Thursday, February 12, 2026

What's up In The Missouri Valley 2/11/2026


Men's Basketball Plays Northern Iowa Thursday--belmontbruins.com



Bradley WBB Continues Road Swing at Evansville Friday Night--bradleybraves.com



Men's Basketball Preview: UIC & UNI--godrakebulldogs.com

Drake basketball programs face difficult competition going into February--The Times-Delphic



UE men travel to Southern Illinois on Thursday--gopurpleaces.com



Illinois State basketball seeks bounce back performance once again--The Pantagraph
Men's Basketball Hosts Beacons in Mid-Week Battle--goredbirds.com

100 Wins and Counting: The legacy of Coach Gillespie at ISU--The Vidette



Clock ticking for Sycamores to crack MVC's upper-half--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Men's hoops meets Murray State on Thursday night in Hulman Center--gosycamores.com

Trees open Iowa road trip Thursday in Cedar Falls--gosycamores.com



MVC Challenge Continues - Racers at Indiana State Thursday--goracers.com



Paradise Victory--Northern Iowan
RJ Taylor’s fast-paced impact fuels UNI men’s basketball--Northern Iowan
Panther men’s basketball battle first-place Bruins on Thursday night in Nashville--unipanthers.com

Panthers drop home game to Bears--Northern Iowan
UNI women's basketball: Panthers look to bounce back with a matchup against Indiana State--unipanthers.com



SIU Hosts Evansville for Blackout Cancer Game--siusalukis.com



Men's Basketball Back to Work Thursday at Drake--uicflames.com



Eyes on the Rhoades ahead--The Victory Bell

Women's Basketball Opens Final Road Stretch at Murray State--valpoathletics.com

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/10/2026

Missouri Valley chaos ramps up as March nears and the pressure rises--Busting Brackets
The Men’s Other Top 25: Santa Clara joins top five--Mid-Major Madness

Here is the full ranking:

Ranking

Team (First-Place Votes)

Points

Last Week

9 Belmont 69 9
20 Murray St. 19 NR

Week 15 Watchlist: Cooler--Basket Under Review

Thursday, February 12

B Games

Northern Iowa at Belmont, 9 PM ET, ESPN+. Another Belmont game to watch, which means I don't have to sell it to you. How about a matchup of the league's best offense and defense? As of now, I would place my bets on a Belmont/Illinois State Arch Madness final, but Illinois State would (as it stands) have to get past UNI in the quarterfinals first, a team Ryan Pedon is 2-5 against.

Hunting a Bye--Valley Hoops Insider
Kings Conquering the MVC & OVC--Valley Hoops Insider

Kings Conquering the Player of the Week

Murray State big man Fred King came within one rebound of recording a pair of double-doubles. He scored sixteen points and grabbed 14 rebounds against Illinois Chicago and scored 17 and collected nine against Southern Illinois. The Valley’s ‘Player of the Week‘ is tied for seventh in the league scoring race (14.8 ppg) and leads the Valley in rebounds (9.4) and blocked shots (1.9). Murray State is two games out of first place.

Newcomers Gaining Traction

Southern Illinois’ Quel’Ron House joined the ‘multiple winners’ club for MVC newcomer awards. The Saluki guard claimed his second weekly honor by tossing up a pair of 20-point games. House scored 22 and 26 points during SIU’s two game split. This week’s ‘Newcomer of the Week‘ is the Valley’s eleventh leading scorer (14.4).

Rookies Padding Their Stats

Murray State freshman Roman Domon took over the MVC lead with four ‘Freshman of the Week‘ awards. He moved past Belmont’s Eoin Dillon who had claimed the previous three weekly honors. Domon moved into the Racers’ starting lineup and put up big numbers. He tallied Eighteen points and 8 boards against UIC and seventeen and five against the Salukis. Domon is tied with his teammate King in the league scoring race.

Snell & Layman Insights of the Braves & Bruins--Valley Hoops Insider
Monday Night Late Night--Valley Hoops Insider
Great Coaches Matching Wits--Valley Hoops Insider


Title Chasing: A Look at Each NCAAW Conference--Basket Under Review

Missouri Valley (MVC)

Murray State: 11-1
Belmont: 10-2

Murray State and Belmont are the only two teams in the conference with less than four losses, and thus, they are the two teams fighting for the #1 seed in the conference tournament. Murray State has the upper hand right now, as they have been Belmont's only two losses thus far, so they hold the tiebreaker over them for the #1 seed. Belmont still has a chance at winning the #1 seed, but they will absolutely need to not lose another game this season to give themselves a chance.

