What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 1/19/2022

1/19/2022 MATCHUP NEWS AND NOTES--Staring At The Floorboards

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MISSOURI VALLEY

Valpo looked lost in a post-Loyola mega effort/heartbreak malaise against Missouri St, now has their first Valley rematch with Northern Iowa in town, and Lottich has been solid in Valley “second time around the block” games...
Bradley is the type of team that not having Tank Hemphill can be an exploitable issue...
Fourth game in a week for SIU, who is at least healthier than they’ve been all year, but I’m actually just as concerned about Indiana State’s legs...
Situationally, Illinois State would appear to be in some trouble. They’re off the big comeback win over their rival, now hit the road to play the league’s most lethal offense in Missouri State...

Only 1 conference has more staying power than The Valley —Big 10--Murray Ledger & Times

How Bradley matches up with one of oldest rosters in college basketball--Peoria Journal Star
Bradley basketball at Drake live updates: BU senior out indefinitely with head injury--Peoria Journal Star

Defending Champs Meet Thursday at Missouri State--bradleybraves.com

Purple Aces remain winless in MVC after No. 22 Loyola deals another blowout loss--Evansville Courier & Press
Second half rally pushes #22 Loyola to win over Aces--gopurpleaces.com

Slow start trips up Aces on the road at Indiana State--gopurpleaces.com

Watch now: Liam McChesney, other returning Redbirds feeling better heading to Missouri State--The Pantagraph
Five things to know before ISU men's basketball travels to Missouri State looking for sweep--Vidette Online
Redbirds Look to Sweep Season Series with Missouri State--goredbirds.com

Redbirds Primed for Road Trip to Southern Illinois, Missouri State--goredbirds.com

Sycamores, Salukis have mastered art of close-but-no-cigar--Terre Haute Tribune

ISU rides Williams, defense to keep Evansville at bay--Terre Haute Tribune
Sycamore defense stymies Evansville for second straight win--gosycamores.com

No. 22 Loyola Chicago routs Evansville for 10th straight win--Associated Press
Houston, Illinois and the other college basketball teams demanding your attention right now: Shot Takers--The Athletic

OK, abrupt segue to palate-cleanser time. What mid-major do you love, now that we have a couple months of results to validate or invalidate how much of a threat such teams are?

Dana: There is the obvious and arguably the team that is becoming the go-to for such conversation — Loyola Chicago. Drew Valentine has taken Porter Moser’s baton quite nicely.

But why be obvious, Brian? So dull. I checked in on Davidson at Saint Joseph’s recently and came away quite impressed...

So who you got? You can’t say Gonzaga.

Brian: Loyola Chicago is the correct and indisputable answer if the question is “Which mid-major is best equipped to wreck high-majors in the NCAA Tournament?” The Ramblers are crazy old, totally connected and I would argue they also have room to improve, because Braden Norris has been up and down but more up in the last two games. He’s not necessarily going to be a volume-scoring guy in the context of the group, but he’s also the guy a lot of people around the program thought would be the Ramblers’ best player this year. If Norris continues to be an efficiently assertive scorer, even more possibilities open up for a team already on an eight-game win streak.

Hark’s Remarks: Houston persevering through injuries; Wyoming’s postseason potential--Heat Check CBB

Loyola Chicago keeps playing with fire

Loyola Chicago started this season playing excellent basketball. The Ramblers leaped out to a 9-2 start and ranked No. 21 on KenPom. Their lone two losses were to Michigan State and Auburn – both at neutral-sites – and they carried a few solid wins on their resume as well. However, they did not play for nearly a month after that start, pausing for 27 days before returning to action on Jan. 6 for a neutral-site matchup with San Francisco.

The Ramblers won that game in Las Vegas, a big resume-building victory to improve to 10-2. Since then, though, they have not quite looked right. They won their following three games but they were not nearly as dominant as they had been earlier in the year. Considering the opposition, Loyola Chicago should have made quicker work of these victories:

Won vs. Bradley (KenPom No. 121) by 7 in overtime
Won vs. Valparaiso (KenPom No. 207) by 7 in 2OT
Won at Indiana State (KenPom 160) by 8

Loyola Chicago played with fire far too much in those games. Despite being heavy favorites in all three contests, the Ramblers had to overcome minimum win probabilities of 22.3 percent, 15.3 percent and 33.7 percent in those games. They are still the overwhelming favorite to win the Missouri Valley but need to regain their form if they are to remain a firm at-large contender.

Thankfully, a bounceback performance may have come in their most recent game. The Ramblers were a 13-point favorite (on KenPom) at Evansville and won by 29. Are they done playing with fire and back to dominating the conference? Perhaps.

The Phoenix’s Year in Review: 2021 in Sports--Loyola Phoenix
Inside How Loyola and San Francisco Were Able To Schedule A Major College Basketball Game in 48 Hours--Loyola Phoenix
Hot-Shooting Ramblers Roll to 77-48 Win At Evansville For 10th Straight Victory--loyolaramblers.com

Ramblers Begin Homestand This Weekend Against Evansville, Indiana State--loyolaramblers.com