What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/26/2019

The Morning Dish – Sunday, February 24, 2019--Hoopville

Today’s Menu:
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The Missouri Valley co-leaders are both in action on the road against two of the league’s many chronically up-and-down teams. Drake-which has easily the league’s best overall record at 21-7-goes to slumping Illinois State (2 p.m., CBSSN), which defeated the Bulldogs already in Des Moines. Loyola (Ill.) also plays at Southern Illinois (4 p.m., ESPNU).

The Morning Dish – Monday, February 25, 2019--Hoopville

Side Dishes
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The Missouri Valley continues to rival the MAAC, as they have three teams tied for first, another team just a game back and three more teams two games back, meaning two games separates first from seventh. Two teams had a chance to break away from Missouri State at the top, but Drake lost 67-60 at Illinois State and Loyola-Chicago came up short at Southern Illinois 63-53. Ironically, the two winners are among the teams tied at 8-8, two games back.

College Basketball Recap: Winners and Losers from the weekend--Mid-Major Madness

Loser: Clear conference races
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The Missouri Valley also has a three-way tie atop its standings featuring Loyola Chicago, Drake and Missouri State. The Ramblers had a chance to create a cushion, but fell to Southern Illinois on Sunday.

Those are just a couple of the races we highlighted last week, and we didn’t get much clarity over the weekend of who’s actually going to claim those conference crowns.

Childs leads Bradley over Evansville 63-61--CBS Sports
Da Silva leads Missouri State past Indiana State 67-61--CBS Sports
Green scores 22 to lead N. Iowa over Valparaiso 64-53--CBS Sports
Yarbrough scores 21 to lift Illinois St. past Drake 67-60--CBS Sports
Fletcher carries S Illinois over Loyola of Chicago 63-53--CBS Sports
Tracking the conference races: Breaking down each league's contenders as the regular season winds down--CBS Sports

Other conference races
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Missouri Valley: 2018 Final Four darling Loyola-Chicago remains a contender to get back to the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The Ramblers are in a three-way tie for first with Drake and Missouri State, and each has two games left to play. Drake and Missouri State's meeting in the season finale on March 2 could be a dandy.

MVC – Rookies on the Rise--Valley Hoops Insider
Championship Drive Producing Big Results--Valley Hoops Insider

Missouri Valley Conference

Elijah Childs’ game has been growing as Bradley’s season has turned around. The Braves (16-13, 8-8) dropped their first five Valley contests but have fought their way back to .500. Last week Childs set a career high of 24 points in one game and recorded a double-double in the other.

The 6’7 sophomore earned his second ‘Player of the Week’ honor by averaging 18.5 points and 11 rebounds in BU’s two contests.

Another second time winner is Northern Iowa’s A.J. Green. The Panthers have won four straight games and stand one game out of first place. During UNI’s two victories the Panther freshman scored a total of 32 points and earned the ‘Newcomer of the Week’ award.

Green’s 15.3 points per game average is the league’s sixth best scoring average.

Wildest of Weeks Ahead--Valley Hoops Insider

What to watch when Bradley plays Evansville--Peoria Journal Star
As season winds down, Bradley wins ugly against Evansville--Peoria Journal Star
Valley basketball makes history for losses at the top--Peoria Journal Star
Bradley’s Childs earns Valley Player of Week honor--Peoria Journal Star
Junior Pittman to join senior Braves to be honored on Senior Night--Peoria Journal Star
Braves Outlast Evansville, 63-61--bradleybraves.com
Elijah Childs Named Valley Player of the Week--bradleybraves.com
Braves Host Valparaiso on Senior Night--bradleybraves.com

Braves Top Illinois State 75-65 To Sweep Season Series--bradleybraves.com

Milik Yarbrough scores 21 to lead Illinois State past Drake, 67-60--Des Moines Register
Men’s Basketball Falls In Final Seconds At Illinois State--godrakebulldogs.com

Hittner, Rhine lead No. 24 Drake women to 96-77 victory over Indiana State--Des Moines Register
Women's Basketball Defeats Evansville, 66-39--godrakebulldogs.com
Hittner Scores 33 Points in 96-77 Victory over Indiana State--godrakebulldogs.com
Hittner Named MVC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for Third Time This Season--godrakebulldogs.com

UE basketball's Marty Hill has a shot at competing in the college slam dunk championship--Evansville Courier & Press
Wild finish: UE basketball nearly stuns Bradley in Feehan's homecoming--Evansville Courier & Press
Men’s basketball battles but falls late at Bradley--gopurpleaces.com
ACES INSIDER- UE men look to send seniors out in style--gopurpleaces.com