Meaningful Games to Watch This Week

2-13: Illinois Chicago @ Belmont
2-15: Illinois Chicago @ Murray State

There really aren't any games in the Missouri Valley this week that will play into the #1 seed or conference title chances. Now, if Belmont or Murray State loses to Illinois Chicago in an upset this week, that will change the entire equation. If either of these teams doesn't go 2-0 this week, something bad has happened.



Men's Basketball Drops Heartbreaker in Overtime at Bradley--belmontbruins.com
Strickland, Dillon Named Trane Student-Athletes of the Month for February--belmontbruins.com



'An electric game': Bradley Braves snap 9-game Belmont win streak with 95-84 win in overtime--Peoria Journal Star
A shot, a stop, a statement: Braves defeat top-seeded Bruins in overtime--The Bradley Scout
MBB Recap: Bradley topples first place Belmont in Monday night action--bradleybraves.com

Mya Wardle named Busey Bank Scholar-Athlete of the Week--bradleybraves.com



Quinn's 33 Not Enough As Bulldogs Fall to Beacons, 81-76--godrakebulldogs.com



Casey and Berridge post career efforts in win over Redbirds--gopurpleaces.com



Hot-shooting Evansville drops Illinois State men's basketball--The Pantagraph
A royal flush for the Aces: ISU stunned by Evansville--The Vidette
Late Comeback Comes up Short on Monday--goredbirds.com

Emerging guard Trista Fayta sparks Illinois State women past Drake--The Pantagraph



Old habits resurface to haunt Sycamores in loss to Salukis--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Sycamores look to bounce back against Racers--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Harding, St. Bernard named Hannig Construction Indiana State Student-Athletes of the Week--gosycamores.com
Indiana State falls to Southern Illinois on Monday--gosycamores.com

Sycamores fall to Braves--Sycamores fall to Braves



2/8 Racer Rewind--WPSD Local 6
Murray State suffers largest home loss in program history with 29-point landslide to Northern Iowa--WPSD Local 6
Looking for 3 in a row; Racer men must tame UNI to keep momentum rolling--Murray Ledger and Times
They’ve been strangers; So far, Northern Iowa has only visited The Bank once ... and won--Murray Ledger and Times
Northern Iowa turns late night into horror show for Racer men--Murray Ledger and Times
Racers Searching For Answers After Home Rout To UNI--goracers.com


5 in 5: A Look at the Week Ahead in Women's College Basketball--Basket Under Review

5 Teams to Watch This Week


Murray State

Murray State is at the top of the Missouri Valley with a record of 11-1 so far this season. They are one game clear of Belmont, who sits in second place, and then there is a two-game gap. So, the MVC winner will likely be one of these two teams. It might come down to the team that doesn't trip over themselves in the last couple weeks. Murray State has the tiebreaker over Belmont, as they are 2-0 against them this season, so Murray State has the ability to lose one additional game if Belmont wins out. They don't want that to happen this week when they face off with Valparaiso and Illinois Chicago. Look for two convincing wins from the odds-on favorite to win the conference.



Teams of the Week: Foxy Foxwell and the Pilots--Basket Under Review

HONORABLE MENTION: REMAINING CONFERENCE AWARDS

MISSOURI VALLEY: NORTHERN IOWA - Panthers have a healthy Tristan Smith again and that has everyone in Cedar Falls sleeping better at night. UNI's home win over Bradley was a crippling defensive effort, holding the Braves to 49 points. Similar to what we saw in non-conference games with defensive prowess. UNI is alive and well for an Arch Madness run.

