What's Up In The Missouri Valley: January 2025

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 1/29/2025

Men’s College Basketball Viewing Guide: Wednesday, January 29, 2025--Blogging the Bracket

MVC

(99) Northern Iowa at (66) Drake, 7 (MVC TV/ESPN+ ($))
(116) UIC at (63) Bradley, 8 (ESPN+ ($))

The second-place Bulldogs have won six in a row since dropping consecutive games to UIC and Murray State, while the Panthers sit a game back in third after winning four of their last five. Since dropping a seven-point decision to Drake on January 8th, the Braves are riding their own five-game winning streak, though the first of those victories came by a single point on the Flames’ home floor on January 11th.

Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Wednesday, Jan 29th--Hoops HD

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-NORTHERN IOWA AT DRAKE (Missouri Valley). This is a rivalry game between a Drake team that I still think has a path to landing inside the bubble (albeit a narrow one), and a Northern Iowa team that hasn’t always played up to their potential, but is also potentially very dangerous when they do. This should be a fun one!

-UIC AT BRADLEY (Missouri Valley). Bradley needs to win out to get a serious look from the committee, and they’ve got a UIC team that’s red hot right now and that they do not want to overlook.

1/29/25 WEDNESDAY NOTES--Staring at the Floorboards

Subscriber Content

Another tough injury break for Northern Iowa, as they lost hyper athletic and versatile defender Leon Bond for the year. UNI’s defensive turnover rate drops nearly 5% with Bond off the floor (a big deal against Drake, who has a major turnover flaw, although it’s mostly self inflicted, as their live ball rate is actually very low with the lowest steal rate against in the Valley)...

Bracket Impact Games: Road opportunities for Texas, Xavier--Bracketville

Wednesday, Jan. 29 Bracket Impact

Northern Iowa at Drake Drake’s overall metrics suggest the Bulldogs must finish the season strong. At home, this is a Quad 3 game Drake needs to win to stay in the thick of the bubble picture.

Wednesday, Jan. 29	Bracket Impact
Northern Iowa at Drake	Drake’s overall metrics suggest the Bulldogs must finish the season strong. At home, this is a Quad 3 game Drake needs to win to stay in the thick of the bubble picture.

Kings of the North--Valley Hoops Insider

Bradley basketball vs UIC updates: Braves upset by Flames at home, 93-70--Peoria Journal Star
Meet Jaquan Johnson: The freshman who bullies opposing teams--The Bradley Scout
Bradley Women's Basketball returns home to face Missouri State--bradleybraves.com

3 takeaways from Drake basketball's dominant win over UNI--Des Moines Register
Drake Battles Past UNI in First Meeting of Season, 66-52--godrakebulldogs.com

Pozzato and Comer post career games in win over Racers--gopurpleaces.com

UE women's basketball welcomes Chicagoland teams to Meeks--gopurpleaces.com

Redbirds to Host Southern Illinois, Missouri State This Week--goredbirds.com

ISU men's basketball survives Missouri State to win 72-67--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Teel sparks Sycamores comeback to end losing streak--Indiana Statesman

Sycamores return home for in-state showdown Thursday--gosycamores.com

Missouri State basketball vs Indiana State score: How to watch, live updates, game highlights--Springfield News-Leader
Sycamores Steal One from Bears in Final Minute--missouristatebears.com

Lady Bears Visit Bradley on Friday Night--missouristatebears.com

Gabriel Pozzato scores 29 and Evansville earns 78-74 win against Murray State--WPSD Local 6
Prohm hopes Racer men’s road success continues at Evansville--Murray Ledger and Times
Murray State at Evansville preview--Racer Basketball

Episode 272: Here's your Wednesday 'Fast Break' on a Game Day for the Racers--Racer Basketball

Murray State’s Young earns USBWA National Player of the Week honors--Murray Ledger and Times

Four takeaways from UNI's double-digit loss at Drake--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
UNI men’s basketball picks up big MVC win--Northern Iowan
UNI men’s basketball drops midweek contest at Drake--unipanthers.com

UNI women’s hoops hits the road over weekend--Northern Iowan

BOX SCORE SIU 79, VALPARAISO 75--Dawg Bites
SIU MEN’S BASKETBALL SIU 79, VALPARAISO 75--Dawg Bites
Salukis come back behind clutch play vs Valpo--The Daily Egyptian
Recap | Salukis Rally Late for Road Win at Valparaiso, 79-75--siusalukis.com

Men's Basketball Takes Down MVC Leader (and #4 Mid-Major) Bradley On Road, 93-70--uicflames.com

Women’s Basketball Opens Indiana Road Trip in Evansville Thursday Night--uicflames.com

Size matters--The Victory Bell
Wright’s Strong Showing Not Enough vs. SIU--valpoathletics.com

