The Other Top 25: Saint Mary’s and New Mexico share top spot--Mid-Major Madness
The Other Top 25: Feb. 17, 2025
Ranking Team (First Place Votes) Points Previous 9 Drake 87 7 15 Bradley 46 T-19
Men’s College Basketball Viewing Guide: Sunday, March 15, 2025--Blogging the Bracket
In the mid-major ranks, conference leads are at stake in the Valley, Horizon, and MAAC. Starting in the MVC, the Drake Bulldogs have won 11 in a row after starting 2025 with consecutive losses to UIC and Murray State. Today, they can take a big step toward securing the No. 1 seed for Arch Madness by completing a sweep of second-place Bradley—who the Bulldogs defeated by 7 on January 8th to break that mini-slide.
OVC/MVC Awards – Freshmen Stepping Up--Valley Hoops Insider
Players of the Week
Bradley won both of its games and moved within one game of first place Drake. The Braves (21-6, 12-4) were the Valley’s only 2-0 team last week and during the sweep, Deen averaged 18.5 points, including a 25-point game against Southern Illinois. The Valley’s ‘Player of the Week’ became the MVC’s third player to earn multiple ‘Player‘ honors.
Newcomers Making a Splash
Indiana State’s Samage Teel earned the season’s first ‘Newcomer of the Week’ award and Monday, the Presbyterian-transfer picked up his fourth weekly nod. Teel exploded for 36 points against Illinois State and added 21 during the Sycamores’ earlier game. He is second to Drake’s Bennett Stirtz in the MVC scoring race (17.6 ppg).
Freshmen Stepping Up
Wright is now a five-time winner of the Valley’s ‘Freshman of the Week’ award. The Valpo rookie has scored 17, or more points in five of his last six games and averaged 18.5 points last week. Wright is second to Evansville’s Gabriel Pozzato in the freshman scoring race. The Ace’s rookie star averages 15.1 points-per-game and Wright tallies 13.2. Wright’s teammate Cooper Schwieger is the Valley’s reigning ‘Freshman of the Year‘.
Second Half Leads Men's Basketball Past Southern Illinois--belmontbruins.com
Men's Basketball Plays Northern Iowa Wednesday at the Curb--belmontbruins.com
Women's Basketball Loses in Top MVC Battle--Belmont Vision
Drake Outlasts Belmont, 88-83, in High-Scoring Affair Saturday in the Music City--belmontbruins.com
'Ghost screen': Breaking down the play Bradley basketball used to deliver a big victory--Peoria Journal Star
Hannah’s slam lifts Bradley over Drake on the road--The Bradley Scout
Braves down Bulldogs and earn 7th MVC road win--bradleybraves.com
Bradley WBB ends road trip on a win at Indiana State--bradleybraves.com
Dave’s Bracket Report – February 16 (Sunday)--Bracketville
Highlighted Impact Games (Sunday, 2/16):
Bradley at Drake: Bradley could be Drake’s final Top 100 NET game until Arch Madness. A win at home gets the Bulldogs to 5-0 vs. Top 100 teams and furthers their at-large case, if needed.
Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Monday, Feb 17th--Hoops HD
NEWS AND NOTES:
-Drake, who needed to win out in order to be safely in the field, lost at home yesterday 61-59 to Bradley. It was close all throughout, and Drake had a chance to tie it on the last possession, but could not find the basket. I still think they’ll be inside the bubble if they win out, and I still think they are good enough to do it, but anything short of that and they’ll probably need the auto-bid.
5 NCAA Basketball head coaches who have had breakout campaigns in 2024-25--Busting Brackets
Ben McCollum - Drake
Recent times have been very successful for Drake, but McCollum didn’t inherit much when Darian DeVries left for West Virginia. However, he’s no stranger to success, as McCollum just led his alma mater Northwest Missouri State to four D2 national titles. Now he’s got Drake 23-3 and in a legitimate shot for a rare mid-major at-large bid, though the Bulldogs have work to do if that’s still a possibility. We knew that McCollum could be an excellent D1 head coach but he’s exceeding expectations already.
Bracketville QA: At-large bubble scenarios for Drake, VCU and ACC trio--Bracketville
At-Large Scenarios for Drake:
Dave: While Drake retains a lot of positives, including non-conference victories over Vanderbilt (neutral) and Kansas State (road), the Bulldogs’ chances would be better had they swept Bradley, one of only two Missouri Valley opponents in the Top 100 of the NET. Drake retains positive Resume Metrics (with an average round 40), but has more troublesome numbers when it comes to NET rating, predictive metrics and a non-conference SOS above 200. It would be a tough call today, given the Committee’s own ranking tool suggests Drake isn’t an NCAA-level team. That said, they are 4-1 vs. Quad 1/2 opponents and have avoided a truly bad loss. The current bubble is rather weak, so it’s not over, but they need a strong run between now and Selection Sunday.
Tim: On the surface, Drake has a chance. They have good wins against Vanderbilt and Kansas State, and a gaudy 21-3 record. But the thing that would hold them back is a No. 201 strength of schedule and a lack of depth in Quads 1 and 2. If they win out and lose in the finals of the MVC tourney, they would sit at 27-4 and certainly have a shot, especially if the bubble stays as weak as it is now. But we have been down this road many times before, and we all know every time, it has often turned out poorly for the non-major.
