OK- it’s really Northern Iowa.
So yeah, ESPN screwed Siena. Siena’s 11-0 conference record is rewarded with the first place team in the Missouri Valley. Siena’s two and out trip to the NCAA tournament last year is rewarded with a trip to Northern Iowa in the 2009-10 season. The Panthers did not play a very challenging OOC schedule but are currently 10-1 in the MVC. Their lone loss is to last place Indiana State at home in OT. Basically my point is, with that kind of consistency, who knows if this team will sit atop the MVC at the end of the season.
The worst part about this matchup is there is no way we can move up or down with this game. Yes they are a top 100 team, but beating them really does nothing for our resume.
The time and network for the game will be decided next Monday.
Update 6:17pm…
Siena [by RPI] was the #1 Bracketbuster home team now slated to play the #8 Bracketbuster away team. This matchup can’t help Siena– it can only be the big win that Northern Iowa never got in their non-conference schedule. I wanted Northeastern, do you think Siena really wants to travel to Iowa next year?
If this is true…..Screwed is not the word I mean if you are going to send Iowa why not send Utah State? But i am wondering what is the source you are gettingthis from, becasue no one else has a confirmation and they are all showing different teams?
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The Missouri Valley is a great conference. Beating the team that is leading the conference by 3 games would help any team’s resume. To often we look at RPI for these things.
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Screwed? Really? Every team Siena has played this year above an RPI of 50, they’ve lost to. Not to mention the MEAC is 12th in conference RPI compared to the MVC’s 9th. 11-0 in the 12th best conference vs. 10-1 in the 9th best conference . . . what exactly are you whining about? Siena’s best win (RPI speaking) is against a #67 St. Joe’s team while UNI’s best win is against a #59 Illinois State. Pretty even ball clubs if you ask me, if not for Siena’s inflated RPI. Or is this anger coming from your early season loss to a mediocre MVC Wichita State team . . .
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What do you mean by “with that kind of consistency”? Are you referring to the 10 straight victories following UNI’s loss to Indiana State, or are you referring to the fact that UNI has now beaten everyone in their own conference at least once? Who exactly would you have rather matched up with?
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You really don’t follow college basketball, or don’t know anything about college ball do you? I hate UNI, but as a MVC guy it is clear that you are an idiot. I hope UNI does to you what they did to Drake.
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You sure about that UNI matchup, partner?
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Read my rebuttal on the blog. I’m not saying Northern Iowa is a bad team, the MVC is the best Mid Major conference in College Hoops, but do you think we want to travel to Iowa next year? I’ll give you a hint, no.
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That’s a pretty weak response. You are a baby!
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Ha! You wanted Northeastern because you don’t think you can beat UNI! That’s funny!
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It’s good to see people outside of the Siena actually care about mid-major hoop.
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UNI’s resume looks just as good as Northeastern’s. (Same amount of losses, same amount of top 100 RPI wins, although UNI’s are slightly better). I’m not quite so sure what else you would’ve wanted. Outside of Butler, Davidson, St. Mary’s, and you guys (Siena) UNI is the next best thing, despite what the “RPI” says. Relax, and enjoy a good ole Valley whoopin’ in a few weeks!
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Wait, the only reason you don’t want this game is because you don’t want the team to go to Iowa next year? Do you think this UNI team wants to travel to Seiena this month?
UNI has a better RPI win than you do, the only reason your RPI is so high is because of your losses OOC. DEAL WITH IT YOU FREAKING BABY
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This is Siena’s wake up call….get better. MVC is quality hoop. They don’t play the high octane basketball seen in the east , rather they play nuts and bolts basketball that will have your head spinning when its all done. I like the match-up of wills in this one. Gonna be good hoop. I do like that Siena has more time to prepare for this game than N.Iowa will.
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Siena has 7 top 100 wins. NI has 4 and just in conference. We don’t have a 30 point blow out loss, in fact have been more competitive in the “up” games.
I like the match up. Siena needs to beat a half court team and NI is just that. Like that NI doesn’t have one star, you need to stop them all.
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Wow! i have never seen this many crazy people. Siena is a match-up nightmare. Just ask the big schools we lost to, and might I add they lost to them on the road. Nobody can be excited to come into the TUC ask Stanford last year. Siena struggled early, there best defensive post player was hurt, and he should be back whenthey play N. Iowa. Siena play speed ball, and yes they can shoot, and they go 9 deep with ppl who can score. Is the MVC good, yes are we happy to play a good team out of a good conference yes. But this game can in no way help Siena, if we win we were supposed to based on RPI, if we loose (which is a big if) then it just hurts us. Also the travel next year does stink, Siena pays there own way next season to a team that will not be in the top 25. Siena will need to get another road game were they are paid good money to make up for it. But that is beside the point. Needless to say i am excited about the match up, I think Siena needed to be put down by ESPN and the commitee, This will give them a chance and there first chance to look like a supioror team on Natioal TV. GO SAINTS and MVC fans apreciate the talk but do you homework before you come to our house and our blogs and expect to win……
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You should really do your homework on UNI before you talk about how it is a guaranteed win for you. UNI is a damn good team, and is much more athletic than you want to give them credit for.
Ask Wichita State. They seem to know both teams.
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Bill -
“Crazy people”? Wow! So you think that the only reason ESPN gave Siena this matchup was to make Siena look like a “superior” team on national TV? Wow. I hope you come back on here after Feb. 21 instead of crawling into a dark cave and eating your words (which is what I’m afraid you’ll be doing).
It’s going to be great to see how your team reacts when Hasbrouck is taken out of the equation (I see you needed 33 out of him last night to get past a “tough” St. Peters team).
Some of you are awfully cocky if you ask me. You need to come back to Earth. Remember, you lost to Wichita State, who we’ve already beaten and who is clinging to 6th place in our conference.
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People keep gettin crazy on here. I mean u think it is easy to be 11-0 in your league and have eveyone wanting to be the team to knock you off, the point is Kenny finally broke out of a season long slump, and the bench is comming into shape, and Siena is playing there best ball of the year. N. Iowa of all teams shuld no abuot bad losses Illinois Chicago RPI of 166 and Indiana State 264, so get off us about a bad performace, that we clearly looked tired and off in. Also i would like to add the only power house team you played blew you off the floor by 30, our worst lose to a power team is 14. I never said that ESPN matched us up to look superior. I said that it is just a chance for us to do that. This will be a good match up if N Iowa can bring there 3 point shot with them, if not this will be over quickly. Siena is great at home and nobody should think that they are going to come in here and win. On that note I will see you all at the game….
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Bill –
11-0 in conference play (the 12th toughest RPI rated conference by the way) isn’t too far off from being 10-1 in conference play (the 9th toughest RPI rated conference).
And for the record, we do more than shoot threes. If you really think you’re going to run away with us if our threes don’t fall, you’re sadly mistaken. We’re tough to match up against right now.
Have fun!
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You guys are all babies. It’ll all be decided on the court.
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I’m not going to approve your comments if you leave fake e-mail addresses. Stand by what you say.
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ahaha werent these northern iowa fans talking about about a good ole whoopin and how all the siena fans would run away to there dark caves..well it looks like you were wrong…siena clearly dominated and has now shown that they deserve an at large
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Ha. i like the guy calling people baby. i miss the 6th grade.
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