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We're more than 6 months away but why not start the speculating....
-I think Loyola will be everyone's favorite since they won the MVC handily and they keep their best player and big man. BUT-- I think they do have some holes to fill.
Their best defender Ben Richardson and two reliable scorers Donte Ingram & Aundre Jackson also are lost. So I don't think next year they will be 4 games better than everyone else, I think the race will be closer...
-the rest of the top tier of teams will be SIU, ISU & Bradley - all of whom have modest losses and return a lot of talent.
I think these three teams plus Loyola will be the top four that everyone will name in their preseason predictions.
-the middle & 2nd tier teams will be Drake, Evansville, Indiana State, Missouri State, UNI and Valparaiso. Hard right now to separate those six teams and much will depend on who they bring in and who develops from this year to next. Drake's losses will be huge- almost every major contributor except McGlynn. But Evansville, Indiana State, MSU, UNI and Valpo also all lose top scorers - altho with Ryan Taylor & Dru Smith - at least Evansville returns more firepower than most of the others.
Missouri State does have an intriguing addition - Jarred Ridder...a kid who was Mr. Basketball in Missouri and recruited by Xavier - but left to come to Missouri State. If he's as talented as they say, he could team with Dixon, Scurry, Lawrence, Kreklow & Church to give them some talented starters - depth would be a problem, tho.
-I think Loyola will be everyone's favorite since they won the MVC handily and they keep their best player and big man. BUT-- I think they do have some holes to fill.
Their best defender Ben Richardson and two reliable scorers Donte Ingram & Aundre Jackson also are lost. So I don't think next year they will be 4 games better than everyone else, I think the race will be closer...
-the rest of the top tier of teams will be SIU, ISU & Bradley - all of whom have modest losses and return a lot of talent.
I think these three teams plus Loyola will be the top four that everyone will name in their preseason predictions.
-the middle & 2nd tier teams will be Drake, Evansville, Indiana State, Missouri State, UNI and Valparaiso. Hard right now to separate those six teams and much will depend on who they bring in and who develops from this year to next. Drake's losses will be huge- almost every major contributor except McGlynn. But Evansville, Indiana State, MSU, UNI and Valpo also all lose top scorers - altho with Ryan Taylor & Dru Smith - at least Evansville returns more firepower than most of the others.
Missouri State does have an intriguing addition - Jarred Ridder...a kid who was Mr. Basketball in Missouri and recruited by Xavier - but left to come to Missouri State. If he's as talented as they say, he could team with Dixon, Scurry, Lawrence, Kreklow & Church to give them some talented starters - depth would be a problem, tho.
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