Strong first-half performance not enough for Aces at Drake--gopurpleaces.com

Evans happy to share ISU Senior Day with parents, Normal couple--The Pantagraph
Seniors come up big on Senior Day as ISU ends skid--The Pantagraph
MVC notebook: League title, play-in game on line in final week--The Pantagraph
Redbirds upset Drake to snap five-game drought, 67-60--Vidette Online
Heather: Redbird hoops' fate sits in hands of seniors--Vidette Online
Seniors Dominate on Their Day--goredbirds.com

Hy-Vee to Host Coaches Shows Tonight--goredbirds.com

ISU women's five-game winning streak ends with loss at Bradley--The Pantagraph
Bradley snaps ISU women's hoops win streak, complete season sweep--Vidette Online
Freshmen Shine in Narrow Loss to Bradley--goredbirds.com

ISU basketball still searching for MVC win streak--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Todd Aaron Golden: Sycamores optimistic they can turn it on … despite evidence to the contrary--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Bears Clip Sycamores In Springfield--gosycamores.com

ISU women drop 71-63 decision at Northern Iowa--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Third quarter decisive for Sycamores at Drake--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Comeback Falls Short at UNI--gosycamores.com
Sycamores Fall at No. 24/24 Drake--gosycamores.com

The Other Top 25: We’re a Wofford blog now--Mid-Major Madness

Also receiving votes: Montana 25, San Diego State 24, Jacksonville State 22, Charleston 14, Georgia State 13, Saint Mary’s 13, Northern Kentucky 9, Texas State 7, Bowling Green 7, Drake 6, Northeastern 5, Georgia Southern 2, Norfolk State 2, Loyola 2, Wright State 1, Austin Peay 1, Radford 1.

Loyola Falls To Southern Illinois, 63-53--loyolaramblers.com
Pivotal Road Game On Tap As Loyola Visits Northern Iowa Wednesday--loyolaramblers.com

Second-Half Surge Sends Southern Illinois Past Loyola, 64-41--loyolaramblers.com
Ramblers Fall To Missouri State On Senior Day, 85-58--loyolaramblers.com

Missouri State stays in Valley title race with bounce-back win over Indiana State--Springfield News-Leader
Missouri State will be Valley champs if it wins its 2 games this week. Here's why.--Springfield News-Leader
Strong Second Half Helps Ford, Bears Pick Up 10th Valley Win--missouristatebears.com
Bears Begin Stretch Run with Key Road Game at ISU--missouristatebears.com

Lady Bears Continue Road Success with 77-58 Win at Valpo--missouristatebears.com
Balanced Effort Leads to 85-58 Win for Lady Bears--missouristatebears.com
Franklin Selected MVC Newcomer of the Week for Third Time--missouristatebears.com

Wyatt Lohaus looks to end up-and-down UNI basketball career on high note--The Gazette
UNI basketball downs Valparaiso for fourth straight win--The Gazette
College men's basketball: UNI extends win streak over Valpo--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
On UNI Podcast, Feb. 22, 2019--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
UNI men's basketball: Panthers have risen into contention--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
UNI Ticket Office Offer Buy One Get One for School Supply Donations--unipanthers.com
Stout Defense Lifts Panthers over Valparaiso, 64-53--unipanthers.com
AJ Green Named MVC Newcomer of the Week--unipanthers.com
Panthers Host Ramblers on Senior Night--unipanthers.com

Local, Iowa sports briefs--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier

Basketball

Northern Iowa is offering a buy one, get one promotion for Wednesday night’s men’s basketball game against Loyola at the McLeod Center for fans who donate school supplies for the classrooms of Lowell Elementary.

A roof collapse forced Lowell students to relocate and they are in need of supplies ranging from backpacks and gym shoes to crayons, scissors and glue sticks.

For a complete list of items needed, email nick.harvey@uni.edu.

Fans can receive their buy one, get one tickets by dropping off supplies at the McLeod Center ticket office Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

AJ Green of Northern Iowa was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week Monday.

Green, a Cedar Falls High all-stater, had 32 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists in a pair of Panther victories.

The University of Northern Iowa is offering a free ticket to one of the two remaining Panther women’s home games for anyone who purchased a ticket (including season ticket holders) but was unable to attend Sunday’s game against Evansville because of the weather.

UNI hosts Bradley March 7 and Illinois State March 9. Fans can take Evansville tickets to the UNI ticket office to exchange them for a free ticket.

Wartburg College has been selected to host first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games Friday and Saturday.

The 13th-ranked Knights will play Bethany Lutheran (22-5) Friday at 8 p.m. after Hope (23-4) and Wheaton (22-5) face off at 5:30 p.m. The winners meet Saturday at 7 p.m.