MVC Tourney Coming

So here’s where things are with the MVC heading into the conference tournament:

Wichita State               14-4     23-7
Southern Illinois      12-6     19-10
Missouri State         12-6     20-7
Creighton               12-6     19-8
Bradley                   11-7    18-9
Northern Iowa         11-7    22-8
Evansville                 5-13    9-18
Drake                      5-13   12-18
Indiana State                4-14   12-15
Illinois State             4-14    9-18

So what’s interesting about this?  Two days ago, Northern Iowa was ranked 25th in the country.  They are now the SIXTH seed in the MVC tournament, and have to face a hot Missouri State in their opening game.  Creighton and Bradley play in the 4-5 game, with the winner probably putting themselves in position for a tourney bid.  Evansville also managed to go from 10th to 7th just by beating Indiana State.

If you want to see the MVC bracket, click on MVC bracket.

Personal opinion is the despite the struggles, Northern Iowa is probably in due to the 22 wins.  Wichita State is a mortal lock.  Missouri State is probably in.  Southern Illinois, Creighton, and Bradley need at least one win.  Creighton and Bradley probably need 2, and because they face each other in the first round, they won’t both go.  I’m expecting 4 teams from the MVC to get into the NCAA tournament.  There’s an argument for 5, but I just have a tough time seeing it from a league that’s never gotten more than 3.  The only way they get 5 is if a couple of the bubble teams get into the MVC finals.

Bye-Bye, Barry

I was trying to figure out what I was going to write about tonight:  Redick becoming Dook’s all-time leading scorer, how much of a bum Bode Miller is, the woes of the US men’s hockey team, the joy of watching curling, or some other topic.  Then I saw the news that 2006 will be Barry Bonds last year.  My response:  Amen.

Actually, I wish 2005 would have been his last year, but apparently no such luck.  This is a good sign, as I don’t think he’ll be able to catch Hank Aaron this year.  I still hold out hope that he won’t pass Babe Ruth either, but I’m afraid he probably will.

There is still a chance he could test positive for steroids, but unlike Tony Womack or Alex Sanchez, I don’t think he’s dumb enough to get caught.  The 50 game suspension would come in handy.  I’m just wondering if it’s the steroids or the ego that made his head that large.  I think it’s the ‘roids, since my ego’s pretty healthy, but I don’t wear a size 13 hat like Barry.

With a little luck I’ll get to some of the other topics later this week.

Wild Night in the MVC

Wow!  What a night in the MVC.  A couple of surprises happened.  First, Indiana State knocked off Northern Iowa 61-60.  I picked up the Northern Iowa game online and listened to the last 3 minutes or so.  I have to tell you, NIU probably shouldn’t have even been that close, as there were a number of calls that caused the crowd to go nuts (at IN State).  Yet they had a chance to tie, but missed a free throw that would have tied it at 61.  But they had to get back-to-back steals to get within two with about 30 seconds left.

Then Wichita State hit a 3 as time expired to salvage a win over Creighton 62-61.  I listened to the end of that one as well on the Wichita State feed.  I thought the announcers were going to pass out after the shot went down.  Of course, that would have been OK, because they did a lousy job of keeping me posted on time and score, even in OT.

After that, UE lost to Missouri State 71-50.  That one wasn’t a surprise, because once again, Evansville sucks.  Can’t really blame this one on Jimbo Crews, but it feels like the legacy continues.  It just kills me that Bruce Pearl (now Tennessee’s head coach) was there at Southern Indiana (about 8-10 miles away from the UE campus), and UE didn’t dump Jim for Bruce.  I think he would have taken the job.

Finally, Bradley rose up and beat Southern Illinois 72-60.  It’s probably a little less of a surprise, since Bradley is 9-7 in the conference (as opposed to Indiana State’s 4-12 mark), but it still knocked down one of the co-leaders.

The conference tournament is going to be a BIG deal this year, as they could get as many as 4 teams in, depending on how things shake out.  I think 3 is more likely to happen, but you never know.

Hoops & Rickey

I don’t know why I find it’s easier to do this blog in various observations, as opposed to the paragraph form the other blog takes, but that’s the way it goes, I guess.  On to this week’s stuff.

1. I have to admit that I’m glad football season is over.  I’ll watch games, but I just don’t schedule things around it like I do with college hoops and baseball.  And the Tour de France.  And the U.S. Open (tennis).  And the World Cup.


2. Just for the record, Evansville is not on the bubble this year.  But while I’m in the Missouri Valley, Northern Iowa should have an at-large bid if they don’t win the conference tourney, and if Creighton can beat Fresno State in their bracket buster game next week, they should get one as well.


3. This week, I heard Dick Vitale argue that J.J. Redick & Adam Morrison should be co-POY’s.  He’s right on this one.


4. Speaking of Morrison, the only mustache I’ve seen that’s worse than his is the one my roommate BC grew in college.  I bet him $5 that he wouldn’t keep it for 2 full weeks.  I lost the bet, but that was about the best $5 I’ve ever spent.  That’s not even counting the 2 weeks before the bet started when I kept asking him, “Do you have it yet?”


5. In the Big East, UConn, ‘Nova, WVU, G’Town, & Pitt are in, but I doubt they get any more than 8.  Seton Hall’s preseason schedule was just embarrassing.  Maybe on UC, ‘Cuse, and Marquette.  Louisville better win the tourney to get in.


6. And to wrap this one up, you need to see this article on the Greatest Leadoff Hitter of All Time—Rickey Henderson.  He’s going to be a spring training instructor for the Mets.  He spent last season with the San Diego Surf Dogs.  The man just turned 47 this past Christmas.  Don’t be surprised if he ends up getting a couple spring training at bats during a split squad game.  Just watch.  He still wants to play.  You da man, Rickey!

Well, I’m off to watch Morrison take it to Stanford.