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Post by jayj79 on Oct 1, 2019 18:26:36 GMT -5
I started typing up a team-by-team breakdown of the conference, but then realized that there might not even be any other MVC fans on here. haha.
Anyhow, the conference is down this year, and will likely end up a one-bid league for the first time since 2014 (and just the third time since 2005)
UNI and Illinois State were aggressive in their non-conference scheduling, and ILS did get a couple good wins (upsetting Illinois and UcF), didn't get enough quality wins to offset how the rest of the conference was quite unimpressive, with more losses than victories even against the mid-low competition.
UNI could maybe get into bubble range for an at-large if they ran the table in conference play, but even then I don't know if they would be comfortably on the right side of the bubble. And if they were able to do that, they'd more than likely get the AQ anyway (since they are hosting the conference tournament this year). And I don't know if any of the others even have a chance at an at-large.
After a disappointing non-conference portion of the season, UNI is off to a 3-0 start in conference, but still struggles at times with serve receive and passing, which is strange for a Panther program that traditionally excels in that part of the game. They have a number of freshmen in the main rotation that are starting to grow into their roles, but unfortunately their most productive player, Karlie Taylor, sustained a leg injury this past weekend and may be out for a while.
Illinois State has shown some potential, as evidenced by their upsets of Illinois and UCF, but they've also dropped some matches that they probably shouldn't have, and just yesterday, they lost a five-setter at Evansville, putting the Redbirds at 2-1 in conference.
That Evansville team did look quite scrappy when I saw them play at UNI this past weekend, so it didn't really surprise me that they were able to play spoiler and I think the Aces will have a pretty decent year (by their standards) and may be in the running to make the conference tournament for the first time in a while (2008 was the last time they qualified).
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Post by bigfan on Oct 1, 2019 18:30:37 GMT -5
I started typing up a team-by-team breakdown of the conference, but then realized that there might not even be any other MVC fans on here. haha. Anyhow, the conference is down this year, and will likely end up a one-bid league for the first time since 2014 (and just the third time since 2005) The Pac-12 is down so dont't lose hope about only 1 bid. |
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Post by jayj79 on Oct 1, 2019 18:57:28 GMT -5
I started typing up a team-by-team breakdown of the conference, but then realized that there might not even be any other MVC fans on here. haha. Anyhow, the conference is down this year, and will likely end up a one-bid league for the first time since 2014 (and just the third time since 2005) The Pac-12 is down so dont't lose hope about only 1 bid. I don't see the correlation. Even if the Pac 12 is down, it isn't going to help the MVC get an at-large, unless the selection committee stops using RPI as a primary factor. |
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Post by bigfan on Oct 1, 2019 19:02:11 GMT -5
The Pac-12 is down so dont't lose hope about only 1 bid. I don't see the correlation. Even if the Pac 12 is down, it isn't going to help the MVC get an at-large, unless the selection committee stops using RPI as a primary factor. RPI won't matter if you have .500 record over-all in the Pac-12. |
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Post by jayj79 on Oct 1, 2019 20:51:31 GMT -5
I don't see the correlation. Even if the Pac 12 is down, it isn't going to help the MVC get an at-large, unless the selection committee stops using RPI as a primary factor. RPI won't matter if you have .500 record over-all in the Pac-12. why would a give a flying freeball about the Pac 12? |
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Post by notpriddy (COIF) on Oct 2, 2019 5:28:46 GMT -5
I am not surprised ISU lost to Evansville at Evansville. State has historically played much better at home than they do away. So far this season they are 4-1 at home and 5-5 away from home. I keep an eye on ISU's results throughout the season, but generally do not pay much attention to the rest of the conference. The conference typically has 3 or 4 good teams at the top that beat up on the rest of the conference. Missouri State has historically been one of the top teams, but is in disarray with the loss of their long-time coach. I thought Bradley would be better this season based on watching the team last year under their new coach. UNI so far is having a down year, but I look for their record to get much better as they make their way through conference. As far as whether the conference receives more than one NCAA tourney team, a lot depends on who wins the conference tourney at the end of the season. If ISU were to win the regular season in convincing fashion, and then lose in the finals of the league tourney, they just may receive an at-large bid.
