Games of Interest, Saturday 12/5

[dogsrus]

like there weren't people in the "sky is falling" mode after that game?

but there was a little difference...
Bradley held a big lead over Presbyterian early -- in the first half..and led by 14 at half..

the ISU-CMU game was still a single possession game well into the 2nd half and a 2-possesion game until the final 7 min.

Of COURSE "there was a little difference"....one team is ISU and the other is BU.


But the fact is ISU also had a double digit lead at one time and BOTH BU and ISU struggled to put "inferior" teams away......when BU struggled to beat Presbo and a few people wondered why we couldn't put them away we were told all SORTS of reasons/excuses why.

So why should ONE team (ISU) have concerns and ANOTHER (BU) not? Thats alls I'm asking. And personlly I don't think wondering why BU couldn't put away Presbo at home is a sign the sky is falling. If so...aren't you in the same "sky is falling" mode with ISU?

I guess I'm looking to the future....if ISU is suppose to be worried about not deystroying CMU how should BU fans feel if we get beat by ISU? Hmmmm

[tornado]

isu needs to be called out for their horribly weak schedule, and I have appointed myself to do it


btw-- ISU's attendance will be down the next 5 games as their students won't be back until mid-January

[jasonpeoria911]

Well, combine that with IL State having trouble putting away St. Bonaventure a couple games ago. Then they go and get blown away by 50 the next game. I think we should be able to take ISU 2 games to none this season, they didn't look real impressive on TV last night.

Jason

As concerning as our struggling to put away a weak Presbyterian team.......just wondering?

[Bravesfan]

As concerning as our struggling to put away a weak Presbyterian team.......just wondering?

There are many BCS teams that have problems putting away weak teams in the non-conference portion of the season that go on to have good conference seasons. I think people tend to overanalyze things during this time of the year.

But tornado is right that ISU's schedule is awful. And they should be taken to task for that since it is dragging the whole conference RPI down. Also, ISU has not been tested. We have. I think that bodes well for us more than it will for ISU.

[Braves4Life]

Once the MVC regular season starts I think we will see the value of a tough schedule versus a weak schedule. I really like our chances.

[jasonpeoria911]

It will also be interesting to see how Presbyterian plays later on in the season after playing one of the toughest non-conference schedules in Division 1. Schedule includes 5 ranked teams, Bradley, Dayton and Marquette before mostly league play in January. They have already lost 2 league games however, but they were only by 2 points and 4 points.

Jason

[dogsrus]

There are many BCS teams that have problems putting away weak teams in the non-conference portion of the season that go on to have good conference seasons. I think people tend to overanalyze things during this time of the year.

But tornado is right that ISU's schedule is awful. And they should be taken to task for that since it is dragging the whole conference RPI down. Also, ISU has not been tested. We have. I think that bodes well for us more than it will for ISU.

I wasn't debating or arguing ISU sked...that has been beat to death. Even ISU fans recognize it and are upset with it.

I was discussing the statement "ISU should have concerns about not being able to put away an inferior opponent."

My question/response was should they be any more concerned then BU when we too struggled against a team most likely weaker then CMU in Presbo.

If you recall when some BU fans pointed their concerns we were told a MYRIAD of reasons why we didn't put them away and why we should just be happy with the win and that some people are never happy...etc.

Now ISU should be concerned and I was just wondering if they get the same "allowances" for the close call that BU got.

[bufan73]

I wasn't debating or arguing ISU sked...that has been beat to death. Even ISU fans recognize it and are upset with it.

I was discussing the statement "ISU should have concerns about not being able to put away an inferior opponent."

My question/response was should they be any more concerned then BU when we too struggled against a team most likely weaker then CMU in Presbo.

If you recall when some BU fans pointed their concerns we were told a MYRIAD of reasons why we didn't put them away and why we should just be happy with the win and that some people are never happy...etc.

Now ISU should be concerned and I was just wondering if they get the same "allowances" for the close call that BU got.

When will Tornado take his BU Goggles off? He will hardly ever give ISU any credit...and continues to bring up their schedule to validate any of his reasoning. Tornado needs a new strategy this one is getting rather old. It's hard to take one game, and make a conclusion from it. I watched the game last night...and I thought Central Michigan had a very good inside game. Much better than any inside game we have played this year other than Oklahoma St and Illinois. It's no secret Illinois State has a weak schedule...but they haven't been upset either. It would be easy to overlook a team that is far inferior, and lose.

