What's Up In The Missouri Valley

Friday, February 13, 2026

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/13/2026

Mid-Major Power Rankings: Saint Louis sets the standard as Gonzaga, Miami (OH) apply pressure--Busting Brackets

10. Belmont Bruins (21-4)
NET: 60
Belmont took a hit with the overtime loss to the Bradley Braves, a result that narrows the margin in the Missouri Valley race and reinforces the likelihood that the league sends just one team to the NCAA Tournament.
The Bruins still hold a two-game conference lead with five regular-season games remaining. That cushion matters. They return home Thursday to face the Northern Iowa Panthers before a pivotal road trip to Murray State Racers on Sunday.
Belmont controls its path, but the margin for error has disappeared.

Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Friday, Feb 13th--Hoops HD

NEWS AND NOTES:
-Belmont bounced back from their overtime loss at Bradley with a 91-86 win over a Northern Iowa team that had been playing really well, but it’s probably not going to be enough to put them on the bubble even if they win out. Another case of a good UTR team that would have made it inside the bubble had they just had more opportunities during the season to prove themselves.

This mid-major is helping Power 5 schools win titles — and pushing for one of its own--The Athletic
Tyler Lundblade scores career-high 31 points as Belmont beats Northern Iowa--Main Street Nashville
Men's Basketball Defends Home Court Against UNI--Belmont Vision
Men's Basketball Defeats Northern Iowa in High-Level Game--belmontbruins.com

From Canada to the Hilltop: Maya Foz making the most of her freshman year--The Bradley Scout

Drake basketball loses to UIC at home, drops fifth straight MVC game--Des Moines Register
Bulldogs Drop Fifth In A Row; Fall to UIC, 80-70--godrakebulldogs.com

Women's Basketball Preview: Indiana State--godrakebulldogs.com

Aces fall to Salukis in road contest--gopurpleaces.com

Illinois State catches fire in second half to secure needed win--The Pantagraph
Battle-tested: Redbirds prevail in second meeting with Beacons--The Vidette
Second Half Flurry Pushes Redbirds to 22-Point Win--goredbirds.com

Short-handed Sycamores lose by 2 to Murray State--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Sycamores head to Valparaiso--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Second-half rally by Sycamores comes up short against Racers--gosycamores.com

Kelsey scores 27 as ISU women lose by 12 after big comeback at UNI--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Gutsy effort falls short for Sycamores at UNI--gosycamores.com
Sycamores wrap up Iowa road trip Saturday at Drake--gosycamores.com

Murray State survives sluggish second half, beats Indiana State 74-72--WPSD Local 6
Racer men respond, end Terre Haute drought--Murray Ledger and Times
Bear of a task--Murray Ledger and Times
Racers Win For First Time at Indiana State in MVC--goracers.com
Racers Host Belmont Sunday at The Bank--goracers.com

After explosive game at Indiana State, Racer women meet Valpo--Murray Ledger and Times

College Men's Basketball: UNI drops high-scoring affair at Belmont--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
Panther men’s basketball falls short in high scoring loss at Belmont--unipanthers.com

College Women’s Basketball: UNI grinds down Indiana State on Goebel’s historic night--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
In case you missed it: Five takeaways from UNI's win over Indiana State--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
UNI women’s basketball: Panthers outlast Sycamores an a heavily-offensive matchup--unipanthers.com

Late Rally Puts Men’s Basketball Back in the Win Column, 80-70 at Drake--uicflames.com

Big second half lifts Illinois State over Valpo--The Victory Bell
Pettigrew Turns in Second Straight Double-Double in Defeat at Illinois State--valpoathletics.com
Valpo, Indiana State to Meet for 100th Time on Sunday--valpoathletics.com

Thursday, February 12, 2026

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/12/2026

MVC urgency and mid-major muscle: Thursday night sets up for statement wins--Busting Brackets

Valparaiso Beacons at Illinois State Redbirds

The Illinois State Redbirds entered the season as the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season favorite. It has not gone according to plan, but there is still time to get hot before Arch Madness.

Valparaiso has been pesky all season, including a win over the Redbirds earlier this year. The Beacons are just 3-8 on the road, though, and while they have won back-to-back games, this feels like a tough turnaround spot.
Coach Ryan Pedon’s group needs a statement performance, and this sets up well at home. Expect Illinois State to play with urgency and pull away in the second half.
Murray State Racers at Indiana State Sycamores

A solid Missouri Valley Conference matchup here. Murray State comes in at 18-8 and looking to bounce back after a loss. Indiana State sits at 10-15 and has struggled for consistency.

The Racers have the athletic edge and more firepower on both ends of the floor. Against one of the bottom teams in the league, this feels like a spot where Murray State controls tempo and pulls away.

Northern Iowa Panthers at Belmont Bruins

The Panthers head to Nashville to take on Belmont in a key Missouri Valley showdown. Northern Iowa is 16-9, while Belmont sits at 22-4 and remains near the top of the standings.

The Bruins are coming off a loss, which only adds urgency in this spot. If Belmont wants to stay in control of the race, this is a must-win at home. Look for the Bruins to respond with a strong offensive performance.

Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Thursday, Feb 12th--Hoops HD

UTR WATCH:
-Tonight’s slate is all Under the Radar games
-Northern Iowa @ Belmont (Missouri Valley) – Belmont’s at-large hopes may have vanished after their loss at Bradley over the weekend. They face a very good and red hot Northern Iowa team that is exceptionally dangerous now that they’re healthy. This should be a good one tonight

2.12.26 Game Analysis--Basket Under Review

A pristine Mid Major only slate today. Let's dive in...
A healthier Northern Iowa has regained their footing in the Valley...[Subscriber content] Of course Belmont's offensive structure can quickly render an elite rim denial defense moot...[Subscriber content]

Seven Teams Fighting For Five Spots--Valley Hoops Insider

Under the Radar – Week 15--Hoops HD

After that we run through the other 22 UTR leagues and look at how Liberty is still unbeaten (albeit barely) in Conference USA, and Belmont had a tough loss at Bradley that will probably end their at-large hopes.

Tyler Lundblade Named to E*TRADE Men's 3-Point Championship Watch List--belmontbruins.com

Women’s Basketball Returns to the Curb, Hosts UIC Friday Night--belmontbruins.com

Ellie McDermid named January Prairie Farms Athlete of the Month--bradleybraves.com

Aces Begin Four Game Homestand Friday Night Against Bradley--gopurpleaces.com

Redbirds Begin Road Trip Friday At Southern Illinois--goredbirds.com

Indiana State eyes momentum in matchup with Murray State--Indiana Statesman
Young added to State Farm College 3-Point Championship Watch List--gosycamores.com

Women’s basketball travels to Northern Iowa--Indiana Statesman

Look on the bright side; In wake of UNI disaster, Racer men are still in great spot in Valley--Murray Ledger and Times

Tristan Smith named to watch list for 2026 State Farm College Slam Dunk Championship--unipanthers.com

SIU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME CAPSULE ILLINOIS STATE AT SIU--Dawg Bites
Salukis Back in Banterra for Friday Tilt Versus Redbirds--siusalukis.com

Women’s Basketball Begins Four-Game Road Trip Versus Belmont Friday Night--uicflames.com

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

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