Shocks at Missouri State (Sat) and at SIU (Mon)

[WuDrWu]

Both teams have what I would call 3 tough games remaining. SIU has Illinois State at home, then at WSU and at Missouri State to end the season.

WSU has UNI at home next Saturday, at Loyola the following Friday and finally at home against SIU the last Friday of the regular season.


Clearly SIU at WSU the last Friday of the regular season is going to have a sizable impact on the regular season champion.

[flyingMoose]

Okay, boys and girls, here is the current projected season-ending RPI of the six likely-to-make-the-Valley-tournament teams from the RPI Futures thread on Volley Talk using their current Pablo rating: this week..(last week)..team..conference-record

31 (32) Shockers 16-2
49 (48) Missouri State 12-6
53 (57) Southern Illinois 12-6
55 (58) Northern Iowa 12-6
60 (59) Illinois State 12-6
85 (71) Loyola 11-7

These numbers use the matches through this past Sunday. The +1/-1 conference-wins list does not include the Valley. Perhaps the OP will add more conferences later?

[1972Shocker]

And I wouldn't hold your breath waiting on a Saluki tailspin.

I have to agree with that. There is no reason to expect that. Sure SIU could stumble against ILS or MSU but WSU could just as easily stub their toes against UNI or Loyola. As @WuDrWu pointed out those matches plus the re-match between WSU and SIU in Wichita on the next to the last day of the regular season will most likely determine the Valley regular season champion.

Heck, if both SIU and WSU stumble either UNI or LOY could still be a factor in the race. The schedule favors UNI in that scenario IMO. UNI has MSU, WSU and LOY (on the final day of the regular season) plus DU and BU to finish out. LOY has a tough closing stretch including MSU, WSU, ILS and UNI plus INS and DU.

That makes this Saturday's match between WSU and UNI in Wichita a really key match in this race. The Shocks have a little advantage not only with the match being at home but the Shocks play Drake at home on Friday while UNI is playing MSU in Springfield. This is a big weekend for UNI. They could interject themselves right into the thick of the title chase with a pair of wins or drop out of the title chase with a pair of losses. Both scenarios are certainly within the realm of possibilities.

Hopefully, Shocker fans will make it a Shocker doubleheader Saturday. Take in the Hawaii Pacific men's exhibition basketball game at 2:00p, grab some dinner then had back to Koch Arena for the Loyola match at 7:00p.

Still a lot of hard work in front of the Shocks to capture a Volleyball championship.

[RoyalShock]

If Buhler isn't hosting a football playoff game that night, I may have to come in for the SIU match.

[flyingMoose]

Okay, boys and girls, here is the current projected season-ending RPI of the six likely-to-make-the-Valley-tournament teams from the RPI Futures thread on Volley Talk using their current Pablo rating: this week..(last week)..team..conference-record

31 (32) Shockers 16-2
49 (48) Missouri State 12-6
53 (57) Southern Illinois 12-6
55 (58) Northern Iowa 12-6
60 (59) Illinois State 12-6
85 (71) Loyola 11-7

These numbers use the matches through this past Sunday. The +1/-1 conference-wins list does not include the Valley. Perhaps the OP will add more conferences later?

The rest of the +/- conference win.

31. Wichita State (16 Wins-31) (17 Wins-26) (15 Wins-34)
49. Missouri State (12 Wins-44) (13 Wins-37) (11 Wins-56)
53. Southern Illinois (12 Wins-57) (13 Wins-48) (11 Wins-64)
55. Northern Iowa (12 Wins-55) (13 Wins-44) (11 Wins-61)
60. Illinois State (12 Wins-60) (13 Wins-53) (11 Wins-67)

Again, this does not include the Monday matches.