MVC Post-Season Tournament

[1972Shocker]

Interesting going-ons at the MVC Tournament in the SIU(#3) vs Bradley#6) matchup.

In Set 1 Bradley jumped out to a 15-8 lead only to see SIU come back to tie the set at 21-all and then go on to win Set 1 by a 26-24 score.

In Set 2 SIU was poised to go up 2-0 as they lead 24-20. However, Bradley rallied late and pulled out a 28-26 win to tie the match at 1-1 at intermission.

Personally, I think UNI (#2) has an easier route to the Championship game than do the #1 seeded Shocks.

[1972Shocker]

@flyingMoose: I think I beat you by about 30 seconds.

[1972Shocker]

SIU wins Set 3 by a 25-23 score.

[JayJ79]

I wonder what the story is with the big Strawberry Shortcake doll on the Bradley bench.

[1972Shocker]

SIU cruises in to a 25-15 win in Set 4 to take a 3-1 win over Bradley. It will be the #2 UNI vs #3 SIU in tomorrow night's 5:00 pm semi-final match.

Good effort by the #6 Braves but the better team won and advanced.

[flyingMoose]

Missouri State 1-3 Illinois State

The Redbirds take the first two sets, 29-27 and 25-20.

Bears, 25-20 in the third set.

Redbirds close out the match in the fourth, 25-21.

Toward the end of this match, the announcer was commenting that surely the Shocks and UNI would make the NCAA tournament and that a case could be made for three Valley teams being in. He is clearly clueless. Making such inane comments for a Valley-only audience is one thing - making them to a national ESPN3 audience is quite another.

[1972Shocker]

In any case, Shocks will have their hands full with Illinois State tomorrow night. Hopefully, Shocker fans will show up in full force.

[WSUwatcher]

Interesting going-ons at the MVC Tournament in the SIU(#3) vs Bradley#6) matchup.

In Set 1 Bradley jumped out to a 15-8 lead only to see SIU come back to tie the set at 21-all and then go on to win Set 1 by a 26-24 score.

In Set 2 SIU was poised to go up 2-0 as they lead 24-20. However, Bradley rallied late and pulled out a 28-26 win to tie the match at 1-1 at intermission.

Personally, I think UNI (#2) has an easier route to the Championship game than do the #1 seeded Shocks.

Well, don't be too quick with your assumption about UNI's easy path, 1972: during the regular season SIU beat the UNIs 3-1 at home AND on the road. So that's hardly a favorable matchup. Having said that, I certainly agree that sometimes a #2 seed can have an easier path than #1 does, usually because of a specific matchup -- but this doesn't appear to be one of them.

By the way, one method for the Valley to avoid giving #2 an easier path would be via an unusual scheduling maneuver they actually use in some national and international bridge tournaments, where the #1 seed in a group of four remaining teams gets to choose its semifinal opponent. Obviously, that could provide great locker room bulletin board material in a sporting context -- "Oh, so you want to play us? We'll see about that." -- but it's certainly a way to reward #1 for earning its seed.

[JayJ79]

*post removed*
upon further review, I didn't read carefully enough.
and I really shouldn't have posted after working an overnight retail shift on Insanity Black Thursday-into-Friday, my brain wasn't right. My apologies.

[pogo]

Wichita ISN'T getting special treatment. Watcher only pointed out a way that some bridge tournaments can select their next opponents. Have a cup of coffee and read his text slowly.

[1972Shocker]

Well, don't be too quick with your assumption about UNI's easy path, 1972: during the regular season SIU beat the UNIs 3-1 at home AND on the road. So that's hardly a favorable matchup.

Yes, I understand that. I just think that both MSU and ILS have better athletes than does SIU and, along with UNI, come closest to matching the Shocks firepower. SIU obviously can be tough, but outside of Jessica Whitehead they aren't overly scary. However, they are very well coached and play hard.

The Shocks lost to ILS 1-3 in Normal and beat them 3-1 in Wichita winning the 4th set 26-24.

The Shocks lost a close 5-setter to SIU in Carbondale and actually won 2 more points than SIU did in that match and swept the Salukis in Wichita.

Also, I attended the final match of the season vs MSU in Springfield and that was a very tough, competitive match.

Not sure what the RPI's of the quarterfinal teams are but MSU-ILS had a combined record of 40-23 while SIU-BU and a combined record of 32-27.

The Shocks were guaranteed that they would be facing a very tough opponent regardless who one the MSU-ILS quarterfinal. UNI at least had the possibility of playing a Bradley team that was 4 games out of 5th place and the only sub-500 team in the tournament. Bradley did give SIU a pretty good battle yesterday.

As it turns out both WSU and UNI will have tough opponents in the semi-finals. Still if I had my druthers (and I don't) I would rather be facing SIU instead of ILS. In any case, if all the remaining teams play up to their capabilities we should see a WSU-UNI final. That is what I am rooting for.

One thing I do know is that any final that doesn't involve the Shockers will be a pretty lousy atmosphere.

[WuShock16]

In any case, if all the remaining teams play up to their capabilities we should see a WSU-UNI final. That is what I am rooting for.

While a final versus Northern Iowa would be the most intriguing, considering UNI's current 12-set winning streak in Wichita, I wouldn't be totally opposed to playing Southern Illinois tomorrow. Gotta win tonight first of course.

One thing I do know is that any final that doesn't involve the Shockers will be a pretty lousy atmosphere.

Yeah, in 2008, after Missouri State ended WSU's perfect season, instead of 5,000 on hand for the final, there were 500. Depressing!

[pogo]

*post removed*
upon further review, I didn't read carefully enough.
and I really shouldn't have posted after working an overnight retail shift on Insanity Black Thursday-into-Friday, my brain wasn't right. My apologies.

I figured it had to be something going on because your post was uncharacteristic. Looks like my advice should have been get some sleep and re read his text.

[JayJ79]

Yeah, in 2008, after Missouri State ended WSU's perfect season, instead of 5,000 on hand for the final, there were 500. Depressing!

So basically like the crowds at the majority of MVC regular season matches (any of them not being played at UNI or WSU)

not being snarky, just throwing out random stats. heh. (UNI and WSu averaged 2700+, ILS averaged 843, MSU 673, and the rest under 500 (169-461). Well, technically those were averages for all matches, not just conference matches, but anyway.

[bunck]

SIU beat UNI 3-1 for their third straight win over them this year.