Road... Road... Road...

[IlliBraves]

I hope we draw Butler, just so I have a chance to drive down and watch the game!

[MacabreMob]

I hope we draw Butler, just so I have a chance to drive down and watch the game!

NO chance.

Make the trip next season.

[Lakeview Brave]

Not many teams win a lot of games on the road.

Exactly! We need to protect our home court and beat the bottom of the league on the road and we will be just fine. I dont think many people had us winning at MSU.

Fine in what aspect? Making the NCAA? I think we're going to need to do more than that for another NCAA bid to happen, although I do believe we could end up winning the whole darn thing in St. Louis.

Fine in that my goal for the season were to stay out of playin game and make the NIT. The team has over achieved to this point and thats great but my goals remain the same.

[BradleyBrave]

Not many teams win a lot of games on the road.

Exactly! We need to protect our home court and beat the bottom of the league on the road and we will be just fine. I dont think many people had us winning at MSU.

Fine in what aspect? Making the NCAA? I think we're going to need to do more than that for another NCAA bid to happen, although I do believe we could end up winning the whole darn thing in St. Louis.

Fine in that my goal for the season were to stay out of playin game and make the NIT. The team has over achieved to this point and thats great but my goals remain the same.

My goals remain the same as well. The NCAA is the goal of course, but the NIT could be fun too, especially if we got another shot at the Illini on our home turf. With the way Illinois is playing right now, they're likely NIT-bound. We have a better shot at dancing than they do, and if we can't dance, beating them in the NIT would be a heck of a way to close out a very gratifying season.

[shaunguth]

Not many teams win a lot of games on the road.

Exactly! We need to protect our home court and beat the bottom of the league on the road and we will be just fine. I dont think many people had us winning at MSU.

Fine in what aspect? Making the NCAA? I think we're going to need to do more than that for another NCAA bid to happen, although I do believe we could end up winning the whole darn thing in St. Louis.

Fine in that my goal for the season were to stay out of playin game and make the NIT. The team has over achieved to this point and thats great but my goals remain the same.

My goals remain the same as well. The NCAA is the goal of course, but the NIT could be fun too, especially if we got another shot at the Illini on our home turf. With the way Illinois is playing right now, they're likely NIT-bound. We have a better shot at dancing than they do, and if we can't dance, beating them in the NIT would be a heck of a way to close out a very gratifying season.

I completely agree that "the NIT could be fun too", but would love to see us on the main stage against the marquee teams from those "power" conferences. I don't see us getting the home court in an NIT game against Illinois though. I would also hate to be on the NCAA bubble WITH Illinois, considering they did beat us this season.

[BUBravesMan]

Last season, we won at DePaul and Southern Miss in non-conference,
then got our first MVC win on the road at Evansville on January 28. We then lost 2 more on the road, then won our final two Valley road games (at Illinois State, at Northern Iowa).

Just a short comparison to how we did last year, and how we are doing so far this year (3 MVC road games, 1 non-conf road game remaining)

[MacabreMob]

I don't see us getting the home court in an NIT game against Illinois though.

Is Illinois able to host ANY games in the post-season? Or are they still on 'the list' for being politically insensitive?

[MacabreMob]

Last season, we won at DePaul and Southern Miss in non-conference,
then got our first MVC win on the road at Evansville on January 28. We then lost 2 more on the road, then won our final two Valley road games (at Illinois State, at Northern Iowa).

Just a short comparison to how we did last year, and how we are doing so far this year (3 MVC road games, 1 non-conf road game remaining)

On this date last year, just after winning in OT at Evansville, we moved up to 54 in the RPI.

This year, we are currently 40th.

[shaunguth]

I don't see us getting the home court in an NIT game against Illinois though.

Is Illinois able to host ANY games in the post-season? Or are they still on 'the list' for being politically insensitive?

Guess I forgot about that!

I did manage to find the following post on the illinois.scout.com message board:

NIT blows *** because we will have to play 3 road games just to get to Madison Square Garden.

My bet is we open up @ Bradley or Depaul... two programs that will come out of the woodwork if they have a home game against us... wonderful.

[thefish7]

I think wins at ISU, UE, and bracket buster would probably be enough to get us into the tournament-- given the way people seem to be looking at the MVC and the fact that we'd be a returning NCAA team (which the selection committee seems to favor).

[georgethedog]

I think wins at ISU, UE, and bracket buster would probably be enough to get us into the tournament-- given the way people seem to be looking at the MVC and the fact that we'd be a returning NCAA team (which the selection committee seems to favor).

Assuming that we win all of our remianing home games.

[thefish7]

Assuming that we win all of our remianing home games.

That's right... definately making that assumption.

[MacabreMob]

... and the fact that we'd be a returning NCAA team (which the selection committee seems to favor).

Sorry Fish, each season stands on its own - last year has nothing to do with this year.

[Bravesfan]

I completely agree that "the NIT could be fun too", but would love to see us on the main stage against the marquee teams from those "power" conferences. I don't see us getting the home court in an NIT game against Illinois though. I would also hate to be on the NCAA bubble WITH Illinois, considering they did beat us this season.

Actually, if our RPI is higher than Illinois, we could get a home game against them, just not in the first round.

[shaunguth]

I completely agree that "the NIT could be fun too", but would love to see us on the main stage against the marquee teams from those "power" conferences. I don't see us getting the home court in an NIT game against Illinois though. I would also hate to be on the NCAA bubble WITH Illinois, considering they did beat us this season.

Actually, if our RPI is higher than Illinois, we could get a home game against them, just not in the first round.

Illinois won't be playing a home game anyway. If we have to settle for the NIT, then it would be worth it by having Illinois come to our house.