Kirk Wessler column

[Long-Hair's Lunatics]

I can't believe what I'm reading here! I can't believe that everyone is saying we are a one bid league if SIU wins the Valley tourney! Anything less than three bids would be a complete travesty of justice since I cannot recall the last time that the number 6 or number 7 conference earned less than three bids.

While Bradley will most likely not be one of them unless they win the tourney outright, the three teams sitting ahead of them all have the resume to get in, irregardless of recent setbacks. Duke can lose four in a row, and no one blinks, but Creighton and Missouri St lose two in a row, and all heck breaks lose! I for one am not buying it!

Book it! The Valley WILL get at least three bids into the NCAA Tournament, no matter what happens in St. Louis!

defenitly agree...

1) i really cant see SIU winning the tourny, that 1 automatic bid for another team
2) SIU gets an at large
3) MSU, CU, BU, WSU compete for the other spot

3 bids, book it

BU and WSU have no chance. MSU and CU have a chance but I think they need to make it to Sunday.

What i ment was they had a chance in the tourny. It's the Valley, anything could happen

[Guinness]

I agree with the fact that we might only be a 2 bid this year. Mainly because only two teams have shown some decent consistency, Creighton and SIU.

Keep in mind, you dont want 4 teams going into the NCAA and two getting knocked out in the first round. That just makes us look bad.

[Braves4Life]

I Must Be Nuts

Call me crazy but I predict that The Valley will get three teams in AND BU WILL BE ONE OF THEM!!!!!

You heard it here first!

[amckillip]

Re: I Must Be Nuts

Call me crazy but I predict that The Valley will get three teams in AND BU WILL BE ONE OF THEM!!!!!

You heard it here first!

I dearly hope your right, last night really, really, really got me down. If nothing else I think it is a shame for these players to work this hard and come this far and not make it to the tournament. However as was said several weeks ago BU's Destiny(as well as anyone elses) was in their hands, now they just have to grab onto their last hope and win the tourney.

[MacabreMob]

Re: Another Kirk Wessler "gem"!

What a moron! And not because of his feelings toward Bradley. That he even implies that the Valley would only possibly earn one bid to the NCAA Tournament shows he did not do his homework!

http://pjstar.com/stories/022107/KIR_BCEOLC98.077.php

Consider the source and move on.....

KW is a typical member of the Drive-by Media... "he supports the players but not the team (and not the conference)."

[Bravesfan]

That average MSU team beat us by 29! If SMS loses in the first round in St. Louis like they did last year and Creighton does the same they are not going to make it IMO. There are lots of bubble teams this year and Valley did itself no favors during the Bracket Buster. How can the second best team in the conference, with hopes of getting an at large bid lose to ISU?

Uhhh, Lakeview, how could #13 SIU lose at both Evansville and Northern Iowa (both sub .500 teams the last I checked) and expect an at-large birth, let alone a top 4 seed?

I guess that means that no Valley team deserves an at-large bid using the same logic you did towards Creighton!

I'm not trying to be arrogant here. I'm a nice guy. Just trying to point out some holes in your theory here.

[BI_Brave_alum]

Re: I Must Be Nuts

Call me crazy but I predict that The Valley will get three teams in AND BU WILL BE ONE OF THEM!!!!!

You heard it here first!

I think if BU wins sat, makes it to the finals in mvc tourny that perhaps they get a bid, if mo st or creighton aren't there... still got a chance, with some upsets by the lower seeds!

[BI_Brave_alum]

when was the last time the Braves had consecutive years appearances in the NCAA tourny? so close this year if they didn't have a second half meltdown last nite!!

[Da Coach]

The last back to back NCAA years were 1954 and 1955. We all remember those years, right?

[Bravesfan]

The last back to back NCAA years were 1954 and 1955. We all remember those years, right?

[chitownBUB]

The last back to back NCAA years were 1954 and 1955. We all remember those years, right?

In '54 BU made it to the final game and finished runnerups.
In '55 BU was a terrible, did not win the conference nor finish 2nd, ended the regular season at 7-19 but got an at large bid as a then traditional courtesy that was given to the teams who finished in the final game the year before.
To this date, Bradley in 1955 is the only team ever to get an at large bid with a losing record.

[Bravesfan]

The last back to back NCAA years were 1954 and 1955. We all remember those years, right?

In '54 BU made it to the final game and finished runnerups.
In '55 BU was a terrible, did not win the conference nor finish 2nd, ended the regular season at 7-19 but got an at large bid as a then traditional courtesy that was given to the teams who finished in the final game the year before.
To this date, Bradley in 1955 is the only team ever to get an at large bid with a losing record.

And hopefully that will never happen again!

[tornado]

The last back to back NCAA years were 1954 and 1955. We all remember those years, right?

In '54 BU made it to the final game and finished runnerups.
In '55 BU was a terrible, did not win the conference nor finish 2nd, ended the regular season at 7-19 but got an at large bid as a then traditional courtesy that was given to the teams who finished in the final game the year before.
To this date, Bradley in 1955 is the only team ever to get an at large bid with a losing record.

And hopefully that will never happen again!

Don't count it out, as I would not be surprised if ever Duke finishes 14-15,
and yet still gets an at large bid...
Would this surprise anyone else?

[Lakeview Brave]

The last back to back NCAA years were 1954 and 1955. We all remember those years, right?

In '54 BU made it to the final game and finished runnerups.
In '55 BU was a terrible, did not win the conference nor finish 2nd, ended the regular season at 7-19 but got an at large bid as a then traditional courtesy that was given to the teams who finished in the final game the year before.
To this date, Bradley in 1955 is the only team ever to get an at large bid with a losing record.

And hopefully that will never happen again!

Don't count it out, as I would not be surprised if ever Duke finishes 14-15,
and yet still gets an at large bid...
Would this surprise anyone else?

What is Duke's RPI and SOS?

[Lakeview Brave]

That average MSU team beat us by 29! If SMS loses in the first round in St. Louis like they did last year and Creighton does the same they are not going to make it IMO. There are lots of bubble teams this year and Valley did itself no favors during the Bracket Buster. How can the second best team in the conference, with hopes of getting an at large bid lose to ISU?

Uhhh, Lakeview, how could #13 SIU lose at both Evansville and Northern Iowa (both sub .500 teams the last I checked) and expect an at-large birth, let alone a top 4 seed?

I guess that means that no Valley team deserves an at-large bid using the same logic you did towards Creighton!

I'm not trying to be arrogant here. I'm a nice guy. Just trying to point out some holes in your theory here.

#13 SIU had a very good non-con and beat Creighton twice. I wasnt saying that Creighton wont get in because of the ISU loss alone, but the rest of there resume is not very impressive.