College Sports Madness Top 144 ranking

[yoda]

The season is only a little more than 3 mo away, and the Top 144 countdown on CSM has started...

So far...
- 123 is Belmont who are ranked as #4 in the MVC- https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/22965
- 108 is UNI, ranked #3 in the MVC- https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/23003

Gotta believe Bradley and Drake are #1 & 2, right?

[Nashville Cat]

The season is only a little more than 3 mo away, and the Top 144 countdown on CSM has started...

So far...
- 123 is Belmont who are ranked as #4 in the MVC- https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/22965
- 108 is UNI, ranked #3 in the MVC- https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/23003

Gotta believe Bradley and Drake are #1 & 2, right?

So far this projection looks directionally correct to me. Yes, BU and Drake 1, 2 in the MVC. Interesting take on Princeton, predicted 1st in Ivy league with strong returning team, rated at number 100. Makes me believe BU, with a similar profile and similar conference could land in the 80s in this piece.

[yoda]

Blogger site named Busting Brackets names Bradley as the #6 mid-major team to buy stock in and "positioned for big-time seasons."

https://bustingbrackets.com/posts/ncaa-basketball-top-20-mid-major-teams-to-buy-stock-into-entering-2024-25-season-01j3xkt2mrrx/11

The CollegeSportsMadness is down to number 98 and neither Drake nor BU listed, so I would expect, or hope, they're both in the 70-80 range.

[yoda]

another website ranks Bradley at 98...and projected 1st in MVC. (future opponent Santa Clara is 97)

https://cbbreview.com/2024/07/29/cbb-rank-2024-no-98-bradley-basketball/

[LittleBrave]

Blogger site named Busting Brackets names Bradley as the #6 mid-major team to buy stock in and "positioned for big-time seasons."

https://bustingbrackets.com/posts/ncaa-basketball-top-20-mid-major-teams-to-buy-stock-into-entering-2024-25-season-01j3xkt2mrrx/11

The CollegeSportsMadness is down to number 98 and neither Drake nor BU listed, so I would expect, or hope, they're both in the 70-80 range.

I was thinking BU around 68 and Drake around 80...we'll see

To be hopefully optimistic, I think BU is one of the top 50 teams this season.

[Tommy]

I was thinking BU around 68 and Drake around 80...we'll see

To be hopefully optimistic, I think BU is one of the top 50 teams this season.

umm, pretty sure an RPI #1 ranked team should be higher than 68, LB.

RPI.jpg

[LittleBrave]

umm, pretty sure an RPI #1 ranked team should be higher than 68, LB.

RPI.jpg

OmG Tommy! I think about that often when we started so well out of the gates b4 Hick got injured vs Indy St. We sure took some licks without Hick.
Overall a great season aside from getting swept by the dang Drake Dogs. Really wanted to beat them badly after they took Arch Madness the previous year.

[Tommy]

OmG Tommy! I think about that often when we started so well out of the gates b4 Hick got injured vs Indy St. We sure took some licks without Hick.
Overall a great season aside from getting swept by the dang Drake Dogs. Really wanted to beat them badly after they took Arch Madness the previous year.

Here’s to a better start this year than last!

[yoda]

The season is only a little more than 3 mo away, and the Top 144 countdown on CSM has started...

So far...
- 123 is Belmont who are ranked as #4 in the MVC- https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/22965
- 108 is UNI, ranked #3 in the MVC- https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/23003

Gotta believe Bradley and Drake are #1 & 2, right?

well, I'm gonna guess that I am not the only one surprised by this.....
...but CSM Has MURRAY STATE, as their No. 96 team - picked 2nd in the MVC

https://collegesportsmadness.com/article/23054

[Da Coach]

well, I'm gonna guess that I am not the only one surprised by this.....
...but CSM Has MURRAY STATE, as their No. 96 team - picked 2nd in the MVC
https://collegesportsmadness.com/article/23054

With all the changes year to year, it is hard to predict how teams will do. But this pick is a bit of a surprise. My guess is that the guys doing the picking based this pick more on the long-term reputation of Murray State rather than on the reality of what they have done in their 2 years in the MVC.
Murray State was a 7th place team in 2022-23 (17-15, 11-9), then fell to 12-20 last season, and 9-11 in the MVC, tied for 7th and the 8th seed in the MVC Tournament. They made a quick exit, getting annihilated by # 9 seed Missouri State 60-35 in the Thursday games.
They had a lot of turnover after last season, returning only 2 players who averaged more than 5.1 points per game, and adding a bunch of new players from the transfer portal. Maybe all the new transfers will turn out well, but it's hard to see that the changes will result in a jump to 2nd place in 2024-25.

[yoda]

another countdown - Bradley at 91 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTyymp-d_D0

(a warning - this video is terrible sound quality & visual quality - and the two guys doing the podcast
don't seem to know a whole lot about anything their spewing. Can't imagine anyone actually wanting to watch the entire 20 min,
unless you want to get a few laughs at their take of some of the Bradley players)

CSM is counting down, already at 92 with Bradley yet to be named

[LittleBrave]

CSM is counting down, already at 92 with Bradley yet to be named

Well this countdown now has lost some validity and maybe not all that worth the wait - with Murray in the Top 100...seems these guys don't know much about mid majors?

[BengalFan14]

Bradley is listed at 86. Good? Bad?

[yoda]

Bradley is listed at 86 - fittingly, one notch ahead of Loyola

https://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/23094

[LittleBrave]

Bradley is listed at 86. Good? Bad?

It's a joke - no way are we not in the Top 70 in any legit preseason poll.
Guess it won't matter when the season starts anyhow - always good to have others underestimate us and then we have to prove our worth.

Honestly if BU doesn't finish Top 50 (NET rankings) by season's end, I'll be disappointed.
NCAA tourney or bust should be our mentality heading into this season.