Expectations for the Valley (2012-13)

[LittleBrave]

Not quite sure what to think of each team heading into this next season.
It's still a few months away from Game #1, but trying to spark some discussion.

How would you assess the Valley from Top to Bottom? Is it going to be a strong conference at the top? Mediocre in the middle? Cupcakey at the bottom?

How many combined NCAA/NIT appearances do you think we'll get?

Many ? for inexperienced teams like WSU, MSU, and teams with new head coaches (ISU-Red & SIU). How will Drake fair without Mr. Everything (RR), and will Indy St. return to the top of the league, or falter even further?

All is merely speculation, but us Braves fans don't shy away from THAT!
Not focusing on league standings from top-bottom.

What are your thoughts? Bring 'em!

[tcq]

The league will be down some from last year. Wichita isn't as strong. Creighton might be better but ISU won't be as good. MSU won't be as good. UNI might be better.

I see it as a one bid NCAA league this year (Creighton) and 2 NIT teams (UNI and Wichita). After that I think it is pretty wide open.

I see Bradley finishing 7th or 8th.

[tornado]

Creighton has the potential to be very good - but also - it seems that the better opponents figured them out by the end of last year... so maybe they won't be so scary this year...

Last spring - down the critical stretch of the MVC race - they ended up winning in regulation only 3 of their last 7 games.
They struggled and were incredibly lucky to win their BracketBuster, didn't look sharp against Drake in St. Louis - having to ride McD for almost 40 minutes to get away with a win in that one, and barely got by 9-9 Illinois State, pretty much having to go the WHOLE way with the starters into overtime to catch the auto bid,
Then in the NCAA they should have destroyed Alabama - but instead had to rally big-time to stay alive against a team who only hit half their FT..
..then finally got kinda humbled by one of the big boys in a game that showed a stark difference between mid-major and BCS...

So you could say that after their first two dozen games were almost all double digit blowouts...the entire rest of the season after that they were a surprisingly different-looking team!
Their final dozen games consisted of ONE blowout of lowly SIU and 11 games where they struggled to look like the same team they were the first 2/3 of the season.

[saluki762]

Barring an injury to McDermott, only 2 things are certain in the Valley this year.

Creighton will win the league.

My Dawgs will finish last.

[tornado]

Barry definitely does not think so nor agree with you - I am 100% certain he plans to finish ahead of at least one team...

[tcq]

Barry definitely does not think so nor agree with you - I am 100% certain he plans to finish ahead of at least one team...

How many coaches in college basketball plan to finish last in their league and openly admit that? It's pretty close to 0%. Barry would be no exception.

I would expect Barry to have some confidence in his troops.

[electricmayhem]

1. Cu
2. Uni
3. Ue
4. Wsu
5. Insu
6. Ilsu
7. Msu
8. Bu
9. Du
10. Siu

[basketball nut]

1. Cu
2. Uni
3. Ue
4. Wsu
5. Insu
6. Ilsu
7. Msu
8. Bu
9. Du
10. Siu

Would agree w/ what you have but really think ISU-Red is a real sleeper (not an isu fan either) and would move them up to 3 or 4. I really don't see a new coach making that much difference. Watched them a couple of times other then BU last season and they should be right in the thick of things next season. (really believe (not say they will) they could unseat CU @ the top)

[LittleBrave]

My expectations are much the same as last year's finish, with several teams around .500.
I think the bottom 2 teams can hang with the middle-pack teams in most games, but nowhere close to CU, UNI, ISU (red).
Not sure about DU, MSU with major losses with big-time players, but believe they'll do slightly better than last year in terms of team chemistry...maybe not in MVC wins though.