Valley Down? No good wins and some early season losses

[Murph]

Some big games for Valley teams today.

Boston College at NIU

WSU at Pitt

ISU at UIC

[tornado]

...Their schedule is killing their attendance...

speaking of this....
Saint Louis set up a 1PM home game yesterday againt Kennesaw State, part of the Chicago Invitational Challenge.

But starting the game against a no-name opponent at 1PM, may have been a bad decision.
They only drew an announced 6538 (way below their average), but some have reported way more than half the seats were empty.

[shaunguth]

Some big games for Valley teams today.

Boston College at NIU

WSU at Pitt

ISU at UIC

UNI/Boston College and WSU/Pitt are both on neutral courts.

isu should dispose of UIC very easily.

[lefty]

UNI losing to DePaul was a bad loss. Not only will DePaul prove to be nothing but an also-ran this year, but it cost UNI (and our league) opportunities at some other 'name' opponents. BU, CU, and WSU (tonight) are the only teams with legitimate 'signature' opponents left at this point.

Maybe not. DePaul loses by four to #10 Tennessee

[wizard1]

Valley Down---

I've said it before and I'll say it again--- The Valley needs to take steps to get stronger.

Establishing a mandatory scheduling upgrade and replacing some of the perennial weaker programs with schools like Butler, Xavier, Marquette, or Dayton could accomplish this.

If this doesn't happen, BU should begin "behind the scenes" discussions with other schools about a different conference affiliation or the establishment of a new conference, IMO.

[tornado]

Yup -- I know this'll sound odd to some, but I think the seeding at the tourney in St. Louis should incorporate not just league finish, but also strength of schedule!

eg-- if you have a non-con SOS of 290 or higher, then YOU PLAY ON THURSDAY NIGHT, period!!!

[shaunguth]

Yup -- I know this'll sound odd to some, but I think the seeding at the tourney in St. Louis should incorporate not just league finish, but also strength of schedule!

eg-- if you have a non-con SOS of 290 or higher, then YOU PLAY ON THURSDAY NIGHT, period!!!

Now you know that would destroy the scheduling philosophy of some schools that completely rely on winning at least three games in St. Louis rather than even taking a shot at one or two of the "big boys" during the regular season.

[SFP]

I've said it before and I'll say it again--- The Valley needs to take steps to get stronger.

Establishing a mandatory scheduling upgrade and replacing some of the perennial weaker programs with schools like Butler, Xavier, Marquette, or Dayton could accomplish this.

If this doesn't happen, BU should begin "behind the scenes" discussions with other schools about a different conference affiliation or the establishment of a new conference, IMO.

I agree 100%! We need to be thinking 5 years down the road. With the way the NCAA is heading with the BCS boys we need to be in the best position as possible in order to not be lumped with the lower tier programs. That to me is a fact of today's world.

[lefty]

Yup -- I know this'll sound odd to some, but I think the seeding at the tourney in St. Louis should incorporate not just league finish, but also strength of schedule!

eg-- if you have a non-con SOS of 290 or higher, then YOU PLAY ON THURSDAY NIGHT, period!!!

But that's what the conference is for....so why include non-con for that?

maybe for a tie breaker but that would be about it......

[ER3]

Yup -- I know this'll sound odd to some, but I think the seeding at the tourney in St. Louis should incorporate not just league finish, but also strength of schedule!

eg-- if you have a non-con SOS of 290 or higher, then YOU PLAY ON THURSDAY NIGHT, period!!!

thanks...I needed a good laugh.

[NSBF]

Surely you guys are kidding. Right? Why should a school like SIU be rewarded for getting their head kicked in vs. Duke and UCLA last year only to lay an egg the rest of the season.

Plain and simple, inferior scheduling should begat inferior teams. When you play someone of substance the cream should rise to the top. If you can't beat a team who "schedule's down" when you play head to head, you certainly can't go crying about their schedule.

Just win baby! That's what Al says.

[Braves4Life]

Surely you guys are kidding. Right?

Oh yea NSBF. These guys are just regular jokers

[MacabreMob]

It's way too early to use SoS and RPI with any kind of accuracy whatsoever.

I agree COMPLETELY.

I believe (with the added # of games able to be played, the opportunity to play in non-exempt tournies each year, and the season starting earlier) the SoS and RPI can begin (I say BEGIN) to make a little sense (I say LITTLE) in mid-January.

[Da Coach]

The bottom line is that although "scheduling down" does hurt every other team in the conference a little, it especially hurts the team that does it, and it is it's own punishment.
There is simply no better example of that than Illinois State the past 2 years, and probably this year, as well.

They may be the only team in the history of the NCAA from a top 10 conference (since they went to 64/65 teams) who has not gotten an NCAA at-large bid despite 24-25 wins for two straight years, and this season will likely make it three.

[versace4pres]

I believe ISU is doing no one in the Valley, including themselves, any favors with their incredibly weak scheduling, but if numbers do not lie the last two seasons their RPI was way higher than ours.

2007-2008 RPI
ISU 37
BU 104

2008-2009 RPI
ISU 47
BU 98

They have also landed in better tournaments both seasons. We seem to want to beat this issue into the ground without looking at the facts.

Apparently they don't care and when you look at the above numbers who can blame them.