What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/16/2021

Bubble Watch: 5 more teams are locked into this year’s NCAA Tournament--The Athletic

Others

Should be in: Loyola Chicago

Work to do: San Diego State, BYU, VCU, Saint Louis, Drake, Boise State, St. Bonaventure, Colorado State, Utah State, Richmond, Winthrop, Western Kentucky

Loyola Chicago (16-4, 13-2; NET: 10, SOS: 128): Two games against the same opponent in two days, you say? Sign us up for more. Seriously, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if this year’s strange scheduling practices carried over forever. In the case of the Missouri Valley Conference, the new scheduling rules produced a scenario in which Loyola Chicago and Drake — the two at-large hopefuls in the ostensibly two-bid Valley — met twice in two days, on the same floor, with the same emotions and passions running the same level. Loyola dominated the first game, 81-54, and you just knew Drake wasn’t going to go out like that in the second game Sunday. The Bulldogs stole a rock-fight of a 51-50 win in overtime, after which various heated words and come-at-me-bros were exchanged. “Look at the tape yesterday when we won, walking off the floor,” Loyola coach Porter Moser said after Sunday’s game. “And then look at their players and one of their assistant coaches (Sunday). Look at them when we were walking off the floor. Two different scenarios when we won walking off the floor and something that was said by one of their assistants and a handful of their players. I’ll just leave it at that. We’ll move on. The heat of the battle. Two teams battling. It’s over.” In the end, this outcome probably worked out for the Valley as a whole, and it didn’t really hurt Loyola’s very strong at-large chances (made stronger by their smart scheduling throughout nonconference play), but mostly, we just want to say: more of this, please.

Drake (18-2, 11-2; NET: 35, SOS: 254): A split was probably always the best outcome for everybody involved. Sure, maybe — maybe — Drake could have won both games against Loyola last weekend, and perhaps Loyola, with its top-10 NET number, could have survived the defeats and still presented a reasonable at-large case. It would have been tricky at best, though, and nowhere near as much as if Drake had to explain why it lost both of the two biggest games of its season at home on back-to-back nights. So, no, a split was the best outcome the Valley could have hoped for. After struggling in the throwback uniforms Saturday, Drake was all business Sunday, somehow grinding out a 51-50 win in overtime. The Bulldogs probably can’t afford to lose the rest of the way (they play UNI, Evansville and Bradley), but, yes, for now, the dream of the two-bid Valley is alive in Des Moines. (Sing this to the tune of the Portlandia song. It scans.)

MVC Basketball: Takeaways from Loyola-Chicago vs Drake showdowns--Busting Brackets

Under the Radar Game of the Day – Monday, February 15 (and other News, Notes, and Games)--Hoops HD

OTHER NEWS, NOTES, AND GAMES:

-Drake had a fantastic bounce back win against Loyola Chicago yesterday.  After getting blown out the day before and trailing for most of the game yesterday, they did keep it close and ended up picking up the 51-50 win in overtime.  It is by far their best win of the season and should land them inside the bubble so long as they hold serve for the rest of the year.

Bracket Projections (From the Puppet): February 15th--Hoops HD

COMMENTS FROM DAVID:

-I have Loyola Chicago at #29 on the seedlist, which puts them at the top of the #8 line.  I don’t think the committee will value them that much, and the to top of their resume is lacking, but I think they are that good on the court.

Drake Splits Series In Overtime Nail-Biter, Snaps No. 22 Loyola’s Winning Streak--Loyola Phoenix
Ramblers Open Three-Game Homestand By Hosting Valparaiso Wednesday--loyolaramblers.com