[BU_EMT128]

When will Tornado take his BU Goggles off? He will hardly ever give ISU any credit...and continues to bring up their schedule to validate any of his reasoning. Tornado needs a new strategy this one is getting rather old. It's hard to take one game, and make a conclusion from it. I watched the game last night...and I thought Central Michigan had a very good inside game. Much better than any inside game we have played this year other than Oklahoma St and Illinois. It's no secret Illinois State has a weak schedule...but they haven't been upset either. It would be easy to overlook a team that is far inferior, and lose.

What exactly does ISU deserve credit for? Beating, albeit at times not impressively, the cupcakes they have scheduled thus far?

[Braves4Life]

It will also be interesting to see how Presbyterian plays later on in the season after playing one of the toughest non-conference schedules in Division 1. Schedule includes 5 ranked teams, Bradley, Dayton and Marquette before mostly league play in January. They have already lost 2 league games however, but they were only by 2 points and 4 points.

Jason

That's great about Presby having a tough schedule Jason. But did you watch them against both us and Illinois? They $uck!

[amckillip]

When will Tornado take his BU Goggles off? He will hardly ever give ISU any credit...and continues to bring up their schedule to validate any of his reasoning. Tornado needs a new strategy this one is getting rather old. It's hard to take one game, and make a conclusion from it. I watched the game last night...and I thought Central Michigan had a very good inside game. Much better than any inside game we have played this year other than Oklahoma St and Illinois. It's no secret Illinois State has a weak schedule...but they haven't been upset either. It would be easy to overlook a team that is far inferior, and lose.

What exactly does ISU deserve credit for? Beating, albeit at times not impressively, the cupcakes they have scheduled thus far?

Exactly.

Just because an arguement has been made before doesn't discredit it. ILSU scheduled terribly last year, and it showed come MVC play last year, it will again this year IMO. And CMU's inside game was better than our opponents EXCEPT OKSU and U of I? Well of friggin' course. Those two teams are so much better than ANYONE on ILSU's schedule it's not even funny. U of I pre-season was often described as having one of the best front-courts in the nation with Davis and Tisdale. In addition, CMU is not an impressive team, period, 3 maybe 4 of BU's non-con opponents so far are better than them. Many ILSU fans were saying the Bonnies were a solid win... then they almost get outscored two-fold.

Saying an argument gets old, when it still holds true, quickly shows there isn't a valid way to discredit it.

[Da Coach]

BUfan73, you pseudonym doesn't fool anyone. You seem to be an ISU fan in sheeps clothing, and and I can understand why criticism of ISUs schedule irritates the heck out of you.

[tornado]

When will Tornado take his BU Goggles off? ..

interesting...
because on this topic, not only am I 100% correct, but many ISU fans not only agree with me but are even more vociferous and critical on the subject than I have ever been.
So if you want to attack me for something, pick something that you have at least a case to try to defend...

[DannyCooksey]

ILSU scheduled terribly last year, and it showed come MVC play last year, it will again this year IMO.

amc......question for you. what exactly did it show come MVC play? As a bu fan which you claim to be, it doesn't make too much sense what you are postulating since despite ISU's 'terrible' schedule last year they still:

1-split the season series with bu....if ISU was so bad and ill-prepared as you claim shouldn't you have swept them handily?

2-finished higher in the reg season standings than bu for the 2nd straight season

3-advanced further than bu in the Valley tourney for the 2nd straight season

4-went to a better post-season tournament than bu for the 2nd straight season

So.........I guess in relation to UNI and Drake (the only 2 NCAA reps the past 2 years from the Valley) the ISU "terrible" schedule was exposed. In relation to bu and what they've 'accomplished' the past 2 years? Uh not so much.

ISU's schedule blows. That's a dead issue (or it should be). No ISU fan is happy with it. None of them are. Find something else. Or better yet.......have a better season than ISU and their 'terrible' schedule and then you'd really be cooking with gas. With as bad as ISU is this year and their 'terrible' schedule, bu and their MIGHTY non conference slate should be prepared to sweep the Birds and finish 16-2 in the Valley this year. I'll look forward to watching that unfold.

[Da Coach]

When was the last time an MVC went undefeated in preconference schedule (11-0), then failed to finish in the top 2 in the conference or missed making the NCAA tournament?

And for 2007-08- when was the last time the top 2 teams in the MVC met in the MVC tournament final and one got blown out by 30 points and didn't make the NCAA tournament? By an opponent that failed to even win their first NCAA game?

I'd say he has a point that ISU's weakness showed against other MVC teams.