The top of the Valley?

[BUSongwriter]

Just curious how the pre-conference season has or hasn't shifted BradleyFans' early thinking about who will contend for the title and where the Braves might end up?

Before the season I picked/hoped BU for third. I'm keeping them there, hoping we will be a better road team than we showed at San Diego.

But I didn't foresee Northern Iowa and Loyola being as good as they've shown. Do most of you, like me, consider the Panthers the favorite now? If not UNI, who?

I think it's shaping up to be a really balanced, exciting conference season. And the MVC tourney in St. Louis should be especially exciting. If Bradley has a strong conference season, I hope to see a lot of BU fans returning to STL after way too many years of being a non-factor.

[Da Coach]

I am like you. I thought Bradley could be 3rd or 4th, but after seeing UNI, Loyola, MSU, and Valpo, I am less sure that Bradley can finish ahead of at least 2 or 3 of them. Add Illinois State and SIU to that mix, since I believe they will both be improved when they get their injured players back, and it could be a fun season to watch in the MVC. I now think it will take a pretty good effort for Bradley to finish in the top half of the league.

[tornado]

... I didn't foresee Northern Iowa and Loyola being as good as they've shown....

Just a reminder...past performance is no guarantee of future success...

At this time last year Loyola was 10-2 - they finished 8-10 in the MVC...
Two years before that, Loyola started the season 11-2 then finished 8-10 in the Valley race

..and last year UNI started the season off beating ARIZONA STATE and OKLAHOMA! They then proceeded to lose 11 of their next 13 games...including their first five MVC games.

[basketball nut]

I am like you. I thought Bradley could be 3rd or 4th, but after seeing UNI, Loyola, MSU, and Valpo, I am less sure that Bradley can finish ahead of at least 2 or 3 of them. Add Illinois State and SIU to that mix, since I believe they will both be improved when they get their injured players back, and it could be a fun season to watch in the MVC. I now think it will take a pretty good effort for Bradley to finish in the top half of the league.

I still think BU could finish that high. A bigger question is could BU & DU be the 2 schools that were picked for a play-in game make a move to upper half of the league.
I see this to be one of the most balanced leagues in a few years which could make for an interesting tournament.