Dave Reynolds' preseason picks

[Da Coach]

Dave has his preseason MVC picks-

http://blogs.pjstar.com/pressrow/2013/10/07/my-mvc-ballot/

1 Wichita State
2 UNI
3 Indiana State
4 Bradley
5 Missouri State
6 Evansville
7 Loyola
8 Illinois State
9 Drake
10 Southern Illinois

All-MVC:
Cleanthony Early, WSU
Walt Lemon, Bradley
Jake Odum, Indiana State
Seth Tuttle, UNI
Tyshon Pickett, Bradley

Just missed:
Manny Arop, Indiana State
Deon Mitchell, UNI
Ron Baker, WSU.

Player of Year:
Early.

[lightsout]

Wichita State beat writer showing Bradley some love!

http://blogs.kansas.com/shockwaves/

3. Bradley - Not an overwhelming amount of experience, so disregard the importance of MVC minutes when judging the Braves. I think coach Geno Ford can recruit and get his guys to play hard, so I’m buying the Braves as a rising power in the Valley.

1. Wichita State
2. Indiana State
3. Bradley
4. Northern Iowa
5. Missouri State
6. Evansville
7. Southern Illinois
8. Drake
9. Loyola
10. Illinois State

All-MVC
Cleanthony Early, Wichita State
Ron Baker, Wichita State
Jake Odum, Indiana State
Manny Arop, Indiana State
Walt Lemon, Jr., Bradley

[tornado]

so DR is saying we have TWO 1st Team All-MVC players to go with our other difference makers,
and yet he only picks Bradley 4th in what's expected to be quite a down year in the Valley?

The Missouri State beat writer has MSU 4th & BU 5th, just ahead of SIU - he also has a MSU player on the 1st team..

http://blogs.news-leader.com/msu/2013/10/08/my-mvc-mens-basketball-preseason-ballot/

[Da Coach]

The Missouri State beat writer also posts his preseason MVC picks-

http://blogs.news-leader.com/msu/2013/10/08/my-mvc-mens-basketball-preseason-ballot/

1 ??“ Wichita State
2 ??“ Indiana State
3 ??“ Northern Iowa
4 ??“ Missouri State
5 ??“ Bradley
6 ??“ Southern Illinois
7 ??“ Illinois State
8 ??“ Evansville
9- Drake
10 ??“ Loyola

Preseason all-conference team
Cleanthony Early, Wichita State
Jake Odum, Indiana State
Walt Lemon, Bradley
Marcus Marshall, Missouri State
Ron Baker, Wichita State

Preseason player of year
Cleanthony Early, Wichita State

[tornado]

The Indiana State beat writer Todd Golden (TribStar)
posts this list of All Valley picks..

1st Team:
Manny Arop, ISU
Jake Odum, ISU
Cleanthony Early, WSU
Ron Baker, WSU
Walt Lemon, Bradley

Player of the Year: Jake Odum.

His Preason Poll:

1. WSU
2. InSU (and he adds "I think ISU (Indiana State) is very close to 1st place." and
"..is it that cut-&-dried? I think InSU is closer than people think.")
3. UNI
4. Missouri St.
5. Bradley
6. Evansville
7. SIU
8. Loyola
9. Drake
10. Illinois St.

[tornado]

And here's the Northern Iowa ballot by Carson Tigges

Preseason MVC ballot

1. Wichita State -- Duh.

2. Indiana State -- The Sycamores return all but one from last year's squad and the abundance of experience certainly isn't lost on point guard Jake Odum.

3. UNI -- With five true freshmen on the roster, I wouldn't be comfortable putting the Panthers anywhere else.

4. Bradley -- The Braves were dead last in 2012. How about a hand for Geno Ford? I like that guy.

5. Missouri State -- Injuries killed the ninth-place Bears last year. A much more healthy, much more experienced roster returns.

6. Evansville -- The Aces have no seniors, five true freshmen and have lost 67 percent of the scoring from last year. This kind of goes to show what I think of the final four teams on this list.

7. Illinois State -- Last year was just about a disaster for first-year head coach Dan Muller. The roster has been overhauled with talented juco players. Can Muller mesh that talent together this year?

8. Loyola -- I have never seen the Ramblers play a game. I'm told it's a program on the upswing. Having never been through a Valley schedule is worth a few losses, in my mind.

9. Southern Illinois -- Despite finishing 10th a year ago, the Salukis were arguably the most improved team from Jan. 1 on. Barry Hinson will talk his way out of the cellar, if nothing else.

10. Drake -- I looked up "rebuilding" in the dictionary. Sure enough, there was Ray Giacoletti's photo.

Preseason All-MVC

Cleanthony Early, Wichita State -- He was too quiet at times, but in his second year in Wichita, Cleanthony will be very, very loud.

Jake Odum, Indiana State -- It's basically just reflex to type Odum's name on these lists at this point.

Seth Tuttle, UNI -- It is Seth's team to lead for the next two years.

Walt Lemon Jr., Bradley -- The league's top returning scorer.

Marcus Marshall, Missouri St. -- Last year's freshman of the year and a terrific offensive player.

Preseason MVC Player of the Year

Cleanthony Early, Wichita State -- He's 6-foot-8 and will play both inside and outside. He can do it all.

[Da Coach]

All the ballots were due into the MVC office yesterday, though the final results will not be made official until October 30.

Here is another writer's picks- from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier-

1. Wichita State
2. Indiana State
3. UNI
4. Bradley
5. Missouri State
6. Evansville
7. Illinois State
8. Loyola
9. Southern Illinois
10. Drake

Preseason All-MVC
Cleanthony Early, Wichita State
Jake Odum, Indiana State
Seth Tuttle, UNI
Walt Lemon Jr., Bradley
Marcus Marshall, Missouri St.

Preseason MVC Player of the Year
Cleanthony Early, Wichita State

http://wcfcourier.com/sports/blogs/coach_carson/the-courier-s-preseason-mvc-ballot/article_25e7c696-2f81-11e3-92fe-0019bb2963f4.html

[bigjimmy]

Mostly finishing in 4th or 5th. Pretty encouraging. I also find it interesting that 2 of the beat writers really like Geno. Can't wait for the season to start.

[64NIT]

Wichita beat writer, Paul Suellentrop, picks SIU #7 but look what he says:

7. Southern Illinois - Now I??™m just guessing.

lol

http://blogs.kansas.com/shockwaves/2013/10/07/my-mvc-preseason-picks/#more-13195

[Da Coach]

Preseason MVC picks by Jim Benson, the Illinois State beat writer for the Bloomington Pantagraph-

https://twitter.com/Pg_Benson/status/388438505145122817

1. WSU
2. IndSt
3. UNI
4. Mo St
5. Bradley
6. Evansville
7. Ill St
8. SIU
9. Drake
10. Loyola

Preseason all-Valley team:
Early, WSU
Odum, Ind St
Lemon, Bradley
Tuttle, UNI
VanVleet, WSU

Player of Year: Early

[tornado]

I averaged the six MVC writers, the six national writers, and then the four preseason preview magazines so the consensus of the SIXTEEN different experts is this...

1 Wichita State
2 Indiana State
3 UNI
4 Missouri State
5 Bradley
6 Evansville
7 ISU
8 SIU
9 Loyola
10 Drake
but the last four places are very close...