Category Archives: MVC

Friday free throws

11:02 a.m.

The John Beilein way gets another big win. We don’t need to make  excuses for Wichita State, but it’s worth considering that playing against the changing defenses early in the season is a chore, whether you are UCLA or WSU. It reminds me of last season’s loss to Monmouth, which presented similar challenges last season in the Virgin Islands. At some point, WSU has to be able to beat those teams regardless of the degree of difficulty in preparing and adjusting.

  • Illinois State plays three games in three days, a bench-busting scenario that seems to be more prominent on schedules recently.
  • Duke blows out SIU late in New York. I thought SIU looked competitive for about 30 minutes. The final score doesn’t help the MVC’s rep. I saw nothing to make me think the Salukis won’t be a big factor in the MVC race. Now they get to play UCLA tonight.
  • Sean Ogirri is off to a slow start at Wyoming.
By Paul Suellentrop | Filed under Basketball, MVC | Comments (0)

Happy to do my part

Wednesday1:37 p.m.

Steve Pivovar of the Omaha World-Herald called Saturday to ask if I had called the Creighton Bluejays “soft” in a recent story. I did not remember writing that word. I picked the Bluejays first in the MVC, as did everyone else, and remembered pointing out their depth, their talented guards and their inexperienced big men. Read More »

By Paul Suellentrop | Filed under Basketball, MVC | Comments (0)

Here’s how it happens

Saturday11:56 p.m.

The Shockers open the season today (Sunday) and I don’t think anybody knows what to expect. There is reason to believe WSU will be better. At this point, it’s largely faith in coach Gregg Marshall’s resume and numbers. There is also reason to believe the season will go through plenty of rough spots.

My guess: 17-13, 9-9 MVC. That’s wildly optimistic for a team that returns one starter from a ninth-place finisher. Read More »

By Paul Suellentrop | Filed under Basketball, MVC | Comments (1)

Signing day

Nov. 12, 20089:53 a.m.

The men’s and women’s basketball signatures are in hand.

Rivals.com weighs in with the opinion that WSU point guard signee Kenny Manigault is the top recruit in the Valley. Read More »

By Paul Suellentrop | Filed under Basketball, MVC, Recruiting, WSU baseball, volleyball | Comments (0)

Stories from MVC media day

Oct. 29, 20089:27 a.m.

MVC coaches are already playing the “no respect” card. Illinois State would not have been a bad choice for an NCAA spot last season. The Redbirds killed their chances by not winning any notable non-conference games and going 0-3 against Drake. Read More »

By Paul Suellentrop | Filed under Basketball, MVC | Comments (0)

We had to expect this

Oct. 28, 200810:37 a.m.

It was just 2007 when Shocker basketball ruled the MVC in October. The men were picked third and the women second. Two seasons later, nobody loves the Shockers. The men are picked ninth; the women 10th. Since they finished in those spots last season, this can’t be a surprise.

Men’s poll
School (first-place votes) points
1. Creighton (36) 386
2. Southern Illinois (2) 322
3. Illinois State (1) 309
4. Drake 274
5. Bradley 219
6. Northern Iowa 186
7. Indiana State 137
8. Evansville 122
9. Wichita State 105
10. Missouri State 85

Preseason All-MVC
Jonathan Cox, Drake
Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State
Bryan Mullins, Southern Illinois
P’Allen Stinnett, Creighton
Josh Young, Drake
Honorable mention – Shy Ely, Evansville; Andrew Warren, Bradley; Theron Wilson, Bradley
Player of the Year – Eldridge

Women’s poll
School (first-place votes) points
1. Illinois State (40) 400
2. Creighton 310
3. Drake 297
4. Evansville 251
5. Northern Iowa 245
6. Missouri State 215
7. Indiana State 166
8. Bradley 161
9. Southern Illinois 108
10. Wichita State 47

Preseason All-MVC

Kristi Cirone, Illinois State
Maggie Dwyer, Missouri State
Jacqui Kalin, Northern Iowa
Maggie Krick, Illinois State
Shannon Novosel, Evansville

