Best Wishes!

[ShockingButTrue]

I guess it just depends. If our choice is a h-h with a team that will be around 100 RPI or better most years, or a buy game with a team that is a risk and at best will be 150 in the RPI I would rather see a h-h with the more consistent team.

I am mostly talking UNI. They have problems and I am not sure they will be that team next year. But most years under Jacobsen they wouldn't be a big risk and most of the time you know they will be competitive and among the top of the league. Some of these buy games are a big risk. You are hoping they perform, but many times they don't.

Seems you would want the more consistent player on the schedule

Edit*** FWIW I realize this year UNI was way down. I think they will eventually bounce back. If/when they do I wouldn't mind them on the schedule

Probably so. It was 2 long years ago that they were a top 10 opponent the last day of the conference season.

[WuShock16]

Only concern would be what WSU's absence does to the Valley teams' RPI. A 75 RPI UNI team of the last decade might not even be Top 100 now.

[shockerfan]

Only concern would be what WSU's absence does to the Valley teams' RPI. A 75 RPI UNI team of the last decade might not even be Top 100 now.

Yeah, that is something to watch

[ShockTalk]

The problem is at the time you schedule the H/H you really have no idea what their RPI, BPI, KenPom, etc. will be at the time you play them. Hopefully, if we do go the H/H route it is with a much higher profile team than what the Valley currently has to offer.

There should be no H/H from the Valley at this time. There is no one good enough, consistently enough for it to make sense. We are going to need a couple of buy games and we need to do our best to schedule our buy games at around 200 or so or better in the RPI. There are several Valley teams (SIU and ISUB) who need money and might accept our offer. Our list each year should include the Valley, UMKC, and other teams from lower leagues who will be threats to win their conference. We just need to stay away from MEAC teams except for Moton's team who almost always wins their league.

Yes, I agree with you both. ONLY if a Valley school not only has an RPI high enough (75+) to warrant a H/H, but it would have to be set quick enough that the quality players won't be graduating before we play our 2 games. We would need to feel confident of this RPI and no more than a 2 year deal. Normally, this has been a rare occurrence and will be even more rare in the future. I would do a regular buy-in game if we were pretty certain they'd have a 75-150 RPI.

I wouldn't avoid playing a MVC team, especially one with a good RPI, buy-in or H/H. I would also play a lesser Valley team, within reason, if the game was to replace some of the lower end buy-ins that are used as early games for team building purposes. These teams would have more fan appeal than many of teams we have been playing in the past. I'm not going to hide because I'm afraid there's a remote chance of losing to a Valley team.

We are going to see a big boost to our overall SOS due to the AAC. Needing to "load up" in the non-con is not going to be the same as in the past. We can now use the non-con for some preparing for conference, not as our only hope for a quality win. Louisville had one of the highest non-con SOS (#5) of any P5 school, yet they had 2 200+, 4 between 130-190, and 2 more just below 100 RPI. Florida (#7) had 6 games below 85 RPI, four were below 190. Vanderbilt (#1) stacked their non-con, yet had teams at 126, 139, 236, and 254.

As a guide, Cincinnati non-con SOS was 31st overall. The RPIs were 15, 21, 31, 101, 108, 112, 129, 170, 189, 225, 273, and 284. 8 games at home, 2 away, and 2 neutral. Their non-con RPI was 13 and overall 12.

[1972Shocker]

Only concern would be what WSU's absence does to the Valley teams' RPI. A 75 RPI UNI team of the last decade might not even be Top 100 now.

Yeah. WSU's departure will have a domino effect. UNI (and every other Valley team) will lose two (or more) RPI building games to be replaced with ?????. The RPI of every Valley team may well drop on average which makes the rest of their Valley games against each other of lesser RPI worth.

It happened when Creighton left. No reason it won't happen agains unless Elgin can pull a rabbit out of his hat.

