Eastern Illinois now #341 out of 341

[Da Coach]

How bad is Eastern Illinois? They are 1-3, but for the purposes of the NCAA, they are 0-3 (their only win was over liitle St. Louis NAIA commuter school, Harris-Stowe). And they are losing to some pretty bad teams.

They have played the worst schedule in the NCAA so far, their SOS (Strength of Schedule) is #341 out of 341 D1 colleges. And yet they are 0-3, and after yesterday's loss to Arkansas State, they have moved into the dreaded bottom spot in the RPI rankings.

That's right, EIU is now #341 in SOS and #341 in RPI. And as bad as the Ohio Valley conference teams are (they have 4 teams with 300+ RPI), they play only 1 team the rest of the year who's RPI right now is less than 100. They might be able to pull out of the #341 spot, but they won't be able to rise much.

http://realtimerpi.com/rpi_324_Men.html

Full RPI list--

http://realtimerpi.com/rpi_Men.html

[BI_Brave_alum]

Well the fans of Panther athletics can bask in the glory that Tony Romo is getting as a newfound starlet of the NFL...

[bert notorius]

They lost to WIU....'nuff said.

[IlliBraves]

For a state-supported institution, EIU doesn't have a very big budget for athletics. They have poor facilities, and their coaches must have a hell of a time trying to convince kids to come to Charleston. The town is literally in the middle of nowhere.

[Da Coach]

For a state-supported institution, EIU doesn't have a very big budget for athletics. They have poor facilities, and their coaches must have a hell of a time trying to convince kids to come to Charleston. The town is literally in the middle of nowhere.

So is Carbondale. As I have always said, there is little reason EIU, WIU, or NIU couldn't do some of what SIU has done.
In fact, for a couple years, Jim Molinari started to have success at NIU in 1989-1991. They won games, attendance surged, and they made the NCAA tournament. Eastern made the NCAA in 2001, but none of those state schools has come close since.
I would like to see the new coaches at EIU, WIU, and NIU have success.

[Average Joe]

They should hire Wayne McClain.

[IlliBraves]

So is Carbondale. As I have always said, there is little reason EIU, WIU, or NIU couldn't do some of what SIU has done.
In fact, for a couple years, Jim Molinari started to have success at NIU in 1989-1991. They won games, attendance surged, and they made the NCAA tournament. Eastern made the NCAA in 2001, but none of those state schools has come close since.
I would like to see the new coaches at EIU, WIU, and NIU have success.

I think Northern could do some of what SIU does, but not so much EIU or WIU. EIU and WIU are in much lesser conferences, although the MAC isn't that great either. Plus, Southern can boast a beautiful campus and a pretty area in general with access to Rend, Kentucky and Barkley Lakes, and it's not too far from St. Louis. I agree it's in the middle of nowhere, but as far as I know, and I could be wrong, EIU doesn't offer much as far as the campus goes, at least not as much as SIU. NIU and SIU also have much better facilities than EIU and WIU, not sure if that has to do with a bigger budget, but nonetheless it is a fact.

[BradleyBrave]

So is Carbondale. As I have always said, there is little reason EIU, WIU, or NIU couldn't do some of what SIU has done.
In fact, for a couple years, Jim Molinari started to have success at NIU in 1989-1991. They won games, attendance surged, and they made the NCAA tournament. Eastern made the NCAA in 2001, but none of those state schools has come close since.
I would like to see the new coaches at EIU, WIU, and NIU have success.

I agree w/ DC. It starts with the attitudes of the head coaches. I would be curious as to what each of those schools' coaches believe their program is and can be. If you are resigned to the fate of being small-time, and readily using the built-in excuses of 'being in the middle of nowhere' and 'not having the budget', then you're going to be terrible. There are a LOT of good basketball players out there. With the right coach and right attitude, those schools can be good.

[smitty]

I see that Eastern Illinois played a winless Rice team tonight, and lost again. Their RPI is still dead last, #341, and even farther behind the #340 team. They still have the worst SOS, too. It might be the lowest RPI in history!

[Da Coach]

I have resolved to stop picking on poor EIU, since it's just too easy. They are an embarrassment.

boxscore--

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/boxscore?gid=200711300179

Realtimerpi.com- you'll find EIU at the bottom--

http://realtimerpi.com/rpi_Men.html

[2bradleyfans]

Despite Western's concerted efforts to bust Eastern out of the solidly placed anchor spot of 341 (jezz that's alot of upstarts in there too) I remember when there was less than 320 D1 programs, Eastern won't budge.

I don't know how much more Western can do! they layed down like a door mat at home, letting Texas Pan American, a conglomeration of foreign exchange students and former flight attendents, beat them at home by 13 points.

Western's lone D-1 win is against?........who else, Eastern.

[2bradleyfans]

At this reflective holiday time of year remember how fortunate we are Bradley fans. Thank goodness for all we have.

Try to keep in your thoughts those less fortunate D-1 bretheren within our own state. Perhaps we could open up a discusion with Southern and see if we could foster an "Adopt a Basketball Program" for Christmas. Bradley can nurture and uplift Western, while Southern could take poor Eastern in off the street, maybe offer an encouraging word, pat on the back? Anything would help.

[Da Coach]

Who would take Northern Illinois?

[Da Coach]

Norhern Illinois won their first game under new coach Ricardo Patton. I don't know who they beat, because this dopey article from the Chicago Tribune about the game never mentions who the other team was.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/cs-locals02dec02,1,6775682.story?coll=cs-college-print

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/boxscore?gid=200712010417

attendance was 1,042 in NIU's new arena. They have a long way to go to start drawing the fans back.

Western Illinois lost big time 80-57 at Texas-Arlington. Note the attendance of 513!--

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/boxscore?gid=200712010588

And as noted, Eastern Illinois lost 57-45 to Iowa--

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/boxscore?gid=200712010276

[mike radigan]

NIU beat Lamar 65 - 63.