(St. Louis, MO) – NCAA Tournament bids will be tough to come by for Valley basketball programs in 2K14. Which league am I talking about? Both the Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley conferences will struggle to gain more than one bid per league this season.
First, let me remind you that I am a big Valley booster. I have announced more MVC tournament basketball games than anyone on the planet in this millennium. I created a website just to promote and study these three Valley leagues, but in 2K14 the D1 versions of ‘the Valley’ have an uphill climb to get multiple bids to the ‘Big Dance’.
Clearly Wichita State, now fifth in the nation and one of only three undefeated D1 teams is going dancing no matter what. Last year’s Final Four squad gained great respect and they are a truly great team. So if some other team could win the MVC tournament in St. Louis then the Valley would have two teams in the national tournament.
What if the Shockers sweep both the regular season and tournament titles? Then only Indiana State has a legitimate chance. I would add Missouri State in there too, but recent knee injuries to Marcus Marshall and Keith Pickens have rendered that scenario highly unlikely.
The Sycamores are an intriguing crew. According to the latest cbssports.com rpi numbers they are 63rd and 68 teams do go dancing, but that number is too weak to warrant an invitation.
Their win at Notre Dame is their only ‘signature win’ and a split with Belmont of the OVC (68 in the RPI) helps, but not a lot. The Sycamores can’t lose more than two games in league play and almost have to get a split with Wichita State to have a chance at the NCAA tournament.
Greg Lansing’s team did knock off the Shockers in Wichita last year and lost to them at home. So if they were something like 27 and 5 with wins over Notre Dame, Wichita State, Belmont and other decent MVC teams like Missouri State and Northern Iowa they would have a fighting chance. If Saint Louis University keeps winning that helps the ISU cause too. The Trees dropped a decision at Chaifetz Arena in December and an ever increasing Billiken winning percentage in the tough A-10 Conference could be the nudge that helps them out.
On the OVC portion of this site, we’ll discuss that league’s hopes for more than one team to ‘cut a rug’ in March.
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Playing the point at @UEAthletics_MBB is @EKUHoops transfer Tayshawn Comer. The @ValleyHoops squad opens its season on Tuesday, but we wanted to get to know Comer now. Here is our conversation. #ValleyRunsDeep #NCAAHoops
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