25% in, MVC final predictions?

[Stryker]

I thought it would be fun to run down the schedule at this point and try to predict BU's record in the MVC this season.

I think it is safe to assume a strong performance at home for the Braves for the rest of the season based on how they have been playing so far. Road games are always harder to predict. Other big variables include teams like Drake, who have talent (And a depth problem), and how BU will show against them. Other teams like ISUBlue and SIU are playing some really nice basketball right now.

Coming in at 4-2, my predictions are as follows:

Evansville: W
@Drake: L
@ ISUBlue: L
Belmont: W
ISU: W
@UIC: W
SIU: W
@UNI: L
@ISU: W
Murray St: W
MSU: W
@SIU: L
@Valpo: W
Drake: L

13-7 seems likely, at least that is how I am feeling at the moment. I am predicting one home loss, could be SIU, MSU, or Drake, so I just picked one. It would be great if BU could pick up a game or two over this prediction, but I am still a bit down after the road performance at Belmont and Murray State. BU has to play better than that if they want to pick up road wins against other middle or top tier MVC teams.

13-7 isn't going to be good enough to win the MVC, especially with ISUblue being 6-0 already I don't see them finishing worse than 14-6. If BU wants to win this they will have to beat good teams on the road, which I am not predicting. Anyone else want to take a shot at predicting this thing?

 

[Dubl R 1]

ISU blue with a blessing
From the schedulers that they do not have to visit BU this year.

Not a fan of the unbalanced schedule.

AND we don’t get a crack at a road win at the WORST team in the valley.

 

[Da Coach]

I think Bradley will get on roll and go at least 10-4 over the final 14 games. I do believe Drake will recover from their bad start, but I do not see Bradley losing to them at home on Senior Day.
There could be as many as 3 teams at 14-6 at the top of the Valley.

 

[Stryker]

I think Bradley will get on roll and go at least 10-4 over the final 14 games. I do believe Drake will recover from their bad start, but I do not see Bradley losing to them at home on Senior Day.
There could be as many as 3 teams at 14-6 at the top of the Valley.

Coach, I agree, there is a high probability of something like that happening. Will come down to head to heads and other tie breakers for the seeding in St. Louis for a lot of the top teams most likely.

 

[Dub]

It will take some further jelling for sure, but I feel we have an outside shot of winning out at home and going 4-3 on the road against that schedule. They would need to surprise either Drake or ISUB to set that stage.

I agree 10-4 is far more realistic, and I think 9-5 would be underperforming.

Somebody on the court needs to show some vocal leadership on the road and refuse to lose.

 

[Tommy]

I would be very disappointed with a road loss at UNI and I think we match up pretty well against Drake, so I think we're just as likely to win both of those games as lose them, but Drake is never an easy win.

Other than that, I'd say the good money is on your picks, but I would hope for more like a 16-4. That being said, the way we've played on the road recently is discouraging, though we did put a pretty good beat down on Missouri St. so it's not like we CAN'T get it done!

I also don't count any of the games early in the season when Rienk was out as a measuring stick (especially the Cancun Challenge). We are an entirely different team without him and were also without JaShon for some of those. I know everyone is down on the Braves for their road performances (me included), but in the end, we're still 4-2 in conference! I have faith that we will improve our road game and still think this team wins the Valley.

 

[Da Coach]

I would be very disappointed with a road loss at UNI and I think we match up pretty well against Drake, so I think we're just as likely to win both of those games as lose them, but Drake is never an easy win....

After tomorrow's home game against Evansville, Bradley plays back to back road games at Drake (Sat, Jan 14) and at Indiana State (Wed. Jan. 18 ). That could be 2 losses, but hopefully, Bradley can win one, or maybe two but that's being optimistic.
I also think that Bradley's size and quickness matches up well against Drake. But it will be tough to win in Des Moines this coming Saturday. Drake has lost 2 of their last 3 games (both road games), though they remain undefeated (8-0) at home this season.
The key is stopping Tucker DeVries. If he has a bad game, Drake is vulnerable.
Here are DeVries' numbers in each of the 5 games Drake has lost this season-
Game log- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...tucker-devries

11/30 at Indiana State- Drake lost 75-73- DeVries was 5-15 for 15 points
12/10 vs Richmond- Drake lost 82-52- DeVries was 3-11 for 9 points
12/11 vs St. Louis- Drake lost 83-75- DeVries was 6-17 for 15 points
1/1 at Missouri State- Drake lost 52-49- DeVries was 9-21 for 20 points
1/4 at Southern ILL- Drake lost 53-49- DeVries was 4-13 for 11 points

So in their 5 losses, DeVries was 27-77 (35%)
And in their 12 wins, he is 76-152 (50%)

Drake does have enough talent to win even if DeVries has a poor game. Their last home game this past Saturday was an easy 82-64 win over Murray State, and DeVries had one of his worst games. He was 3-12 overall, 1-7 from three, with 3 turnovers, but their other guards had a very good shooting game.
BU probably needs Zek or Malevy guarding DeVries, rather than our smaller guards. He is very effective shooting over smaller defenders. And then hope their other guards don't have great shooting games.

 

[BRAVE82]

I think Stryker nailed the predictions for Bradley. Those two road losses to Murray and Belmont will most likely cost us the MVC, especially since Indiana St. doesn't have to come to Peoria. Indiana St. doesn't have to play Belmont twice, so they got a real favorable draw. We can't afford to lose more than three games the rest of the way to win the MVC. 15-5 is possibly good enough to get a share of 1st place.

 

[PhiAlphaBoy]

We will go 12-2 and finish at 16-4 and FINALLY win an MVC regular season championship. Our only losses will be at SIU and at Drake. Book it!