[ShockingButTrue]

UNI appears to be a better program than they actually are because they've won in March a couple of times. Jacobson has been at UNI 11 years and have been good 3 times.

They secured a couple of impressive wins in Nov. of last season. Against #'s 1 and 5 I believe. It was still considered a bad loss when they beat us in the same season.

[DwShock]

Yeah. WSU's departure will have a domino effect. UNI (and every other Valley team) will lose two (or more) RPI building games to be replaced with ?????. The RPI of every Valley team may well drop on average which makes the rest of their Valley games against each other of lesser RPI worth.

It happened when Creighton left. No reason it won't happen agains unless Elgin can pull a rabbit out of his hat.

On Elgin will pull a rabbit but it won't be out of a hat and it won't be from brooking, South Dakota.

[Play Angry]

They secured a couple of impressive wins in Nov. of last season. Against #'s 1 and 5 I believe. It was still considered a bad loss when they beat us in the same season.

They also went 4-6 vs RPI 100-200 teams and lost 3 times to RPI 200+ teams that year. Hot at the beginning, absolutely terrible in the middle, and hot again toward the very end.

UNI did that to themselves, no conspiracy necessary. Happy to be linked with a higher level of peers now.

[wufan]

We have lots of open spots on our schedule. I'd like to see us play h-h with two P5 schools each year, two from MWC/A-10/BE each year. That's 4 plus 4 in a tourney. 5 more buy games should include an MVC school, or a h-h with an MVC school.

[shockmonster]

Think of it this way, we have to replace Tulsa for a regional H/H. We could do worse than the top of the Valley and at least for the next 2-3 years we'd have a good idea (not flawless) of who that's likely to be.

I don't mind playing the top of the Valley. But a H/H needs to be a Top 75-100 team and I have a feeling that without us, ISUR's RPI will go down and in addition, I have a hunch that ISUR won't be as successful next year as this year because they will lose their best players.

[Dave Stalwart]

I think ISUr might be done. Had to hurt seeing Muller being considered for Dayton. That means he was talking to them. And don't hold your breath on McIntosh and Fayne staying.

Wsu leaving hurts more than anyone is willing to admit. If it was hard to recruit before, when WSU and CU were holding the league above water, imagine what it will be like now. UNI is now the league's marquee program.

My guess is that next week is gonna be very crazy in the MVC. Either come up with a good plan or risk losing players and coaches alike. It's gonna take some real leadership to keep anyone inspired and I'm not sure Elgin has that kind of leadership.

I'd like to be wrong. But I see Jacobsen and Muller moving on in the next couple years. MVC better pull some punches next week or it's over.

[MoValley John]

A few months ago, I had a tragic family event and lost a sibling. I suddenly lost all interest in posting. I still am not to where I want to post, but want to congratulate the Shockers on the move. Very happy for all of you!

[Shocker-maniac]

A few months ago, I had a tragic family event and lost a sibling. I suddenly lost all interest in posting. I still am not to where I want to post, but want to congratulate the Shockers on the move. Very happy for all of you!

So sorry to hear about the tragedy you are suffering through. You have been greatly missed, but I respect your reasons for not posting. It is good to hear from you.

[WuShock16]

A few months ago, I had a tragic family event and lost a sibling. I suddenly lost all interest in posting. I still am not to where I want to post, but want to congratulate the Shockers on the move. Very happy for all of you!

You too? That's awful. I'm going to have a talk with the Big Man Upstairs and tell Him to leave my ShockerNet family alone. Too many tragedies!

I suggest that you read the Perspective thread on the Off-Topic forum. My words of peace apply to you too. Bless you and your loved ones in this difficult time.

[Shocker Mama]

A few months ago, I had a tragic family event and lost a sibling. I suddenly lost all interest in posting. I still am not to where I want to post, but want to congratulate the Shockers on the move. Very happy for all of you!

So sorry, John. I know from sad experience how hard that is. My sincere condolences.