What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/9/2018

The Morning Dish – Thursday, February 8, 2018--Hoopville

Side Dishes:
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Loyola (Ill.) strengthened its grip in the Missouri Valley with a 72-57 win over Drake. The Ramblers hit the 20-win mark with another performance marked by efficient offense (50% from the field) and stingy defense (just 34.4% shooting allowed) that makes this team play well above its limited amount of size.
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Tonight’s Menu:
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Southern Illinois is the latest team to move into second in the MVC, but now the Salukis are on the road at up-and-down Illinois State, which also is on the upswing with three straight wins and is just one game behind SIU (9 p.m., CBSSN).

News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Wednesday, Feb 7th--Hoops HD

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
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-DRAKE AT LOYOLA CHICAGO (Missouri Valley). Loyola’s chances of ending up in the field without the auto-bid are very slim, but if they win out they should at least be on the board.

Johnson hits 5 3s, scores 28; Missouri St. beats Indiana St.--CBS Sports
Loyola Chicago tops Drake 72-57 for 20th win--CBS Sports
Evansville beats Valparaiso for 21st straight time--CBS Sports
Lohaus leads Northern Iowa past Bradley 74-65--CBS Sports
Illinois State turns back Southern Illinois 76-68 in OT--CBS Sports
Missouri State Bears: Stopping the Bleeding (for now)--Valley Hoops Insider
Paper Thin Difference--Valley Hoops Insider

Northern Iowa reaching for answers as Bradley comes to town--Peoria Journal Star
Bradley basketball finale on CBS Sports Network--Peoria Journal Star
BU freshman Stipanovich sidelined this week--Peoria Journal Star
Sports Briefs: 2018-02-09--Bradley Scout
Braves fall at home--Bradley Scout
Thomas Named Bradley Athlete of the Month--bradleybraves.com
Braves Fall on Road at Northern Iowa--bradleybraves.com

Women’s basketball’s Gabi Haack steals the show--Bradley Scout
Women’s basketball splits weekend series: Braves finish home stand with 1-3 record--Bradley Scout
Women’s Basketball Set For Weekend Road Swing--bradleybraves.com

Drake women ride historic wave of success behind Jennie Baranczyk--Des Moines Register
Men's Basketball Falls At Loyola, 72-57--godrakebulldogs.com

Timmer and Dean Named Enterprise Bank MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week--godrakebulldogs.com

Women’s Basketball Starts Three-Game Road Trip at Evansville--godrakebulldogs.com

Evansville grinds it out against Valparaiso behind Taylor's 31 points--Evansville Courier & Press
Taylor and Riley help UE men take 63-59 win over Valpo--gopurpleaces.com
ACES INSTANT REPLAY - Taylor rolls to Game-High 31 points, Aces sweep Valpo--gopurpleaces.com

Aces welcome Drake, UNI to Meeks Family Fieldhouse--gopurpleaces.com

ISU's Ndiaye rounding into shape ahead of crucial game against SIU--The Pantagraph
ISU's Yarbrough arrested, released on bond--The Pantagraph
Role players step up as Redbirds find way to survive in OT--The Pantagraph
Yarbrough arrested, released on bond--Vidette Online
Redbirds find spark with Williams--Vidette Online
ISU slides by the Salukis in overtime, 75-68--Vidette Online
Redbirds To Have Retro Night Against Northern Iowa--goredbirds.com
Trio of Redbirds Reach Career-Highs in Overtime Win over SIU--goredbirds.com

ISU women face pair of road games--The Pantagraph
Redbirds Travel to Southern Illinois for MVC Match Up--goredbirds.com

Limp Sycamores get blasted by Bears--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Sycamores Fall To Missouri State--gosycamores.com
Clarence Walker To Be Honored With Special Ceremony Saturday--gosycamores.com

Sycamore women can take over fourth with win tonight against Panthers--Terre Haute Tribune Star
The Taia That Binds--gosycamores.com
Sycamores Return Home to Host UNI Friday Evening--gosycamores.com

Scanning the Nation Notebook for Feb. 8 – On Michigan State, bubbles, Loyola Chicago, Summit League & more--Hoopville

File away the name Cameron Krutwig for reference. He’s a 6-foot-9 freshman starting in the post at Loyola (Ill.), and he’s already as versatile as almost any big man in the country. Krutwig’s scoring numbers are somewhat modest but picking up (10.4 ppg), he shoots 57.0% from the field and 76.2% from the line, is a good rebounder (6.7 rpg), passer (nearly two assists per game) and even has 19 blocked shots. Krutwig in particular is a slick passer from the elbow or low post, and similar to teams in recent years like Northern Iowa with Seth Tuttle and Toledo with Nathan Boothe, the Ramblers can run their offense through a big guy. That a team that is already plenty good (20-5 overall, 10-3 and leading the Missouri Valley) is doing so with a freshman says a lot about just how good Krutwig is already…

Loyola center Cameron Krutwig's 'old-school' ways translating to stellar freshman season--Chicago Tribune
Takeaways: Men’s Basketball Defeats Drake 72-57 for 20th Win--Loyola Phoenix
Mid-major Power Rankings: Saint Mary's rolling into rematch against Gonzaga--The Athletic

9. Loyola-Chicago (20-5, 10-3): Over the past eight games, 6-9 freshman center Cameron Krutwig has emerged as quite possibly the best big man in the entire Missouri Valley, averaging 14.75 points and 8.5 rebounds during the stretch as the Ramblers keep winning. (Last week: 11)

This week: There's no such thing as an easy game in the Valley, but this week's trip to Indiana State and home game against Valparaiso are two of the easiest games possible.