Reggie Lynch Leaving ISU

[ShockerFever]

Does somebody want to remind the fine folks in Normal that they aren't a junior college?

They've been to as many NCAA Tournaments in the last 17 years as a junior college.

[Cdizzle]

UNI loses some key pieces, but they also have a decent amount of contributors from last year coming back. Are they going to be as good as they were last year? No, but they won't drift into obscurity either. If Mock comes back I think UE is now the second best in the Valley. Losing Lynch hurts the Redbirds so much. Ugh I think they just went from a fringe top 25 team to being in the NIT.

One a side note, does UAB have that good of a basketball program? I know they won a game this year, but I don't feel like I hear about their team very often. I'm curious if anyone has any more insight on the program than I have.

UAB has some history. And if they don't have football, they have money to spend on basketball.

[1972Shocker]

UAB has some history. And if they don't have football, they have money to spend on basketball.

They haven't made the final, final decision about football yet have they? Weren't they taking a look at that. Of course, starting football back up after their coaches and players have scattered with the wind will be a challenge.

[SHOXAAC]

I bet Muller still picks Redbirds to win the Valley.

[Dan]

UNI loses some key pieces, but they also have a decent amount of contributors from last year coming back. Are they going to be as good as they were last year? No, but they won't drift into obscurity either. If Mock comes back I think UE is now the second best in the Valley. Losing Lynch hurts the Redbirds so much. Ugh I think they just went from a fringe top 25 team to being in the NIT.

One a side note, does UAB have that good of a basketball program? I know they won a game this year, but I don't feel like I hear about their team very often. I'm curious if anyone has any more insight on the program than I have.

ILSTate will still be pretty good. They have big bodied Jones that can play the 5 and a lot if other talent. I really like the potential in Purcell and McIntosh. Still a top 3 team.

[1972Shocker]

ILSTate will still be pretty good. They have big bodied Jones that can play the 5 and a lot if other talent. I really like the potential in Purcell and McIntosh. Still a top 3 team.

Deontae Hawkins has some good potential as well. They will miss Daishon Knight and Reggie Lynch though.

[Cdizzle]

ILSTate will still be pretty good. They have big bodied Jones that can play the 5 and a lot if other talent. I really like the potential in Purcell and McIntosh. Still a top 3 team.

I agree. But right now, there is a pretty big difference between being a Top 3 team and competing for a Valley championship and NCAA berth.

[RoyalShock]

After reading the Redbird board, it sounds like Lynch has always wanted to play for Minnesota. The interesting thing is, this has been in the works since before the plane crash, as the deceased assistant had been trying to talk him out of it.

Without assuming any NCAA violations occurred, Lynch must have been in contact with someone at Minny to know they would even be interested in taking him.

[wusphlash]

After reading the Redbird board, it sounds like Lynch has always wanted to play for Minnesota. The interesting thing is, this has been in the works since before the plane crash, as the deceased assistant had been trying to talk him out of it.

Without assuming any NCAA violations occurred, Lynch must have been in contact with someone at Minny to know they would even be interested in taking him.

I can't help but believe this is an "I want to go home" situation. There is nothing happening at Minnesota that suggests Richard Pitino will take the Gophers any farther than the Redbirds in the near future. Although the Redbirds ceiling seems to have been lowered with this turn of events.

[Play Angry]

If you had to guess, where would you predict our MVC peers to finish in next season's RPI?

I would probably go with:


UNI 50-75
LUC 50-75
ISUr 75-100
UE 75-100
ISUb 150-200
DU 250-300
MSU 250-300
BU 300+
SIU 300+


I am hopeful that one of the top tier teams can surprise to the upside and contend for an at-large bid, but my god, there are a lot of anklebiters on there. 8+ games against teams almost certain to finish RPI 200+ (many of them 300+) is just so bad.

[Dupe]

If you had to guess, where would you predict our MVC peers to finish in next season's RPI?

I would probably go with:


UNI 50-75
LUC 50-75
ISUr 75-100
UE 75-100
ISUb 150-200
DU 250-300
MSU 250-300
BU 300+
SIU 300+


I am hopeful that one of the top tier teams can surprise to the upside and contend for an at-large bid, but my god, there are a lot of anklebiters on there. 8+ games against teams almost certain to finish RPI 200+ (many of them 300+) is just so bad.

I would mostly agree, but I have to ask myself "Do I really think the MVC will have 5 top 100 teams next season (WSU included)?"

No. I'd say you have Drake and MoST about 50 too low, and one of those top 100s too high. I just don't know who it is. I have a pretty good feeling that my MVC hopes are a lot higher than what those 4 top 100s are really going to produce. I'm going to say it's UE and LUC that are too high.

On a side note, what's really funny about being 300+ is that it is REALLY easy to get out of there if you just do anything at all. I do think Bradley and SIU are going to be down there, but who knows...you can get lucky and get out of 300+

That's why its so amazing that the MVC keeps seeing teams down there somehow.

[capnkirk]

I bet Muller still picks Redbirds to win the Valley.

Yep, now he just won't pick them to go undefeated.......

[wufan]

ILSTate will still be pretty good. They have big bodied Jones that can play the 5 and a lot if other talent. I really like the potential in Purcell and McIntosh. Still a top 3 team.

Jones is out of eligibility. He had to sit two years.

Lee is a good PG
DA-K is a very good wing
McIntosh and Hawkins might be very good forwards this year.
They have a little bench depth, but no center.

[wufan]

Serious question: With Lynch gone, who is even a contender? Are we back to Evansville only...IF Mock returns?

and when is that announcement going to happen? Is he coming back?

Mock is returning. It has been announced.

[Rlh04d]

Before Lynch left I would have predicted ISU as a solid and safe 2nd in the league. This drops them down to even with UNI.

If I were to rate each MVC team on a scale of 10-1, with first place being a 10 and last place a 1, here is where I would slot everyone:

WSU - 10
UNI, ISUr - 7
UE, LU - 6
ISUb - 4
MSU, Drake - 3
SIU - 2
BU - 1

This league is in dire need of two new programs that would rate six or higher consistently on that scale. UAB and Murray State (or Belmont if another private is necessary), please.

I'd have UE & LU around 5. Both teams are closer to ISUb than UNI/ISUr. Maybe 5.5.

Lynch leaving is absolutely massive. I had ISUr as a lock for second in the conference with a great shot at an at-large resume. Now I'd put them third. No guarantee they're better than this year now.

I wouldn't throw "undefeated" as an expectation on anyone ... but yeah. No team is even close to WSU next year now. And that's not a good thing for the Valley at all. Having ISUr challenge us next year and play the UNI role from this year would have been excellent for the conference and financially rewarding come tournament time.