The MVC has a higher RPI than the Big 12 right now.

:spock:
That's something to be proud of. And I'm not talking about the Big XII.

This year could end up being an outlier, too. It certainly isnt normal, though the MVC has been consistently better than most mid-major conferences. Scheduling a MVC team is a high-risk low-reward proposition for the Big XII in most years.

That's why I said "more times than not."

The proof is in how the teams that get in the tourney perform. In Texas and Kansas, the Big 12 has a legitimate national title contender and a good dark horse candidate. The MVC hasn't got that. That's where the TRUE separation is.

I'm pretty sure MSU and St. Louis are both higher in the RPI rankings than Mizzou is. They should be, they're both in or near the bubble for tourney bids. In reality you just don't want to face the embarrassment of not being the top in-state school. You can come out and say it. :)

Yeah, but how do you know that, you don't really know that. I'll grant you Texas, but you just pick Kansas over the MVC teams because of the name on the front of the jersey basically. KU lost to the Patriot League last year, and that league had never won a tournament game.

Recent years have seen teams like Kent State and Xavier get to the Elite 8, and compete. I mean we'll have to see the draw... but a team like Northern Iowa getting to the round of 16 or 8 would not surprise me at all.

tk,

Nothing to do with embarassment... I've felt that way for years and years.

Am I ashamed that our *hit-head coach let our program fall so far? Hell yes. Check back in a few years; it's still the premier job in the state (facilities, money, tradition). Get rid of Alden, put Sundvold in charge of the athletic program, hire a coach that can take advantage of the opportunities the job provides, and MU will be back.

There are lots of state programs that schedule this way...

And here's an example: If kansas and Missouri weren't in the same conference, would kU EVER schedule a game against Mizzou? Something tells me no.

Just for the record and for those who know nothing about College basketball, like this guy appearantly, let me give you a little analogy...

The Big12 is to Missouri Valley Conference as is the AFC West is to NFL Europe, catch my drift? Missouri St. does not have a good team in comparison to any team in the Big12, except probably Baylor. As much as I do not like MU bball or think they suck, I think they would beat up on SMS anyday of the week.

As far as instate recruiting do you really think recruits look at that? Scheduling these mid majors in non conference games are a death trap, simply because most teams wont get anything out of them. A win against someone in the SWAC or Mid-Continent conference doesn't mean shit when it comes to selection Sunday.

I say that based on a few things:

1) watching kU play and watching MVC teams play. I've seen SMS play... I've seen UNI... I've seen Creighton... I've seen SIU. And none of those teams has the sheer talent level that kU does. I pick kU as a dark horse because of the crop of extremely talented young players on that team; because of the Jayhawks ridiculously good defense; because it is a team that appears to be peeking, and the kids are growing up. The big-time talent is "taking off the diapers" so to speak.
2) reading and hearing what basketball experts—people paid to break these teams down for a living—have to say about kU. And what I'm reading and hearing jibes with what I've seen with my own eyes.

It has nothing to do with the name on the jersey and everything to do with what I've seen on the hardwood.

You are on crack.

More like youre an idiot if you dont agree with that.

Not true. KU's players are far more talented because they get the cream of the crop recruits as for someone like SMS and NWMS get the first and second team all state players from Missouri and other Midwestern states. The really good ones go to the state schools.

By all means, you'll get no disagreement from me. KU has a talented group of players. Far more McDonalds All-Americans. But fans, and analysts, get too caught up in that sometimes. Sometimes there's more to it than just running and jumping and flying around like KU can.

Northern Iowa is a good basketball team. They beat Iowa, who leads maybe the most competitive conference in the country in the Big 10. They went into LSU and beat an athletic LSU team, that is 10-2 in the SEC, which is always a feat. They just took out that same Bucknell team that beat Kansas. They can play. As can some of these other Mo. Val teams.

I say they still would, just like the Kentucky and Louisville rivalry. The MU KU rivalry extends further from just bball.