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Dave Reynolds' MVC article in 7/2/15 PJ Star

Using Dave's figures, here are the teams ranked in order of how much scoring production they will have returning next season-
Evansville- 93% points, 94% rebounds
Loyola- 79% points, 77% rebounds
MO ST.- 69% points, 80% rebounds
WSU- 68% points, 61% rebounds
IN ST.- 61% points, 52% rebounds
SIU- 57% points, 41% rebounds
Drake- 51% points, 55% rebounds
ILL ST.- 51% points, 49% rebounds
UNI- 46% points, 38% rebounds
Bradley- 30% points, 28% rebounds

As Dave says, Wichita State is the "odds-on favorite to win its third successive Missouri Valley Conference basketball title".
But, Dave projects 4 teams (UNI, UE, ILSU, and Loyola) "to mount a serious challenge at unseating the Shockers". Though those teams will battle for the upper half, I do not see any of the 4 "mounting a serious challenge to unseat Wichita State".
Dave's comments relating to UNI: "The Panthers lost more production than anyone north of Bradley and Southern Illinois."
But UNI's lost production was much greater than SIU's percentage, and only Bradley's was greater. I think UNI will see a big dropoff off due to their losses of Player of the Year Seth Tuttle, 3 of their top 4 scorers, and their top 2 rebounders, and they will not be able to hang with Wichita State.
IMO, Wichita State will win the MVC going away and without any serious challenge. I don't see any other team hanging close, as UNI did last season. And even with much returning production, Evansville, Loyola, and ILSU are not going to be in the same class with the Shockers. But with several weak teams (BU, SIU, MSU, Drake, INSU) these 4 will likely fight it out for 2-5 in the MVC.

Coincidentally, ESPN just posted this article about UNI's basketball team-
http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebask...d/107908/looking-ahead-northern-iowa-panthers
 
They may have outworked other coaches. However, selling Bradley is another issue. Only time can tell how successful Wardle can be.

However, he did seem to have good results this spring in the short amount of time available. I know all may not make it past the first year or two. It does appear that Wardle has international connections that past BU coaches did not have.
 
btw- in Dave Reynolds' column Thursday I am puzzled what criteria he uses to pick guys who are "returning starters"..

For example - for Loyola's Earl Peterson - who started 17 of 37 games - he DOES qualify as a returing starter - so does MSU's Loomis Gerring (16 of 31)
but ISU's Mikyle McIntosh (started 17 of 35 games) does not
 
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