Lunardi's Bracketology - Only 1 MVC Bid

[abesimpson]

In his latest prediction (11/26) the MVC only gets 1 bid, SIU at a #7.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology

I know it's early and this doesn't mean anything, but every team in the MVC has a winning record except Evansville, so what gives?

This next week, the MVC has a good chance to change his mind with BU/Michigan St., Creighton/Drexel, Indiana St./Purdue, and SIU/Indiana.

[houstontxbrave]

Bracketology, doesnt it really reflect if the season ended today and since the season doesnt end for several more months I will take nothing from this pure speculation?

[J Money]

Bracketology is a fun way for fans to check out "what if" the season was over today. So far I don't think any of the Valley teams besides SIU deserve an automatic bid. Bradley and others, like you mentioned, will have statement games coming up. The Valley needs to get some big wins in these games so when we beat up on each other in the conference season 12-6 will get some credit for being a good team in a good league.

[ER3]

Well...at this point it would be hard to argue with him. The Valley looks to be really, really down from where they have been over the last two years. SIU is the clear cut favorite in the conference, and they just got embarrassed on national TV this weekend.
So if SIU wins the conference tournament, where does the 2nd Valley bid come from? BU was picked second in the pre-season, and we have some quality games coming up that could help boost our stock with some wins...but as of right now, we are 4-2 with exactly 0 quality wins and 1 really bad loss. So, until we can post a win against MSU, Butler, or VCU in the upcoming weeks, we are (and we should be...) an afterthought in the whole 'bracketology' process.
By the time the Valley season rolls around, we should have a better idea of whether BU, Creighton, Missouri State, ISU, etc. look like they could make a case for an at-large bid...but as of right now the Valley has a lot of teams with no quality wins and some bad losses...and that sounds like the recipe for a 1 bid conference to me...
Lots of opportunities for this to change between now and March, obviously...let's hope we have a good 3 week stretch coming up...starting tonight.

[Guinness]

Loony Lunardi

[MacabreMob]

UIUC a #10.... Maryland a #13.... so UIUC should win tonight at Maryland (but UIUC is a 2 1/2 pt underdog).

[shaunguth]

I've posted on another board that in order for us to "erase" that opening-game loss at UIC, we probably need to win against either Michigan State/Butler and come away with wins against Wright State and VCU. That would give us a 9-3 non-conference record with 2-3 good wins and just one bad loss. This is assuming, of course, that we beat Loyola and SE Missouri.