What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 1/29/2018

The Morning Dish – Sunday, January 28, 2018--Hoopville

Today’s Menu: The Sunday before Super Bowl Sunday is a bit busier than the last few and has a good mix of conference showdowns and rivalry games.
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Loyola (Ill.) has looked like the best team in the MVC of late and is in first place, but Northern Iowa is still dangerous and as capable of making a sudden run as anyone in the league (4 p.m., ESPNU).

VIDEO: Illinois State’s Madison Williams threw down a Dunk Of The Year candidate--College Basketball Talk
The biggest things we learned in the mid-major college basketball world last weekend--Mid-Major Madness

Loyola Chicago, step right up.

60 percent of the Valley is within three games of first place, and so let’s sort this jumble out. Missouri State, the preseason favorite, dropped a home game to Southern Illinois to fall to 5-5. At the same time, the Salukis won their third-straight to move to 6-4. This brought them even with Bradley, which won a third-straight game of its own, and Drake, which has dropped consecutive games after rocketing briefly to first.

Phew.

Above it all, the finally-healthy Ramblers have begun to look like the clear-cut favorite. They blitzed Northern Iowa at home by 23 points on Sunday, getting a season-high 21 points from Clayton Custer. He’s been tremendous after missing the first three games of MVC play, but so has Cameron Krutwig. The freshman forward has been more than solid in league play (11.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG), suddenly giving Loyola a low post option alongside its bevy of perimeter scorers and skilled, undersized bigs.

News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Sunday, Jan 28th--Hoops HD

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
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-NORTHERN IOWA AT LOYOLA CHICAGO (Missouri Valley). At 17-4 overall and with a pretty big win on their resume at Florida, the selection committee should give Loyola a serious look if they’re able to win out. Northern Iowa had some nice wins OOC as well. In conference, well, not so much.

Kennell makes 7 3s in Bradley's first MVC road win, 81-73--CBS Sports
MVC leader Loyola-Chicago wins 7th straight, tops UNI 70-47--CBS Sports
MVC With 8 Games Left--Valley Hoops Insider

Former Bradley Brave and NBA agent Henry Thomas dies at 64--Peoria Journal Star
Bradley overcomes adversity to end MVC road skid--Peoria Journal Star
Loud crowd, stingy defense keys Bradley win over Evansville--Peoria Journal Star
Kennell Leads Bradley Past Indiana State, 81-73--bradleybraves.com
Bradley Hall of Famer, Henry Thomas '74, Passes Away--bradleybraves.com

Braves Put Scare Into League-Leading Drake--bradleybraves.com

Men’s Basketball Welcomes SIU To The Knapp Center Tuesday--godrakebulldogs.com

Drake women's basketball handles Bradley on the road--Des Moines Register
Women’s Basketball Holds Off Bradley for 84-75 Victory on Sunday--godrakebulldogs.com

1/29 Men's Basketball Players of the Week--College Sports Madness

Missouri Valley Ryan Taylor G Evansville

ACES INSIDER - University of Evansville honors eight with jersey retirements--gopurpleaces.com
ACES INSIDER - UE youth movement paying dividends in the stretch drive of season--gopurpleaces.com

Three score in double-figures as Aces downed at Loyola--gopurpleaces.com

Yarbrough tagged MVC Newcomer of the Week for fourth time--Vidette Online
Podcast: ISU beats Valparaiso for much-needed win, travels to Missouri State Tuesday--Vidette Online
Podcast: ISU women drop pair of home games, host two more this weekend--Vidette Online
Illinois State to Battle Bears in Missouri--goredbirds.com
Yarbrough Named MVC Newcomer of the Week for a Fourth Time--goredbirds.com

N. Iowa silences ISU women with defense--The Pantagraph
Northern Iowa overwhelms ISU in second half--Vidette Online
Redbirds Fall to Northern Iowa--goredbirds.com

When going got tough? Bradley got going to beat ISU--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Late Bradley Run Stymies Sycamore Second Half Rally--gosycamores.com

1/29 Women's Basketball Players of the Week--College Sports Madness

Missouri Valley Ashli O'Neal G Indiana State

Sycamore women win 67-54 at Valpo--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Women’s Basketball Looking to Build on Winning Streak with Matchup against Valparaiso--Statesman Online--gosycamores.com
Ashli O'Neal Named MVC Player of the Week--gosycamores.com
HOW SWEEP IT IS!

Mid-Major Madness Power Rankings: East Tennessee State enters the top 10--Mid-Major Madness

Here’s how it all shakes out. Do not @ us under any circumstances.
Mid-Major Madness Power Rankings: Week 11
RANK TEAM RECORD LAST WEEK POINTS
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15 Loyola Chicago 18-4 16 99

Bracket Projection: January 29--Hoops HD

– Loyola-Chicago is on my 12 line, but I have them ranked above all four of my First Four teams. The Ramblers are 18-4 overall, but three of the four losses came during a stretch when one of their top players, Clayton Custer, was out with injury. Plus, they have the huge win at Florida, a team that just became a 4 seed in my field. If they win out until the MVC title game, there should be some long discussions about this team in the committee room.