MVC Standings Predictions thread

[WuDrWu]

Might as well start the expectations. Apologies are offered to all coaches, players and fans if mine are considered unreasonable.

1. WSU - No surprise, except maybe for the record. HCGM has improved the program every season, and this will be NO different. We have size, strength, depth and talent. Reports from past (outstanding) players claim FVV will be one of the best players ever in the program. Coleby will dominant at times. There are few weaknesses. I EXPECT this team to be 21-0 in the Valley. No excuses. It's possible there won't be a game within 10 points.

2. ISUb - Big and solid. I haven't looked at their non con, but I believe they have an outside shot at an at large if they can stay clean in league.

3. Bradley - Love what Ford has done. This may be a bit high considering where they've been recently.

4. Evansville - I too like Ballentine but I love their bigs. The only team that has a chance to physically compete with WSU.

5. UNI - If they finish any higher it will just prove that the league is that bad. As usual (except for 08-10) they have to muck it up to stay competitive. If they can't trip and trick, they can't win against a decent team.

6. MSU - Might even be better. I think Lusk has some decent pieces and is a solid coach. Not great, but solid.

7. ISUr - Is Muller in better shape than 3G's 2nd season? He's not...and he's not as good a coach as Gregg, and he has less to work with (talent) and less support (money). Only thing he has going for him is a weak league (2-10).

8. Loyola - Anywhere between 7-10 but Rambler fans, book your Thursday tickets now.

9. SIU - Man, Barry has his hands full. But he's the only reason I'm picking them 9 instead of 10.

10. Drake - The bottom of the league is bad. I'm going with a 1st year coach to be the worst of the worst.

I feel confident that SIU, Drake and Loyola will be Thursday teams. And I think ISUb is good enough to outdistance everyone for #2. 3-7 are a crapshoot. I am most confident that Evansville will finish out of Thursday.

21-0. No excuses.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

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

[Dave Stalwart]

How about this

WSU 18-0
INST 13-5
UNI 10-8
BU 9-9
UE 9-9
UL 7-11
MOST 7-11
SIU 6-12
DU 4-14
ILL ST 3-15

That's a little more specific about how good I expect each team to be when I pick them were I do. It's gonna be another one of those years were everyone has similar records that aren't really that good

The more I look at it, the more I think the Bears will probably be better than the Ramblers. I'm just trying to be nice to the new guy

[The Mad Hatter]

How about this

WSU 18-0
INST 13-5
UNI 10-8
BU 9-9
UE 9-9
UL 7-11
MOST 7-11
SIU 6-12
DU 4-14
ILL ST 3-15

That's a little more specific about how good I expect each team to be when I pick them were I do. It's gonna be another one of those years were everyone has similar records that aren't really that good

The more I look at it, the more I think the Bears will probably be better than the Ramblers. I'm just trying to be nice to the new guy

You might want to rethink those numbers since they total 86 wins and 94 losses across the league. I know there may be some games where both teams are so bad they deserve to lose, but I think they still award wins to the high point team (even if it is 30 pts). :)

[Dave Stalwart]

You might want to rethink those numbers since they total 86 wins and 94 losses across the league. I know there may be some games where both teams are so bad they deserve to lose, but I think they still award wins to the high point team (even if it is 30 pts). :)

Haha I was afraid of that. I'm not smart enough to do the math right. Do I get half credit for thinking it probably wasn't going to add up when I was making it? It was more of a ballpark kind of thing for each team. I didn't bother to make sure it could work.

Most of the discrepancy is probably caused by where I put Loyola in an effort to be nice.

[Dave Stalwart]

You might want to rethink those numbers since they total 86 wins and 94 losses across the league. I know there may be some games where both teams are so bad they deserve to lose, but I think they still award wins to the high point team (even if it is 30 pts). :)

Here is my updated version

WSU 18-0
INST 0-18
UNI 0-18
BU 0-18
UE 0-18
UL 0-18
MOST 0-18
SIU 0-18
DU 0-18
ILL ST 0-18

[ShockBand]

WSU 18-0
INST 8-10
UNI 8-10
BU 8-10
UE 8-10
UL 8-10
MOST 8-10
SIU 8-10
DU 8-10
ILL ST 8-10

[LandStander]

Just guessing.

!. WSU
2. InSU
3. Bradley
4. UNI
5. Evansville
6. Mo State
7. Loyola
8. SIU
9. Drake
10. IllSU

This, except I'd switch isur with siu, even siu fans think they're finishing in the basement next year. That tells me all I need to hear

[Rlh04d]

I'm with you, Mo St over ISUb

Just for the record, MoSt only won one nonconference game all season against a D1 school. They only won one road game all season as well. Pretty much every stat line says they were the single worst team in the Valley last season (although neck and neck with SIU if you only count conference play). And they lost their leading scorer from that team.

It's possible that they could finish second ... but from 9th/10th to 2nd would be a hell of a jump in one season. That's guaranteed Coach of the Year territory.

[wufan]

Just for the record, MoSt only won one nonconference game all season against a D1 school. They only won one road game all season as well. Pretty much every stat line says they were the single worst team in the Valley last season (although neck and neck with SIU if you only count conference play). And they lost their leading scorer from that team.

It's possible that they could finish second ... but from 9th/10th to 2nd would be a hell of a jump in one season. That's guaranteed Coach of the Year territory.

Lots of talk about MSU being a decent MVC team this year, and they have some talent and will add Gulley back to the roster this year as well as some immediate help recruits. Still, we are talking about a HUGE jump from last year if you put them in the top 4.

[im4wsu]

How about this

WSU 18-0
INST 13-5
UNI 10-8
BU 9-9
UE 9-9
UL 7-11
MOST 7-11
SIU 6-12
DU 4-14
ILL ST 3-15

That's a little more specific about how good I expect each team to be when I pick them were I do. It's gonna be another one of those years were everyone has similar records that aren't really that good

The more I look at it, the more I think the Bears will probably be better than the Ramblers. I'm just trying to be nice to the new guy

Agree with everything except the Shockers, who will be 17-0-1, 17 wins, zero losses to opponents and one loss to refs in a game that we allowed to be too close and the refs took it away on a last 3-second shot with 1.9 to play.

[Dan]

The Shox are stacked, but I won't predict an 18-0 finish. They always seem to find a way to not show up for a few games a year. I'd say 16-2, 2 games in front of the Trees. To me, Evansville is the mystery team. First year without the 18 screens to Colt offense, I'm not sure how that's gonna work. I think they fall back to Thursday night. Bradley makes the leap forward into the top 4 with Geno at the helm. If there's a team trying to do their best WSU impersonation, it's the Braves. Muller and the Bad News Birds are going to struggle big time. You just can't have that kind of roster turnover + mediocre coaching and expect to have decent results. Thier only saving grace is Drake and the unknown Ramblers, they will all be battling to stay out of the basement. Random thoughts.

[Shocktoberfest]

I love it when doc gets cocky! Because he's usually right

[ShockBand]

Until proven otherwise, the good Doc is the damn Oracle in my book.

[Dave Stalwart]

Until proven otherwise, the good Doc is the damn Oracle in my book.

I didn't have the balls to predict us 18-0 until I saw the doc do it. Now I'm certain.