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Drake picked for first. Tucker DeVries picked as POY

https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/qwtiQc026X7aj

1 Drake (24)
2 UNI (19)
3 Bradley (3)
4 ISU
5 Belmont
6 MO State (1)
7 Murray St
8 ISU
9 SIU
10 UIC
11 Evansville
12 Valparaiso

1st Team
Born (UNI)
Clay (MSU)
DeVries (Drake)
Leons (Bradley)
Tyson (Belmont)

2nd Team
Strawbridge (UE)
Larry (ISU)
Perry (Murray)
Anderson (UNI)
Avila (ISU)
Brodie (Drake)

3rd Team
Burford (ISU)
Deen (Bradley)
Johnson (SIU)
Moore (MSU)
Okani (UIC)
Swope (ISU)

1-1-0 Drake
1-1-0 UNI
1-0-1 Bradley
0-2-1 ISU
1-0-0 Belmont
1-0-1 MSU
0-1-0 Murray
0-0-1 ISU
0-0-1 SIU
0-0-1 UIC
0-1-0 UE
0-0-0 VU

Why do we need 6 people on 2nd and 3rd teams. Was there really two ties for the last spot on each?

its just feels like uni will not show up again.

TBS_20 wrote:its just feels like uni will not show up again.

Yeah, I get that people feel that way. Last year, UNI suffered from not having a true big. Basically played small-to-medium-ball all year. So my expectation/hope is that having Hutson will make everyone better. That and healing from last year's injuries (Born, Heise, Henry) has us pretty hopeful in Cedar Falls. We will see.

sivert wrote:

TBS_20 wrote:its just feels like uni will not show up again.

Yeah, I get that people feel that way. Last year, UNI suffered from not having a true big. Basically played small-to-medium-ball all year. So my expectation/hope is that having Hutson will make everyone better. That and healing from last year's injuries (Born, Heise, Henry) has us pretty hopeful in Cedar Falls. We will see.

Hutson is definitely a huge body that had a lot of hype coming out of High School. But he averaged 6 minutes a game for an abysmal Loyola team that probably would have finished only above UE, UIC, and Valpo last year in the valley. His presence will potentially make UNI better on defense, however, Anderson flourished down low all season due to his athleticism compared to other school's bigs.

So iLL 24 wrote:

sivert wrote:

TBS_20 wrote:its just feels like uni will not show up again.

Yeah, I get that people feel that way. Last year, UNI suffered from not having a true big. Basically played small-to-medium-ball all year. So my expectation/hope is that having Hutson will make everyone better. That and healing from last year's injuries (Born, Heise, Henry) has us pretty hopeful in Cedar Falls. We will see.

Hutson is definitely a huge body that had a lot of hype coming out of High School. But he averaged 6 minutes a game for an abysmal Loyola team that probably would have finished only above UE, UIC, and Valpo last year in the valley. His presence will potentially make UNI better on defense, however, Anderson flourished down low all season due to his athleticism compared to other school's bigs.

The coaching change screwed Hutson. He and Valentine didn't exactly see eye to eye on a lot of things. Seems to have happened to a bunch of Porter's guys there.

He's also now dropped 20 pounds and looks great. He doesn't have to be great for UNI to be good. He has to be decent defensively and be enough of a threat around the bucket to give Anderson some more space to operate.

We'll know early. That first month of the schedule is an absolute bitch.

I fully respect Jake, and UNI has some nice pieces, but I really have a hard time understanding why so many people are picking an 8th place team that was 14-18 with 8 home losses and ended the season 2-9 and really haven't added much, as high as they are. Jake factor I guess . Not that the teams they've jumped ahead of don't have some question marks as no one in the Valley is a sure bet this year. Drake, while the favorite, is looking for a lot of contribution and quick cohesion from at least 3 new starters , and everyone else has some significant holes to fill, but teams like Bradey, Indiana St , Belmont, and even MSU were just better last year than UNI and return some solid rosters despite the holes.

If UNI can stay healthy, their group of guards and wings will compete with anyone. Thats what matters in February and March. Lots of teams with new backcourt groups that need to gel (including Drake). UNI doesn't really have that issue.

I don't think its hard at all to see UNI competing for the top. They aren't besting the Bulldogs at season's end of course, but they'll be up there