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Post by vbcoach06 on Oct 2, 2019 8:43:46 GMT -5
I am not surprised ISU lost to Evansville at Evansville. State has historically played much better at home than they do away. So far this season they are 4-1 at home and 5-5 away from home. I keep an eye on ISU's results throughout the season, but generally do not pay much attention to the rest of the conference. The conference typically has 3 or 4 good teams at the top that beat up on the rest of the conference. Missouri State has historically been one of the top teams, but is in disarray with the loss of their long-time coach. I thought Bradley would be better this season based on watching the team last year under their new coach. UNI so far is having a down year, but I look for their record to get much better as they make their way through conference. As far as whether the conference receives more than one NCAA tourney team, a lot depends on who wins the conference tourney at the end of the season. If ISU were to win the regular season in convincing fashion, and then lose in the finals of the league tourney, they just may receive an at-large bid. You should be surprised. ISU was 47-3 all time against UE prior to losing Monday. UE is much improved from a year ago, mainly because of Feliciano. However, they need to win as many matches as they can on the front end of conference play because once the other teams figure out how to slow down the pins and make adjustments, the back half of conference play will be rough for them. |
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Post by The Bofa on the Sofa on Oct 2, 2019 9:13:38 GMT -5
I am not surprised ISU lost to Evansville at Evansville. State has historically played much better at home than they do away. So far this season they are 4-1 at home and 5-5 away from home. I keep an eye on ISU's results throughout the season, but generally do not pay much attention to the rest of the conference. The conference typically has 3 or 4 good teams at the top that beat up on the rest of the conference. Missouri State has historically been one of the top teams, but is in disarray with the loss of their long-time coach. I thought Bradley would be better this season based on watching the team last year under their new coach. UNI so far is having a down year, but I look for their record to get much better as they make their way through conference. As far as whether the conference receives more than one NCAA tourney team, a lot depends on who wins the conference tourney at the end of the season. If ISU were to win the regular season in convincing fashion, and then lose in the finals of the league tourney, they just may receive an at-large bid. You should be surprised. ISU was 47-3 all time against UE prior to losing Monday. UE is much improved from a year ago, mainly because of Feliciano. However, they need to win as many matches as they can on the front end of conference play because once the other teams figure out how to slow down the pins and make adjustments, the back half of conference play will be rough for them. Didn't Evansville beat UNI once last year? I'm too lazy to look it up. |
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Post by vbcoach06 on Oct 2, 2019 10:09:51 GMT -5
You should be surprised. ISU was 47-3 all time against UE prior to losing Monday. UE is much improved from a year ago, mainly because of Feliciano. However, they need to win as many matches as they can on the front end of conference play because once the other teams figure out how to slow down the pins and make adjustments, the back half of conference play will be rough for them. Didn't Evansville beat UNI once last year? I'm too lazy to look it up. They did. Upset them in Evansville at the end of the season. |
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Post by jayj79 on Oct 2, 2019 10:56:18 GMT -5
As far as whether the conference receives more than one NCAA tourney team, a lot depends on who wins the conference tourney at the end of the season. If ISU were to win the regular season in convincing fashion, and then lose in the finals of the league tourney, they just may receive an at-large bid. I was just looking at Blue's "RPI Futures" which projected ISU finishing at 77 in RPI with a record of 22-8 (they're already at 9-6, so that would mean going 13-2 in the rest of their conference schedule). And there hasn't been an at-large with that high of an RPI in quite a while. UNI was projected to finish with an RPI of 56 and a record of 21-11 (currently at 9-8, so that would mean going 12-3 in their remaining conference matches) |
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Post by bigfan on Oct 2, 2019 11:00:50 GMT -5
RPI won't matter if you have .500 record over-all in the Pac-12. why would a give a flying freeball about the Pac 12? English please |
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Post by wolfdog on Oct 3, 2019 11:39:28 GMT -5
I like Loyola's chances of getting the 3 or 4 seed for the conf tourney. Ramblers started gaining consistency toward the end of the non-conf play and so far carried it over against 2 conf opponents they struggled against last year.
UNI and Ill St aren't head and shoulders above the rest like last year, so it could be a more interesting holiday weekend in Nov.
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Post by jayj79 on Oct 5, 2019 21:37:39 GMT -5
After week 2, UNI sits atop the conference at 5-0 (no real surprise there), with Loyola nipping at their heels at 4-0.
Bradley is currently in 3rd at 3-1.
Evansville (in 4th at 3-2) and SIU (tied for 5th at 2-2) have started off conference play better than expected, as those two teams were picked at the bottom of the conference in the preseason poll.
Illinois State (tied for 5th at 2-2) surprisingly already has 2 losses in conference, having dropped 5-setters at Evansville and at Bradley.
MSU snapped a 9-match losing streak tonight with a strong serving game (12 aces, including 6 from sophomore setter Chloe Rear) leading to a win against Drake. The Bears are now tied with Valpo for 7th, with 1-3 MVC records, while Drake sits in 9th at 1-4.
Indiana State sits winless in the cellar at 0-5
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Post by bucky415 on Oct 5, 2019 22:35:37 GMT -5
Aside from the Anteater issue in Hawai'i, this has been a great volleyball week for me. Always nice for Bradley to beat ISU in any athletic event. I hope the Braves can come up with enough wins to get a decent seed in the league tournament.
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Post by Wiswell on Oct 6, 2019 7:28:11 GMT -5
So pleased at how Berkley has turned around Loyola.
I hope the Badgers can get back to playing them soon.
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