Valpo Basketball Weekly: Jan. 29--valpoathletics.com

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 1/28/2025

College basketball midseason reset: Contenders, bubble teams and pesky mid-majors to watch--The Athletic

Mid-majors who could make a run
Drake: First-year coach Ben McCollum, who won four national titles at the Division II level, is at his best in March, and he brought along four of his Northwest Missouri State players who know his formula. The Bulldogs own three wins over high-majors this year. Two of those (Miami and Kansas State) haven’t aged well, but at one (Vanderbilt) has. The Bulldogs take great shots and make it difficult for you to do the same. And Bennett Stirtz (17.7 ppg, 6.5 apg, 2.6 spg) is one of the best mid-major stars in the country. Bradley, currently a game ahead of Drake for first place in the Missouri Valley, is also a team that could be dangerous. Similar to last season when MVC tournament winner Drake made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and MVC regular season champ Indiana State made it to the NIT championship game, this is a league that’s worthy of multiple bids. Don’t hold your breath that the selection committee will agree.

MVC/OVC Repeating Stars--Valley Hoops Insider

Player of the Week Repeating Stars

For the first time all season, a Missouri Valley Conference player has received a second ‘Player of the Week’ award. This week’s first of the repeating stars is Drake’s Bennett Stirtz. The 6’4 junior averaged 21 points, 6.5 assists, 3.5 steals and 3.5 rebounds during the Bulldogs’ (18-2, 8-2) two victories. Stirtz leads the Valley in scoring (17.7 ppg), assists (6.45), assist/turnover ratio (3.58) and steals (2.55).
Crowded Newcomer Race

Belmont’s Carter Whitt joins teammate Jonathan Pierre and Indiana State’s Samage Teel as Valley’s the only multiple ‘Newcomer of the Week’ winners. While Teel has claimed three awards the Belmont duo each have two. Whitt averaged 16 points, 8.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds for the surging Bruins (15-6, 7-3). The 6’3 graduate student is third behind Stirtz and Murray State’s JaCobi Wood averaging 5.1 assists-per-game.
Freshmen Repeating Stars Abound

Gabriel Pozzato is beck! The Evansville rookie missed numerous games with injury and has been working his way back to top shape and last week averaged 17 points and 6.5 rebounds as the Purple Aces split a pair of games. Pozzato won the Valley’s first ‘Freshman of the Week’ award and now joins Valparaiso’s All Wright and Bradley’s Jaquan Johnson as a multi-week honoree.

High Octane Offense--Valley Hoops Insider
My Midseason Missouri Valley Conference All-League Ballot--The Victory Bell

Men's Basketball Visits Illinois State Wednesday--belmontbruins.com

Bradley basketball March Madness projections, bracketology for Jan. 28--Peoria Journal Star
Braves to host Flames as they begin the second half of MVC play--bradleybraves.com
Christian Davis named Busey Bank Scholar-Athlete of the Week--bradleybraves.com

Men's Basketball Preview: UNI & Southern Illinois--godrakebulldogs.com

Cuff’s career game lifts Aces past Beacons--gopurpleaces.com
Aces host Murray State on Wednesday at the Ford Center--
gopurpleaces.com

Illinois State, Illinois Wesleyan men's teams have home games--The Pantagraph
ISU Returns Home for Battle with Bruins--goredbirds.com

Sycamores, Bears trying to snap losing streaks at MVC halfway point--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Sycamores host Bears amidst six game skid--Indiana Statesman
Indiana State set to host the Bears in midweek MVC action--gosycamores.com

Sycamores Fall to Belmont; return to Hulman Thursday--Indiana Statesman

Episode 271: Evansville radio voice Jevin Redman previews Wednesday's game between the Purple Aces and the Racers--Racer Basketball
Road Racers Take On Purple Aces in Evansville--goracers.com

Young A Weekly All-American--Valley Hoops Insider
Racers move up in Mid-Major Top 25 poll--Racer Basketball
Young named National Player of Week--Racer Basketball
Young Picks Up USBWA National Player of the Week Honors--goracers.com

College Men's Basketball: UNI's Leon Bond III likely out for season after injury--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier

Maya McDermott finds perfect fit at University of Northern Iowa--The Next

Men's Basketball Opens Second Half of Valley Season at Bradley--uicflames.com

Hoosier State Swing Begins Thursday at Indiana State--valpoathletics.com

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 1/27/2025

The Other Top 25: North Texas rises eight spots to No. 7--Mid-Major Madness

The Other Top 25: Jan. 27, 2025

Ranking Team (First Place Votes) Points Previous

9 Drake 83 8

11 Bradley 69 14

Receiving Votes:

Charleston 11; Akron 8; Middle Tennessee 7; Belmont 6; UNLV 3; High Point 3; Princeton 2; Grand Canyon 2; Omaha 2; Utah Valley 2; Nevada 1; Jacksonville St. 1