Bulldogs Fall to Braves, 61-59--godrakebulldogs.com
Katie Dinnebier posts 42 points in Drake women's basketball's win over Belmont--Des Moines Register
Dinnebier Tallies 42 Points as Drake Takes Down Belmont in Nashville--godrakebulldogs.com
Dinnebier's Career Day in Nashville Secures Seventh MVC Player of the Week Award--godrakebulldogs.com
UE coach David Ragland reacts to a MVC win over Valparaiso--Evansville Courier & Press
Aces defeat Valpo in River City game--gopurpleaces.com
Logan Luebbers Palmer sets new career scoring high in loss to Illinois State--gopurpleaces.com
Luebbers Palmer earns first MVC Freshman of the Week nod--gopurpleaces.com
Samage Teel does excessive damage for Indiana State in MVC win over Illinois State--The Pantagraph
Redbirds Fall in Terre Haute--goredbirds.com
Illinois State women handle Evansville--The Pantagraph
Illinois State women's basketball powers past Evansville--The Vidette
Redbirds Pull Away For Win Over Purple Aces, 73-53--goredbirds.com
Knudsen Named MVC Newcomer of the Week for the Third Time--goredbirds.com
Teel explodes for 36 as Indiana State holds off Redbirds 85-76--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Vorst provides Sycamores with energy off bench--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Teel scores most points in a game since 2006 in Saturday victory over Illinois State--gosycamores.com
Teel picks up fourth Newcomer of the Week selection--gosycamores.com
Late dryspell leaves ISU women a basket shy of victory, as Braves win 56-54--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Sycamores fall to Bradley in defensive battle--gosycamores.com
UIC Escapes with 63-58 Win in Chicago--missouristatebears.com
Bears Wrap Basketball Road Swing Wednesday at Valpo--missouristatebears.com
Thankfully healthy, Lacy Stokes ready to lead Missouri State women's basketball on title run--Springfield News-Leader
Lady Bears advance to 12-0 in Springfield with win over Valparaiso Beacons--The Standard
Murray State offense goes cold, falls to Northern Iowa in Nashville 74-67--WPSD Local 6
Murray State vs. Southern Illinois game moved to Wednesday night in Carbondale--WPSD Local 6
On a weird night in Nashville, Racer men fall to UNI--Murray Ledger and Times
Murray State/SIU game moved to Carbondale--Racer Basketball
Episode 300: It's the 'Ride Home' after the Racers lose to UNI in Nashville--Racer Basketball
UNI slides by Racers in Music City--Racer Basketball
Murray State Men’s Basketball Game Against Southern Illinois Moved to Carbondale--goracers.com
Racers Fall To UNI In Nashville--goracers.com
Episode 298: Here's your Sunday morning 'Fast Break'--Racer Basketball
Episode 299: Here's a weather-filled Monday morning 'Fast Break'--Racer Basketball
Racer women survive McDermott onslaught, gain sweep of UNI--Murray Ledger and Times
Episode 297: Here's the 'Ride Home' after Murray State's 96-91 win over UNI--Racer Basketball
Late Racer run seals 96-91 win over UNI--Racer Basketball
Four in Double Figures as Racers Drop UNI in Dramatic Fashion--goracers.com
College Men's Basketball: UNI wins fifth straight, one game back of Drake--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
Panther men’s hoops win fifth straight in neutral site win over Racers--unipanthers.com
UNI men’s basketball set to close road trip at Belmont--unipanthers.com
Southern Illinois Meets Murray State--Valley Hoops Insider
BOX SCORE BELMONT 73, SIU 68--Dawg Bites
SIU MEN’S BASKETBALL UPDATED GAMER BELMONT 73, SIU 68--Dawg Bites
SIU MEN’S BASKETBALL OVERTIME--Dawg Bites
SIU MEN’S BASKETBALL. Murray State moves Wednesday game to Carbondale--Dawg Bites
Second half Bruins ruin strong Saluki start to win 73-68--The Daily Egyptian
Round two with the Racers to come in Carbondale--The Daily Egyptian
Recap | Belmont Uses Second Half Rally to Secure Win Saturday, 73-68--siusalukis.com
Preview | Salukis Host Murray State Wednesday Night at Banterra Center--siusalukis.com
GAME CAPSULE UIC AT SIU--Dawg Bites
SIU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL UPDATED GAMER UIC 62, SIU 46--Dawg Bites
Recap | Offensive Woes Continue for Salukis in 62-46 Loss to UIC on Sunday--siusalukis.com
Men's Basketball Battles To Gritty 63-58 Win Over Missouri State--uicflames.com
Women’s Basketball Collects a 62-46 Road Victory at Southern Illinois Sunday--uicflames.com
Powell Jr. ejected in loss to Evansville--The Victory Bell
Valpo celebrates 27th Hall of Fame class--The Torch
Ensminger and Oppland were two dominant forces for Crusader basketball during their respective times. Ensminger dominated the paint, breaking program records at the time for rebounds and field goal percentage. Most notably, Ensminger was a member of the first team in Valpo history to reach the NCAA Tournament, ultimately kicking off the soon-to-be dynasty of Valpo men’s basketball. A decade later, Oppland also became a force inside for the men’s basketball team. Oppland currently stands at fourth in scoring, sixth in rebounds and tenth-highest single-season point total with 577 points as a junior. He received All Mid-Con honors in his last three seasons as well as a Third Team Academic All-American.
Valpo Falls at Evansville on Sunday--valpoathletics.com
Valpo Basketball Weekly: Feb. 17--valpoathletics.com
All Wright Makes It Back-to-Back Valley Freshman of the Week Honors, Five Total This Season--valpoathletics.com
Beacons to Battle Bears in Penultimate Regular-Season Home Game--valpoathletics.com
Beacons Battle Back Before Falling at Missouri State--valpoathletics.com
MVC Men's Basketball Weekly Notebook (2-18-2025)--Missouri Valley
MVC Women's Basketball Weekly Notebook (Feb. 17)--Missouri Valley
No comments:
Post a Comment