Jay Bilas Ranks the Conferences

[BU30]

Jay Bilas actually shows the Valley some love.

8. Missouri Valley
Creighton and Southern Illinois are the best teams, but this is the league in which your offense can look horrible because the defenses are so good. A few words of advice to any coach considering a job in this league: You had better be able to coach, because this league is full of guys who can coach their tails off. They all have the same types of players, and the defenses are dazzling.

Picks the Valley 8th, right behind the Mountain West (#7) and Big 10 (6th)

[houstontxbrave]

I keep on not understanding the continual love fest thrown towards SIU in every publication. The past is the past, they were very average last season, have a very young team this season with several injuries. Why does everyone keep saying they along with Creighton are the "class" of the Valley?

I guess I am missing what makes them any better or talented then anyone in this league.

[Indy_BB]

I just keep on not understanding the continual love fest thrown towards SIU in every publication. The past is the past, they were very average last season, have a very young team this season with several injuries.

The media is, generally, lazy and will continue to say things that don't have merit, because that's what they've done before, just to fill content. Do you think Bilas, who is outwardly hostile to "mid majors" put a bunch of time in researching the generally positioning of the MVC?

Why does everyone keep saying they along with Creighton are the "class" of the Valley?

Because they are, and it's not close?

[BradleyBrave]

I keep on not understanding the continual love fest thrown towards SIU in every publication. The past is the past, they were very average last season, have a very young team this season with several injuries. Why does everyone keep saying they along with Creighton are the "class" of the Valley?

I guess I am missing what makes them any better or talented then anyone in this league.

SIU went to the NCAA's 6 straight seasons, won a number of games in the tournament, and made two Sweet 16's. They won numerous conference titles, and were in the national rankings a number of times. They've earned the respect and the right to be assumed to be good. Creighton has won 20 or more games 10 straight seasons, and I believe been to either the NCAA or NIT for 10 straight years as well. They've won numerous MVC regular season and tournament titles. I'm not sure what there is not to understand. If they're not the class of the Valley, who is? It's not BU. I'd love it if BU could get to that level someday.

[Bradleyguy10]

Well we do have 3 straight seasons of 21 win seasons so that's a start. I'm someone who thinks that 20 wins won't do it anymore. BU needs to change it's mindset to defense & the offense will follow. Instead of setting a goal of winning 21 games we need to set a goal of not losing more than 10 or 11 games. Last season we won 21 games but it was mediocre because we lost 17. SEVENTEEN games...that's a lot. I won't be happy with 21 wins anymore. I'll be happy when we lose less than 11 games.

I think we only have room to lose 2 games in the nonconf. season. I believe that during the conference schedule we can win all the games besides the away games at CU, SIUC, ISU, Drake. That's 6 games of losing and gives them 5 loses in case of "diversity"

[houstontxbrave]

SIU went to the NCAA's 6 straight seasons, won a number of games in the tournament, and made two Sweet 16's. They won numerous conference titles, and were in the national rankings a number of times. They've earned the respect and the right to be assumed to be good. Creighton has won 20 or more games 10 straight seasons, and I believe been to either the NCAA or NIT for 10 straight years as well. They've won numerous MVC regular season and tournament titles. I'm not sure what there is not to understand. If they're not the class of the Valley, who is? It's not BU. I'd love it if BU could get to that level someday.

Really so what you do the year before has absolutely no baring on what to expect or predict for this season. BB the players who lead them to what you described are gone and not part of this SIU program. SIU is not the class of this conference they once were. Fine they have respect but what they provided last season on the court does not indicate they are any longer deserving of a description of class of this conference, simply because of what they have done in the past 10 years. Just to annoit someone the king because the program did something with, few if anyone, who actually participated, is just lazy.

The class currently of this conference is Creighton and everyone else must try to emulate or attain what Creighton is, that includes the current SIU program. Pasts are pasts and SIU's past as you described is quite impressive...18-15 is not.

My question has nothing to do with BU... until we actually beat them (we have lost 4 straight) we are not in that discussion. I just do not believe SIU, should be included in a discussion, by a journalist, as a class of the league team in the 2008-2009 season.

[BradleyBrave]

Well we do have 3 straight seasons of 21 win seasons so that's a start. I'm someone who thinks that 20 wins won't do it anymore. BU needs to change it's mindset to defense & the offense will follow. Instead of setting a goal of winning 21 games we need to set a goal of not losing more than 10 or 11 games. Last season we won 21 games but it was mediocre because we lost 17. SEVENTEEN games...that's a lot. I won't be happy with 21 wins anymore. I'll be happy when we lose less than 11 games.

I think we only have room to lose 2 games in the nonconf. season. I believe that during the conference schedule we can win all the games besides the away games at CU, SIUC, ISU, Drake. That's 6 games of losing and gives them 5 loses in case of "diversity"

Three straight 21+ win seasons are nice and all, but what we've done pales in comparison to what SIU and CU have done over the last decade. If we can sit here in 3-4 years and say that we've won a couple conference titles, and/or couple of conference tournaments, and win a few games in the NCAA's, then we WILL be considered the class of the Valley. I really, really hope that we can do that. No better time to start than the present!

[Bradleyguy10]

Three straight 21+ win seasons are nice and all, but what we've done pales in comparison to what SIU and CU have done over the last decade. If we can sit here in 3-4 years and say that we've won a couple conference titles, and/or couple of conference tournaments, and win a few games in the NCAA's, then we WILL be considered the class of the Valley. I really, really hope that we can do that. No better time to start than the present!