  • I did not go to media day because of my injury. I wanted to get Jim Les to sign my cast, but no luck.
  • I can’t blame people for picking the WSU men ninth. Evansville returns five starters from a team that split with WSU in 2008. Indiana State returns two starters from a team that went 2-1 against WSU. I will be surprised if WSU finishes ninth. I picked the Shockers seventh, ahead of both UE and Indiana State. That is a leap of faith, to be sure. I don’t like Evansville’s inside game. I don’t like Indiana State’s depth, especially without Marico Stinson on the roster. By March, WSU will be better than both those teams. Of course, people in Evansville and Terre Haute have equally valid concerns about WSU. There will be rough spots along the way. It is hard for me to see WSU finishing much higher than seventh (perhaps a spot or two higher if things go really right for WSU and wrong for others). I do like the talent and I think the Shockers will improve throughout the season. The inexperience is the big downer.
  • I have no read on the WSU women. If Gregg Marshall got a free pass on last season because of the transition, Jody Adams should get several years of passes. She has a bigger job rebuilding than Marshall did.
  • Drake is the most interesting men’s team to watch. Coach Mark Phelps owns the toughest job in the Valley. Keno Davis raised expectations with last season’s MVC title. Yet, there are reasons why Drake did not record a winning season from 1988-2006 and did not finish higher than fifth from 1987-2007. Phelps has a big job to recreate the chemistry, confidence and enthusiasm that characterized last season’s Bulldogs.
  • Is it necessary to have honorable mention preseason All-MVC picks?
  • Voters went with the chalk for all-conference picks. If I have to go off the board, the first name that comes to mind is UNI center Jordan Eglseder – if he can stay healthy. Evansville’s Shy Ely is another guy who make another big move this season. For some reason, I expect SIU’s Carlton Fay to play much better as a sophomore than as a freshman. He may blossom with more minutes and the departure of Falker and Shaw.
  • This is a big season for the MVC. It can’t afford another one-bid, one-loss performance in the NCAA Tournament. Most of the burden is on Creighton, which needs to have a big season. The Bluejays are rightfully one of the MVC’s marquee programs. They have not, however, won an MVC title or an NCAA game since 2002. A lot of eyes will be on SIU and Drake. The Salukis need a rebound season. Drake needs to prove last season’s wasn’t a fluke. Illinois State should be a contender, but a soft non-conference schedule will hold the Redbirds back.
By Paul Suellentrop | Filed under Basketball, MVC | Comments (0)

Meet the media

Oct. 14, 20086:38 p.m.

Basketball media days are underway. Teams can start practice Friday, so it is time to work on dealing with stupid questions.

I’m updating this throughout the month, so check back to read new additions.

Southern Illinois freshmen Anthony Booker and Torres Roundtree stuck together in high school and college.

Creighton’s Kenny Lawson wants to play like Dwight Howard.

Missouri State’s Shane Laurie is still bothered by a concussion. A headache forced him to stop practice.

Northern Iowa is fighting injuries. Senior Carlton Reed is out for the season. New guard Ali Farokmanesh is in the spotlight right away. Don’t miss the video of coach Ben Jacobson, who thinks his guards are faster and better shooters than last season. The Panthers were painful to watch on offense last season, so the coach expects improvement. He almost cracks a smile at one point when talking about his backcourt. I guess that’s a good sign.

Creighton started its season quietly, just the way coach likes things.

Illinois State’s Champ Oguchi could team with Osiris Eldridge to give the Redbirds a dangerous 1-2 combo. Redbirds coach Tim Jankovich worked magic with an erratic juco point guard last season to help Boo Richardson turn into a reliable player. This season, Jankovich again needs to get a transfer ready to lead. The Redbirds start practice Saturday with two starting jobs on the line.

Illinois State needs its freshmen big men to progress quickly.

Siena is a possible WSU opponent in the Old Spice Classic. The Saints are definitely media darlings after beating Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament.

Centenary starts practice with nine scholarship players and three walk-ons.

TCU is a football school. New basketball coach Jim Christian has a lot of rebuilding to do to get the basketball Frogs on the map.

Southern Illinois coach Chris Lowery is working with nine newcomers.

At Missouri State, the Bears may be without guard Shane Laurie when practice starts Friday. He has a history of concussions and is recovering from a scooter accident. New coach Cuonzo Martin promises to work on defense and play without boundaries.

