Biggest surprises thus far

[lefty]

why are we bringing up JL in this thread?? Ya wanna bring up Sammy & Remy, too?

Heck these guys get brought up in threads on both sides all the time...negative and positive..........just waiting for someone to bring up PJS now

[Old Coach]

Heck these guys get brought up in threads on both sides all the time...negative and positive..........just waiting for someone to bring up PJS now

PjStar? I really like the Sunday edition. Otherwise, I just read it on-line.

[TheAsianSensation]

I'm actually in agreement with DC on this one. It's not like UCD was a premier program to begin with. I think, at the least, he'll be a .500 coach in that conference when he's done rebuilding (things just did get tougher with SDSU there)

[Air Petey]

PjStar? I really like the Sunday edition. Otherwise, I just read it on-line.

Ahhhhhhh, Old Coach likes the coupons!!

This is all I see worth while in the Sunday edition!

[Old Coach]

Ahhhhhhh, Old Coach likes the coupons!!

This is all I see worth while in the Sunday edition!

No coupons, but I enjoy the Arts section.

[LittleBrave]

Total surprise to me is Missouri State.

I picked them to finish #9!!! And picked BU ahead of them. Little did I know about their incoming guys who have made an impact, and our incoming guys who will obviously need a lot more time to develop.

I think Drake has actually played better than I thought they'd play without Van Deest and Uhlenhopp. I picked them to finish last.

Evansville a disappointment, especially out of conference. They have competed well in conference with 2 games they almost won.

[cpacmel]

Dave Reynolds two biggest MVC surprises are Drake and Illinois State:

http://www.pjstar.com/bradleyhoops/x2048529136/Reynolds-Judging-the-Valley-at-halfway-point

The accomplishment of Drake, sitting in third place at 5-3 and owner of a four-game winning streak, is the most astonishing development to date. Considering that Bulldogs coach Mark Phelps has had to make do without his 6-foot-11 center, Seth VanDeest, along with backup post Reece Uhlenhopp — both out with seasonlong injuries — Drake’s achievements are all the more remarkable

The other MVC surprise team is Illinois State, picked for eighth place but tied for fourth with a 4-4 record in league play. Apparently, a cream puff nonconference schedule, ranked among the worst in Division I, was just the ticket for this developing squad.

Negative surprise goes to Indiana State:

On the flip side, Indiana State, picked for third, is ninth at 2-6, having lost five of its last six.
The Sycamores have been hampered by the foot problems suffered by point guard Jake Odum. That, coupled with the graduation losses of guards Jake Kelly and Aaron Carter, has created defensive problems on the perimeter.

[LittleBrave]

Can't disagree with him on this.
I still think MSU is a bit of a bigger surprise than ISU (red).

Drake is tons better than I thought they'd be, both in non-conf. and in league play. The could even get into the NIT if they finish with 11 or more wins in conference...though my gut tells me they will be hard-pressed to finish with 10.

[Chico]

I'm actually in agreement with DC on this one. It's not like UCD was a premier program to begin with. I think, at the least, he'll be a .500 coach in that conference when he's done rebuilding (things just did get tougher with SDSU there)

I know Chet "the jet" Walker enjoyed playing them.

[Bravesfan]

Can't disagree with him on this.
I still think MSU is a bit of a bigger surprise than ISU (red).

Drake is tons better than I thought they'd be, both in non-conf. and in league play. The could even get into the NIT if they finish with 11 or more wins in conference...though my gut tells me they will be hard-pressed to finish with 10.

Yes, due to their really tough stretch coming up. If they can beat a slumping UNI team tomorrow night at their place, and split against CU and WSU at home, then they REALLY have something going for them!

My biggest surprise continues to be Indiana St., injuries or not. But one can see what we went through the last couple of years. Unfortunately we blew our chance to tie them in the standings tonight, but I think we have a good shot of beating them in Peoria later this season.

[tornado]

Total surprise to me is Missouri State....

Missouri State, Drake, and Evansville are all hanging around 3-4th place in the Valley purely by default --
none of them are very good but the teams below are really stinking it up..

The biggest embarrassment, though, must be the RPI system that some how rates team this bad (UNI 40, MSU 83, Drake 87) with decent RPI's...
Unfortunately - with as badly as those guys have played at times, even an RPI in the 20's isn't going to save them..
If the MVC gets 3 bids then it blows away anyone's mantra that "conferences don't get bids, teams do"

[cpacmel]

If the MVC gets 3 bids then it blows away anyone's mantra that "conferences don't get bids, teams do"

The only way the MVC sends 3 to the Big Dance is if someone besides Wichita State or Creighton wins in St. Louis.

I don't think that does anything for the mantra.

All it says is Wichita State and Creighton are deserving and upsets happen.

[Bravesfan]

Missouri State, Drake, and Evansville are all hanging around 3-4th place in the Valley purely by default --
none of them are very good but the teams below are really stinking it up..

The biggest embarrassment, though, must be the RPI system that some how rates team this bad (UNI 40, MSU 83, Drake 87) with decent RPI's...
Unfortunately - with as badly as those guys have played at times, even an RPI in the 20's isn't going to save them..
If the MVC gets 3 bids then it blows away anyone's mantra that "conferences don't get bids, teams do"

I think you are talking about if someone other than WSU and CU gets an at-large bid. That I would agree with. But the Valley still could get three bids if someone other than WSU and CU wins the Valley tourney, and that would be the most fair way for that scenerio to play out.