @VALPO, @BU, UNI, DU, @LUC
6- MSU (5-5): ILST, @LUC, @INST, UE, @SIU, DU, BU, @UNI
7- INST (5-5): @VALPO, @UNI, MOST, LUC, @DU, SIU, UE, @BU
8-UE (4-6): UNI, @ILST, VALPO, @MSU, @UNI, LUC, @INST, SIU
9- UNI (3-7): @UE, INST, BU, @DU, UE, @ILST, @VALPO, MSU
10- VALPO (2-8): INST, @SIU, @UE, ILST, @LUC, BU, UNI, @DU.

I like our remaining schedule. I said in another thread that if we can win at Bradley and Valpo and hold serve at home, finish 11-7, that'd be sweet! Who has the most favorable schedule?