College Men's Basketball: Northern Iowa stomps Murray State for season sweep--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
UNI men’s basketball rolls to 29-point rout at Murray State--unipanthers.com



Salukis shut down Sycamores in 80-65 win--The Daily Egyptian
Rolyns Aligbe Grabs 16 Boards as Southern Takes Down Indiana State--siusalukis.com

Salukis Overcome Sluggish Start, Defeat Valparaiso, 82-73, as Green Ties Career-High--siusalukis.com



Say Drake, I Hear Valpo Won--The Victory Bell
Valpo takes down Drake, 81-76--The Valpo Vault
Freshmen Shine as Valpo Secures First Win at Drake Since 2018--valpoathletics.com
Beacons Hope to Sustain Surge in Regionally-Televised Game at Illinois State--valpoathletics.com



MVC Men's Basketball Weekly Notebook - 2-9-2026--The Missouri Valley Conference

MVC Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Feb. 9)--The Missouri Valley Conference

Sunday, February 8, 2026

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/7/2026


Men's Basketball Defeats UIC--belmontbruins.com

Bruins Complete 2-0 Weekend in Iowa with 70-58 Victory at UNI Saturday--belmontbruins.com



'They punked us': How Bradley basketball lost to an elite Northern Iowa defense--Peoria Journal Star
What makes Bradley Braves basketball star so good in second halves?--Peoria Journal Star
‘They kind of punked us’: Panthers pounce on Braves in lowest scoring game of the season--The Bradley Scout

Bradley WBB Tops Indiana State 85-75 to Open Road Trip--bradleybraves.com



Drake women's basketball loses to Illinois State, drops 5th straight--Des Moines Register
Competitive Bulldog Squad Nearly Conquers CEFCU Arena Hostility--godrakebulldogs.com



Late rally comes up just short for Aces in loss at UIC--gopurpleaces.com



Illinois State bounces back with strong offensive performance in win over Drake--The Pantagraph
Raining Threes: Redbirds bounce back with help beyond the arc to defeat Bulldogs--The Vidette
Red-Hot Redbirds Fly Past Bulldogs--goredbirds.com

Fayta and Washington shine in win over Bulldogs--The Vidette
Redbirds Win Fourth Straight And Stay Undefeated At Home With 77-70 Win Over Drake--goredbirds.com



Indiana State women can't keep up with hot-shooting Bradley, lose 85-75--Terre Haute Tribune-Star

3-point barrage sinks Sycamores Saturday afternoon--gosycamores.com



King & Domon Lead Racers Past SIU in Carbondale--goracers.com
Racers Enter MVC Crunch Time - Host UNI--goracers.com



College Women's Basketball: Hot-shooting Belmont races past UNI--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
UNI women’s basketball drops February home opener to Belmont--unipanthers.com



Murray State Uses Efficient Shooting to Top Salukis--siusalukis.com



Men's Basketball Second-Half Rally Comes Up a Touch Short to No. 4 (Mid-Major) Belmont, 68-62--uicflames.com

Women’s Basketball Fends Off Evansville in a 68-65 Victory Saturday Afternoon--uicflames.com



Valpo Rallies Past Evansville for Gritty Overtime Victory--valpoathletics.com
Road-Heavy Stretch Continues on Monday at Drake--valpoathletics.com

von Schlegell, Connolly Notch New Scoring Highs; Beacons Fall to SIU--valpoathletics.com

Friday, February 6, 2026

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/6/2026

What Do We Know One Month from Arch Madness--Valley Hoops Insider
Daily Dunk: Best College Basketball Bets Today (Predictions for UConn-St. John's, Dayton-VCU, and More)--Sports Illustrated

Belmont vs. UIC Prediction

You may not believe this, but Belmont is the best shooting team in the country, ranking first in effective field goal percentage. Now, they face a UIC team that ranks 305th in that metric. The Bruins are also better defensively, outranking UIC 70th to 95th in defensive efficiency.

The only reason why Belmont is a bigger favorite is that Nic McClain, their point guard, is questionable for the game. Even if he's out, I have a lot of faith in the Bruins' top scorers still getting enough points to cruise past a bad UIC team.



