More Parity in Valley to Come

[LittleBrave]

I see several teams that could be pretty evenly matched for the 2013-'14 season...yeah, I know, looking faaaaaaar ahead already!

Provided that All-Valley stud McDermott enters the draft after this coming season (Pllllleasssssse DO!!!), you may have about 2 teams (CU and WSU) that will be slight favorites, and 3 teams who will be picked to finish in the Top 5 THIS year with major losses to their roster that will need to be filled.
I'm pretty confident that UNI & ISU-Red will be able to find some quality recruits to still be solid in 2013.

Look for younger teams like Indiana St., Missouri St., and perhaps even...ahem...BRADLEY to find themselves in the top half NEXT season. (hoping we see MAJOR improvements this year to be able to wish for THAT!) And with Barry Hinson at the helm in Carbondale, they should be more competitive too - at least to make the bottom half of the Valley stronger.

Just some thoughts...as the days seem long waiting for the new College B-ball season (and Pick 'em Contest) to commence!

[tornado]

Just a reminder - even with Doug McDermott healthy and playing reasonably well......
Not saying they were bad or will be bad this year but..........
Creighton did not look like world-beaters down the stretch last season...

From the beginning of February on - over their final dozen games...
Creighton was 8-4 but two of those wins were in OVERTIME and only THREE of those wins were by more than one possession......(5 were by 1 or 2 pts or in OT)

In those final 12 games combined - Creighton only out scored their combined opponents' total by 15 points, and McD averaged a couple points less than he had in their previous 23 games.

[Da Coach]

...
Look for younger teams like Indiana St., Missouri St., and perhaps even...ahem...BRADLEY to find themselves in the top half NEXT season. (hoping we see MAJOR improvements this year to be able to wish for THAT!) And with Barry Hinson at the helm in Carbondale, they should be more competitive too - at least to make the bottom half of the Valley stronger.

Just some thoughts...as the days seem long waiting for the new College B-ball season (and Pick 'em Contest) to commence!

This is all contingent on unknowns at this point- future recruiting outcomes will determine whether these teams, including BU, make the jump.

[Gary the Gargoyle]

I see several teams that could be pretty evenly matched for the 2013-'14 season...yeah, I know, looking faaaaaaar ahead already!

Provided that All-Valley stud McDermott enters the draft after this coming season (Pllllleasssssse DO!!!), you may have about 2 teams (CU and WSU) that will be slight favorites, and 3 teams who will be picked to finish in the Top 5 THIS year with major losses to their roster that will need to be filled.
I'm pretty confident that UNI & ISU-Red will be able to find some quality recruits to still be solid in 2013.

Look for younger teams like Indiana St., Missouri St., and perhaps even...ahem...BRADLEY to find themselves in the top half NEXT season. (hoping we see MAJOR improvements this year to be able to wish for THAT!) And with Barry Hinson at the helm in Carbondale, they should be more competitive too - at least to make the bottom half of the Valley stronger.

Just some thoughts...as the days seem long waiting for the new College B-ball season (and Pick 'em Contest) to commence!

I think it's going to be really tough to flip the balance of power in this league. Aside from the fact that 6 teams were all within a game of one another, I still think Creighton, ISU, UNI, and Wichita will be the best four teams in the league for the next few years.

[LittleBrave]

I think it's going to be really tough to flip the balance of power in this league. Aside from the fact that 6 teams were all within a game of one another, I still think Creighton, ISU, UNI, and Wichita will be the best four teams in the league for the next few years.

Yes, CU & WSU will be perrenial contenders as long as their coaches stay in place, and perhaps even if they don't.

I believe MSU and Indy-Blue have young teams with potential who will gain much experience this season...and I like the quality of head coaches on both teams that I don't see them staying in the bottom half too long.

Guess I'm just saying that the gap between UNI, ISU-red, Evansville and Missouri St., Indy St, BU (maybe) looks to be less next season (not taking recruiting into account), which might create more parity in the league. Just my perspective - not necessarily the way it's going to be!

[DoubleJayAlum]

Just a reminder - even with Doug McDermott healthy and playing reasonably well......
Not saying they were bad or will be bad this year but..........
Creighton did not look like world-beaters down the stretch last season...

From the beginning of February on - over their final dozen games...
Creighton was 8-4 but two of those wins were in OVERTIME and only THREE of those wins were by more than one possession......(5 were by 1 or 2 pts or in OT)

Of course, in that same period they won eight consecutive games, including three in St Louis (the second of which was a 28 point blow-out) and one in the NCAA tournament....

I could just as easily say Creighton only had one bad week all season....

[amckillip]

Of course, in that same period they won eight consecutive games, including three in St Louis (the second of which was a 28 point blow-out) and one in the NCAA tournament....

I could just as easily say Creighton only had one bad week all season....

I actually agree with that statement... Creighton has long been the class of the Valley, and until someone unseats them, I have to think they'll remain - particularly with the first 1st team All-American in the MVC in quite a while, and a coach with a history of success in the MVC.