Oh yeah. I wasn't trying to say that we are at their level because of the past 3 years. No way. I was just saying I think BU needs more a defensive mindset overall which includes goals of limiting loses rather than attaining wins. I'm gonna change my signature...

Edit: What do you think? Ehh you like?

(I'm a civil engineer)

[Bravesfan]

Jay Bilas actually shows the Valley some love.

8. Missouri Valley
Creighton and Southern Illinois are the best teams, but this is the league in which your offense can look horrible because the defenses are so good. A few words of advice to any coach considering a job in this league: You had better be able to coach, because this league is full of guys who can coach their tails off. They all have the same types of players, and the defenses are dazzling.

Picks the Valley 8th, right behind the Mountain West (#7) and Big 10 (6th)

Great! I guess we passed Bilas's preseason "eye test"!

Now we have no excuse not to get at least two teams into the NCAA Tournament this year!

[BradleyBrave]

Oh yeah. I wasn't trying to say that we are at their level because of the past 3 years. No way. I was just saying I think BU needs more a defensive mindset overall which includes goals of limiting loses rather than attaining wins. I'm gonna change my signature...

Edit: What do you think? Ehh you like?

(I'm a civil engineer)

I like the formula. If you wanted to get more granular, you could extrapolate out the equation to non-conference and conference records. I think our non-con projects 2 losses (barring a slip-up in Florida) - both to top 15 teams. What it's really going to come down to (again) is how we fare in-conference. I hate to sound like a broken record, but if we take care of the conference, EVERYTHING ELSE will take care of itself. 12-13 conference wins, and we're in every at-large conversation in the country. Add a couple wins in St. Louis, and we're dancing my friends. Take care of the conference, and the conference will take care of you.

[Bradleyguy10]

Yes I did say what I think was allowed to happen in an earlier post:

"I think we only have room to lose 2 games in the nonconf. season. I believe that during the conference schedule we can win all the games besides the away games at CU, SIUC, ISU, Drake. That's 6 games of losing and gives them 5 loses in case of 'diversity'"

[BradleyBrave]

Yes I did say what I think was allowed to happen in an earlier post:

"I think we only have room to lose 2 games in the nonconf. season. I believe that during the conference schedule we can win all the games besides the away games at CU, SIUC, ISU, Drake. That's 6 games of losing and gives them 5 loses in case of 'diversity'"

Sometimes reading escapes me...

[SaintLouBrave22]

Really the thing is this....if you're an analyst and you don't want to do a lot of work on the mid-major or basically non BCS conferences you can just pick the leaders in the clubhouse by who has been good lately and slide by because most ordinary fans won't realize this is what they're doing...

By picking SIU and Creighton it also holds up to the "not getting criticized by most" for test as we know they won't finish 9-10 in the league...

Basically put, they aren't really concerned nor may they even know who SIU lost after last season, just the fact that they are still in Carbondale and Lowery is still their head coach...that is good enough for them to be tabbed whether they have the talent to get it done or not...

I just hope that in the next few years that will be us...

Of course I'd much rather be Creighton as I would thoroughly enjoy winning many times in March in St. Louis

[Tone Bone]

As an SIU fan, I have been surprised by the number of publications and college hoops personalities that have predicted SIU will make the NCAA tournament this season. I feel the Salukis are as talented if not more talented than any other team in the Valley, but we are very inexperienced this season. Much has been said about the recruiting class that Coach Lowery has brought in this season, but if SIU is to make it to the big dance we are going to have to get a good amount of production out of these first year players. Bryan Mullins is basically the only starter we've got coming back. Clemmons and Boyle are both seniors, but neither one has really been looked to as a go-to guy in clutch situations.

I do believe that SIU gets love from sportswriters like Jay Bilas because of our continued success. Although last season was a disappointment to just about everyone in maroon, it shows that our program has reached the point where making the NCAA tournament is a goal every season, whether or not it's a realistic goal. Truthfully, because of the system that SIU employs and the national view of the program, SIU has earned the right to be given the benefit of the doubt in situations such as this.

Will the Salukis be depending on a lot of unproven players this season? Absolutely. These unproven players have a lot of talent and if this team can mesh together around Mullins, then an NCAA tournament bid could very well be forthcoming. SIU might finish in the middle of the pack and miss the postseason altogether. Only time will tell, but don't be surprised if the dawgs are back in the big dance this season.

[BradleyBrave]

As an SIU fan, I have been surprised by the number of publications and college hoops personalities that have predicted SIU will make the NCAA tournament this season. I feel the Salukis are as talented if not more talented than any other team in the Valley, but we are very inexperienced this season. Much has been said about the recruiting class that Coach Lowery has brought in this season, but if SIU is to make it to the big dance we are going to have to get a good amount of production out of these first year players. Bryan Mullins is basically the only starter we've got coming back. Clemmons and Boyle are both seniors, but neither one has really been looked to as a go-to guy in clutch situations.

I do believe that SIU gets love from sportswriters like Jay Bilas because of our continued success. Although last season was a disappointment to just about everyone in maroon, it shows that our program has reached the point where making the NCAA tournament is a goal every season, whether or not it's a realistic goal. Truthfully, because of the system that SIU employs and the national view of the program, SIU has earned the right to be given the benefit of the doubt in situations such as this.

Will the Salukis be depending on a lot of unproven players this season? Absolutely. These unproven players have a lot of talent and if this team can mesh together around Mullins, then an NCAA tournament bid could very well be forthcoming. SIU might finish in the middle of the pack and miss the postseason altogether. Only time will tell, but don't be surprised if the dawgs are back in the big dance this season.

I won't be surprised. I'll be shocked.