Men's Basketball Visits UIC Friday--belmontbruins.com

Bruins Defeat Drake 67-52 in Des Moines Thursday Evening--belmontbruins.com



Bradley basketball vs Northern Iowa: How the Braves fell to a nationally ranked defense--Peoria Journal Star
MBB Preview: Bradley to face Northern Iowa on Friday night--bradleybraves.com

Bradley WBB Defeats UNI to Push Home Winning Streak to 11--bradleybraves.com
Bradley WBB Opens Road Trip at Indiana State--bradleybraves.com



Drake men's basketball loses at Illinois State--Des Moines Register
Bulldogs Fall to Redbirds, 86-76--godrakebulldogs.com

Women's Basketball Bested by Bruins--godrakebulldogs.com



Moeller ties career scoring high in overtime contest at Valparaiso--gopurpleaces.com

Hot shooting helps Aces overwhelm Valpo, 83-59--gopurpleaces.com
Aces aim to complete roadtrip sweep in Saturday clash with UIC--gopurpleaces.com



Redbirds to Battle with Bulldogs on Friday Evening--goredbirds.com
Redbirds Look To Stay Undefeated At Home Saturday Against Drake--goredbirds.com



After dominating Evansville, Sycamores to face Salukis on Monday--Terre Haute Tribune-Star

COLLEGE NOTEBOOK: Former ISU basketball players progressing in their respective seasons--Terre Haute Tribune-Star

Racers race past ISU women 114-78--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Flowers’ career night not enough for Sycamores against red-hot Racers--gosycamores.com
Sycamores face Braves to close two-game homestand--gosycamores.com



Racer men try to keep good vibes churning at SIU--Murray Ledger and Times
Racer men put losing streak in rear view at SIU--Murray Ledger and Times
Friday Fun - Racers Visit SIU--goracers.com

Turned on a dime; Monster response takes Racer women from danger to safety at Indiana State--Murray Ledger and Times
Dominant Racers Pick Up 20th Win of the Season--goracers.com



LIVE BLOG: Bradley at UNI Basketball--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
UNI men’s hoops stifles Bradley in Panthers In Paradise victory--unipanthers.com

UNI women’s basketball: Panthers split regular-season series with Bradley--unipanthers.com
UNI women's basketball: Panthers return home for a rematch with Belmont--unipanthers.com



Salukis fall to Murray State in Friday night contest--Southern Illinoisan
Salukis get stung by Racers on Mike Glenn jersey retirement night--The Daily Egyptian
Salukis and Racers Face Off in Carbondale on Friday Night--siusalukis.com

SIU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME CAPSULE SIU at VALPARAISO--Dawg Bites
Thompson Buzzer-Beater Propels Salukis to Win Over UIC--siusalukis.com



Men's Basketball Hosts MVC Leader Belmont Friday Night--uicflames.com
Flames Fall in Final Seconds to SIU, 55-53.--uicflames.com

Women’s Basketball Closes Out Three-Game Homestand Against Evansville Saturday--uicflames.com



Shorthanded Beacons rally in overtime victory--The Victory Bell

Beacons Fall to Evansville Thursday--valpoathletics.com
Women's Basketball Hosts Annual Pink Game Saturday Afternoon--valpoathletics.com

Thursday, February 5, 2026

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/5/2026

4 things to know about the MVC race a month from Arch Madness--Post-Dispatch



Bruins Score Consecutive 100-Point Games--Belmont Vision

Women’s Hoops Takes on Drake in Des Moines Thursday Evening--belmontbruins.com



Bradley WBB Hosts Northern Iowa in Thursday Night MVC Clash--bradleybraves.com



Illinois State basketball seeks needed bounce back as Drake comes to CEFCU--The Pantagraph



Sycamores pick up first road MVC win over Evansville--Indiana Statesman

Sycamores square off with league-leading Racers Thursday night--gosycamores.com



Murray State's Domon continues to pass each test in first college season--WPSD Local 6

Ultimate trap game; Racer women take Valley lead to dangerous Indiana State--Murray Ledger and Times
First Place Racers Head to Terre Haute--goracers.com



College Men's Basketball: UNI's Campbell is rarity in current college landscape--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier


Mid-Major Madness Women’s Player of the Week Voting: Jan. 26-Feb. 1--Mid-Major Madness

Ryley Goebel – Northern Iowa

Goebel recorded the second points-rebounds-blocks triple-double in Missouri Valley history. She had 18 points, 14 rebounds and a Valley-record-tying 10 blocks in a 66-56 win at Drake. The senior shot 7-of-12 from the field and registered three steals. The Urbana, Iowa, native opened the week with nine points and nine boards in a 59-55 loss at Illinois State. She shot 64.7% from the floor for the week as the Panthers sit tied for third in the MVC.



SIU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME CAPSULE SIU at UIC--Dawg Bites



Beacons Ready for Rare Friday Night Home Game--valpoathletics.com