At Drake, newcomer Adam Templeton comes in with the reputation as a great shooter. New coach Mark Phelps has the toughest job in the MVC. Expectations after last season’s magical ride are out-of-whack with the program’s history.

Southern Illinois senior Tony Freeman, a transfer from Iowa, is limited to practice this season.

Creighton’s freshmen guards will get their “welcome to college” moments starting Friday.

Georgetown, WSU’s first opponent in the Old Spice Classic, figures to play faster in response to losing Roy Hibbert and other.

WSU will play one exhibition this season, not the usual two. Emporia State is starting over after losing its top six scorers. Former Kapaun Mount Carmel star Matt Boswell averaged 3.7 points last season and is the top returning scorer. Coach David Moe brought in nine newcomers, including two Division I transfers.

By Paul Suellentrop | Filed under Basketball, MVC, MVC media | Comments (0)

Fun with schedules

Aug. 26, 20082:40 p.m.

Some MVC teams are releasing schedules today, some still missing times. Waiting on Evansville, Southern Illinois and Drake. WSU’s may be released Wednesday. Here is what we can figure out with some non-con and MVC games missing:

Nov. 16 - Florida A&M Read More »

By Paul Suellentrop | Filed under Basketball, MVC | Comments (0)

All-MVC freshmen

July 16, 200812:35 p.m.

Former WSU guard Matt Braeuer proved he possesses one sharp basketball mind last season when he picked up new coach Gregg Marshall’s system so quickly it impressed coaches. So when Braeuer spoke on KWCH’s Sports Sunday it was must-see stuff for Shocker fans.

Two things stuck out.

  1. Shorts are a bad look on TV. Gotta wear slacks.
  2. The chances of guard Toure Murry making second-team All-MVC as a freshman are slim, and that’s being generous. Read More »
By Paul Suellentrop | Filed under Basketball, MVC | Comments (2)

Drake out, WSU recruits, South Carolina search

March 21, 20083:21 p.m.

The postseason looks like a fitting end to the MVC season. The Valley was good this year, but not great. The talent (and experience) drain from 2006 and 2007 has not been replenished. Drake, which got a tough draw against a good Western Kentucky team, was a great story and a very good team. I don’t think the Bulldogs were as good as recent MVC champions, and certainly the conference was not as deep as in past seasons. The results are better in the NIT, which seems about right for the 2007-08 season. SIU’s victory over Oklahoma State, which defeated Texas A&M, Kansas and Baylor as part of five-game winning streak in mid-February, stands out because the Salukis played without guard Bryan Mullins.

Drake’s loss looks bad for the MVC, but I don’t think there is much shame in it. The Hilltoppers are a conference champion from a conference similar to the Valley. It’s a traditionally good program with a NBA-type player in Courtney Lee.

  • Drake’s loss means the MVC goes winless in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since SIU and Northern Iowa whiffed in 2004. The MVC champ – SIU (2007), WSU (2006), SIU (2005) – had won at least one game the past three tournaments.

It appears the South Carolina job search will move on without Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall. That could change if the Gamecocks run through several candidates. Media reports in South Carolina are focused on Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel and at least two season wraps (here and here) make a point to mention Marshall as an unlikely candidate.

Stay tuned, because coaching searches can take dramatic twists. It appears, however, WSU fans can relax.

Anybody who watched the region and national juco tournaments knows Marshall and his staff are full-speed recruiting for next season. Itawamba guard Anthony Brock said he will visit WSU this spring.

I watched Brock on Thursday in a 75-73 loss to Indian Hills. He did not play well. He forced shots and did not play particularly hard. With only look, I won’t make a call on Brock’s ability to help WSU. We know the Shockers need point guards and his credentials look good. After watching four games over two days in Hutch, my biggest impression is that the talent level is down from 10-15 years ago. Prep schools have altered the landscape.

As Creighton proved with Woodfox and Witter, schools can find good juco players. A backcourt with Chipola’s Clevin Hannah and Brock would be quick and good with the ball. I would think WSU would be an improved pressing team with them and difficult to press. If you watched Winthrop this season, think of point guard Chris Gaynor.

WSU signee Garrett Stutz is a two-sport athlete. The way the Marshall family gets involved with recruits, Stutz may have a gallery following him hole to hole.

By Paul Suellentrop | Filed under Basketball, Gregg Marshall, MVC | Comments (1)