2008-2009 Missouri Valley Predictions

[Out of Balance]

The depressing part of this is we will be in the 7th season (right?) of Coach Les and still not considered in the upper class of the league... Does anyone remember the song that they used to play at the fieldhouse after BU games when Versace started coaching? How many years did it take him to get the team in the upper crust of the league? Please don't respond with either of these patented repsonses:
- The MVC is a tougher conference now (Tulsa, WSU & ISU were pretty good back then)
- We got to the Sweet 16 under Les (I relish that memory... but it is fading)

Don't get me wrong, I like Coach Les, but my expectations are higher for league play.

My expectations are set to be higher in the league, as while. I don't see it happening through! I to like JL, but with the anouncment of yet anough guard for next yr. (Norris), his system is starting to wear!
I don't look for BU to finish any higher than what JL's team's have the last 6 yr.s (5th to 6th). I hope I am wrong! Things can change before next yr. and maybe the wissard and his munchkins can pull it off.

[ER3]

1. CU
2. DU
3. ISU
4. BU
5. INSU
6. SIU
7. UE
8. WSU
9. UNI
10. MSU

A lot could change by the time the teams start practicing in the fall, but this would be my guess for now.
Creighton looks to be the team with the fewest question marks right now...Stinnett, Woodfox, Lawson, and Witter are a really solid returning group.
After that, I think any of the next 5 teams could be picked 2nd...I'll give the nod to Drake and ISU in the 2nd and 3rd spots for now...Young and Eldridge will be really tough to handle as juniors in this league...We'll see if Warren and or Wilson can progress enough to be mentioned in the same conversation as those guys when All-Valley teams are discussed at the end of the year...If so, BU would certainly be capable of finishing in the top 3 for the first time in a while.

[georgethedog]

That is correct. And we have finished 5th, 4th, and 5th in those years. It's arguable that we had top 3 talent in '07, so the 4th place finish that year isn't as disappointing as the finishes in '06 and '08. I also think we had top 3 talent in 2004 as well, and we finished 7th that year. Draw your own conclusions as to why.

I understand and agree.

[georgethedog]

1. CU
2. DU
3. ISU
4. BU
5. INSU
6. SIU
7. UE
8. WSU
9. UNI
10. MSU

A lot could change by the time the teams start practicing in the fall, but this would be my guess for now.
Creighton looks to be the team with the fewest question marks right now...Stinnett, Woodfox, Lawson, and Witter are a really solid returning group.
After that, I think any of the next 5 teams could be picked 2nd...I'll give the nod to Drake and ISU in the 2nd and 3rd spots for now...Young and Eldridge will be really tough to handle as juniors in this league...We'll see if Warren and or Wilson can progress enough to be mentioned in the same conversation as those guys when All-Valley teams are discussed at the end of the year...If so, BU would certainly be capable of finishing in the top 3 for the first time in a while.

Drake will go back to sucking next year...

[ER3]

Drake will go back to sucking next year...

Anything is possible, I suppose...but Josh Young and Bucky Cox is about the best 1-2 punch that any team in the Valley has coming back. I have no idea who they have in place that might be able to step up and fill the void left by Emmenecker, Houston, and Korver, but Keno appears to have developed a nice offensive system that may allow them to succeed again next year with some new faces plugged into those spots (Parker, Eaddy, ???).

[MacabreMob]

Drake will go back to sucking next year...

I'm with ya gtd... maybe not as bad. I think The Drake winds up in the 4/5 game.

[Bradleyguy10]

1. Creighton U.
2. SIUC
3. ISU
4. BU
5. Ind.SU
6. DU
7. NIU
8. WSU
9. MSU
10. EU

[bugregshu]

1. Creighton
2. Drake
3. Southern Illinois
4. Bradley
5. Indiana State
6. Illinois State
7. Northern Illinois
8. Evansville
9. Missouri State
10. Wichita State

[MacabreMob]

1 Bradley
2 Butler
3 Valpo
4 Wright St
5 Cleve St
6 UWM
7 UIC
8 Loyola
9 UWGB
10 Detroit
11 Y'town St

[Tulsa Brave]

1. Creighton
2. Indiana State
3. Bradley
4. Drake
5. Wichita State
6. Illinois State
7. Southern Illinois
8. Northern Iowa
9. Evansville
10. Missouri State

Overall, the league will be better next year, with the top 8 all having a good chance of finishing .500 or better overall. Wichita State will be better than most think, and Indiana State will contend for the title if they can learn to win on the road.

[georgethedog]

1 Bradley
2 Butler
3 Valpo
4 Wright St
5 Cleve St
6 UWM
7 UIC
8 Loyola
9 UWGB
10 Detroit
11 Y'town St

Help me out hear Mob, you got my alma mater (BS '86) UWGB in 9th. There good for at least 8th. Man, that school took a big hit when Tony Bennett's dad left for UW. I wish we could get them on our schedule just once. That would be fun for at least me!

[georgethedog]

1. Creighton U.
2. SIUC
3. ISU
4. BU
5. Ind.SU
6. DU
7. NIU
8. WSU
9. MSU
10. EU

I like how you put the C in SIU! Reminds me of UIUC! I love it! I think UIUC should change its name to University of Mid-Central South-Eastern Illinois (UMCSEI). Then they could move to the MAC or Ohio Valley Conference.

[tornado]

I like how you put the C in SIU! .

george, the term "SIUC" is actually what I think they want to be called.

Note what they call themselves on their own web site

http://www.siuc.edu/

[JasonAtBradley]

george, the term "SIUC" is actually what I think they want to be called.

Note what they call themselves on their own web site

http://www.siuc.edu/

I think that's because SIU could stand for "s*ck it up".

[georgethedog]

george, the term "SIUC" is actually what I think they want to be called.

Note what they call themselves on their own web site

http://www.siuc.edu/

I doubt that they would choose to be called SIUC instead of SIU, but they are forced to since there is another SIU. That is similar to Missouri State changing from a directional school Southwest Missouri State. Taking off the "Southwest" provides a little more "esteem" to the college's name. So I would say (and I may be wrong) but SIUC would probably prefer to just be SIU and known as The Southern Illinois University instead of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. I have a professor colleague who got her BS at SIU and she cringes at SIUC. I spent years in the UW (Wisconsin) system and all UW schools are UW-somewhere and that goes for Madision. But there is no way that a UW graduate would ever add Madision to the name and say they graduated from UW-Madision. On the other hand, I graduated from UW-Green Bay and am very proud of that school even though the mascot is a ficticious bird flying out of fire.