Is it too early to start predicting the 2009 NCAA Field?

[tornado]

I guess not, as Collegehoopsnet has their 2009 prediction already filed!

http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/new/daily-dribble-2009-ncaa-tournament-projection-42299

Looks like they have taken the safe route and mainly stuck with the same teams as this year,
including 9 teams from the Big East and six from the ACC!

They say two form the MVC, Creighton as the suto bid and Drake as an at-large.
So I am guessing they will have CU and DU as their preseason #1, 2 teams next fall.......

[Dubl R 1]

I'd like to hear our posters ideas on how they think Drake will be next year.

[tornado]

What I'd like is that if they are going to project on out for next year, then why not just
go ahead and be ridiculous, and even post your predictions for the 2010 and 2011 fields!!

[BradleyBrave]

I'd like to hear our posters ideas on how they think Drake will be next year.

Middle of the pack, probably between 4th and 6th. I'm basing that solely on what they lost and what they have returning. Bucky Cox and Josh Young are certainly a nice foundation coming back, but I don't see them getting all the breaks they got this year, and I am not sure how good their returning bench players are either. But, with Keno there I think they'll be a team to contend with.

[BU ICEMAN]

Yes.

[mportsch]

I agree that Drake will probably be somewhere in the middle of the MVC. Cox and Young are excellent players, and Heemskerk is a solid role player, but I'm not sure who can credibly fill the rest of the rotation. They might be a very different team next season.

[MacabreMob]

They will tie for 1st with 9 other teams in the MVC, but due to the tie-breaker system and a couple coin tosses, they will get the 7 seed in the MVCT.

[DUBulldog]

I agree that Drake will probably be somewhere in the middle of the MVC. Cox and Young are excellent players, and Heemskerk is a solid role player, but I'm not sure who can credibly fill the rest of the rotation. They might be a very different team next season.

I'm not worried about replacements for Korver and Emmenecker....not sure it the Bulldogs have anybody who can replace Houston.

Josh Parker doesn't yet have some of the intangibles that Emmenecker did, but he's quicker, better at running the break and a much better outside shooter than Emmenecker. Adam Templeton is the same size as Korver and a better shooter. If you're looking for a guy for Drake who comes out of nowhere like Emmenecker and Houston did this year.....Bill Eaddy. The Bulldogs' coaching staff is trying to sign a player this spring who can take over Houston's role.

I honestly think it's possible that Drake's team will be more talented next season than this season.....but I don't see them approaching this season's record.

[TheAsianSensation]

TAS Bracketology!

The 1 line:
Illinois
Bradley
NJIT
North Carolina


Last 4 in:
Drake
Creighton
Southern Illinois
Western Illinois

Last 4 out:
Maryland
Syracuse
Missouri St
Duke

[DUBulldog]

TAS Bracketology!

The 1 line:
Illinois
Bradley
NJIT
North Carolina


Last 4 in:
Drake
Creighton
Southern Illinois
Western Illinois

Last 4 out:
Maryland
Syracuse
Missouri St
Duke

Looks like a NJIT vs WIU final

[tornado]

Middle of the pack, probably between 4th and 6th. I'm basing that solely on what they lost and what they have returning. Bucky Cox and Josh Young are certainly a nice foundation coming back, but I don't see them getting all the breaks they got this year, and I am not sure how good their returning bench players are either. But, with Keno there I think they'll be a team to contend with.

It is going to be hard to get the kind of breaks they got last year, many of which were generated by the fine play of Emmenecker, Houston, and clutch shooting of Korver, who are now gone.
The example of how they beat BU in Peoria is just one such example...but Drake won 9 games by six points or less and 17 of their final 19 wins were by 10 points or less.
That's a LOT of close games and two of their true team leaders, especially their Hon All Amer. PG will be hard to replace.

[Tulsa Brave]

Drake will be all right next season...they'll at least contend.

UAB will not finish ahead of Tulsa in CUSA and will not get in the dance ahead of them either.

[Scouter]

TAS Bracketology!

The 1 line:
Illinois
Bradley
NJIT
North Carolina


Last 4 in:
Drake
Creighton
Southern Illinois
Western Illinois

Last 4 out:
Maryland
Syracuse
Missouri St
Duke

Ouch. The Bears can't get in even without Berruh!

[JasonAtBradley]

TAS Bracketology!

The 1 line:
Illinois
Bradley
NJIT
North Carolina

That better be a joke! NJIT didn't win even one game this season!

As for the CollegeHoopsNet prediction, I don't think that the Horizon League will be a 1-bid league, and if they are, it's definitely not Wright State that will get the automatic bid. Honestly, I can't believe they didn't pick Butler for that position, especially since they have been to the Sweet 16 a lot in recent years.

As for Bradley, I hope that we are good enough next year to get into at least the NIT if we get snubbed by the NCAA selection committee. The development of Anthony Thompson and the rest of our big men in the offseason will be a big key to this!

[ER3]

As for the CollegeHoopsNet prediction, I don't think that the Horizon League will be a 1-bid league, and if they are, it's definitely not Wright State that will get the automatic bid. Honestly, I can't believe they didn't pick Butler for that position, especially since they have been to the Sweet 16 a lot in recent years.

Butler...next year? Nope.
They didn't pick Butler because they have no one coming back other than Matt Howard. Graves, Green, Mitchell, and Betko are all graduating. If they make it back to the NCAA Tourney next year, Brad Stevens should win national coach of the year.