What's Up In The Missouri Valley

Friday, February 5, 2021

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/5/2021

Is This a Two-Bid Valley?--Valley Hoops Insider

Analysis: What’s wrong with the Braves?--Bradley Scout
Bradley Earns Invitation to 2021 Paradise Jam--bradleybraves.com
Braves Host Southern Illinois Saturday and Sunday--bradleybraves.com

Turnovers doom Bradley in loss against Valpo--Bradley Scout
Valpo's Record Night Too Much to Overcome--bradleybraves.com

'He's defied the odds': How Roman Penn went from no college offers to perfection at Drake--Des Moines Register
Drake-Loyola basketball game time shifted for ESPN2 telecast--Des Moines Register
No. 25 Men’s Basketball Travels To The Region--godrakebulldogs.com

UE Insider: The Aces are one of the MVC's best stories, but a tough month awaits--Evansville Courier & Press
First vs. Second: 23 Series In--Eville-Ways
Aces take to the road for series at Loyola--gopurpleaces.com

Aces series at UNI rescheduled--gopurpleaces.com

Watch now: Freshman Emon Washington finding his way for Illinois State ahead of Missouri State series--The Pantagraph
Redbirds Welcome Missouri State to Normal--goredbirds.com

Watch now: Illinois State women hope to carry momentum to Southern Illinois--The Pantagraph

ISU will try to maintain momentum away from Hulman Center--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Sycamores Take Win Streak to UNI This Weekend--gosycamores.com

ISU women pause team activities--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Sycamore Women’s Basketball Pauses Team Activities; Series with Valparaiso Adjusted--gosycamores.com

Loyola Chicago Basketball: Rambling toward another Cinderella season?--Heat Check CBB
Under The Radar: February 3rd--Hoops HD

From there we run through the other 21 UTR leagues and discuss how UMBC and Vermont are neck and neck in the America East, how Southern Utah still manages to impress in the Big Sky along with Eastern Washington who’s improving and Montana State who remains unbeaten, the tight race in the Ohio Valley between Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, and Morehead State, how teams like Loyola Chicago and Toledo have a chance of landing inside the bubble and perhaps even cracking the rankings, how tight the ASun and NEC conferences are, and more.

Red-Hot Ramblers Return Home, Host Evansville This Weekend--loyolaramblers.com

Loyola Women’s Basketball in Second Place in the MVC, Gears Up to Host Drake Feb. 5-6--Loyola Phoenix

UNI vs. Indiana State: Feb 6-7--unipanthers.com

UNI-Evansville Women's Basketball Games Rescheduled--unipanthers.com

Saluki Basketball 5@5: Drake and Loyola go national and league players of the week--Southern Illinoisan
Saluki Basketball 5@5: Brown's 3-point turnaround, SIU sticking with man-to-man, and going south in November--Southern Illinoisan
Game Notes: Men's Basketball at Bradley--siusalukis.com
Salukis to play in 2021 Paradise Jam--siusalukis.com

Game Notes: Women's Basketball vs. Illinois State--siusalukis.com

Women’s Basketball Ties Program 3-Point Record in Win Over Bradley--valpoathletics.com

State Farm MVC Scholar-Athlete Spotlight (Feb. 5)--The Missouri Valley

Thursday, February 4, 2021

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/4/2021

Drake vs. Loyola Series Opener Moved To ESPN2 At 11 a.m.--godrakebulldogs.com

Women’s Basketball Visits Loyola Friday-Saturday--godrakebulldogs.com

Redbirds Head South for Series with the Salukis--goredbirds.com

Men's BB wins sixth straight game--Indiana Statesman

Loyola-Drake Series Opener To Air On ESPN2--loyolaramblers.com

Red-Hot Ramblers Host Drake This Weekend--loyolaramblers.com

Road Rumble with Redbirds Next for Ford, Bears--missouristatebears.com

Men’s basketball drops latter game vs SIU--Northern Iowan

Saluki Basketball 5@5: Leadership with SIU's underclassmen, the Aces' turnaround and top-50 defenses--Southern Illinoisan

Valpo's Sheldon Edwards, Connor Barrett have prepped for big moments--NWI Times

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/3/2021

Pandemic lessons, eye tests, the MVC as a two-bid league: College hoops mailbag--The Athletic

Any chance the MVC is a 2-bid conference this year? UNI is probably the most disappointing mid-major in the country; however, Loyola is getting a lot of love from the computer metrics, and Drake of course is undefeated. What would it take for both of those programs to dance next month? — Seth K.

There’s every chance the Missouri Valley Conference is a two-bid league this year? Gaming out the exact scenario in which it happens is tricky, but on the merits, Drake and Loyola both have really good chances to get in. Drake’s adjusted efficiency ranking at KenPom.com is top 50, even if it isn’t quite as high as its top 15 NET — but Loyola’s NET and adjusted efficiency numbers are basically identical, which only helps build the case.

On Feb. 13 and 14, Loyola plays back-to-back games at Drake. (The Valley, like a lot of mid-major leagues, is doing two-game pods at one location, and it just so happens that Loyola is playing at Drake rather than the other way around.) Would it be best for the league if the two teams split? Both teams get a quality win to go with their metrics, both teams win out the rest of the way, and assuming one of the two wins the Valley tournament, if the Valley tournament happens, that’s enough to get in the field after all? Maybe!

The alternative scenario is one of the two teams wins both games, while the loser goes on to get the automatic bid. That works too. Point is, yes: The two-bid MVC has never been more alive.

Who wins it all? Who’s the top freshman? The biggest surprise? Our midseason poll--The Athletic

Braden Norris, left, and the Loyola Chicago Ramblers are one of two excellent teams in the Missouri Valley. (Mary Langenfeld / USA Today)

Which mid- or low-major will make it to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament?

Then: Richmond received five votes, followed by Loyola Chicago with three, Northern Iowa with two and Austin Peay, BYU, Dayton, Saint Louis, San Diego State and Western Kentucky all sharing one.

Now: 1. Loyola Chicago (6); 2. Drake (4); 3. Boise State (2); T4. Western Kentucky and Belmont (1)

What our voters say

• Loyola-Chicago. Yes, that means I like the Ramblers to beat Drake for the Valley title. It’s because of their defense. It’s because of Cameron Krutwig, but mostly because if ever a year called for extended time with Sister Jean, this is it. — O’Neil

• Drake, for sure. One of the last undefeated teams in college basketball. The Bulldogs have been tested, and they’ve survived. I’m not saying they’re going to make a run to the Final Four, but I think a Sweet 16 appearance is possible. — C.J. Holmes
Which team has been the biggest surprise?

Then: Note, we worded this question differently in the preseason, asking our voters which team outside the preseason Top 25 would finish in the top 10. Alabama received five votes, followed by Indiana with three, Memphis and Seton Hall with two each and Auburn, LSU, Oklahoma State and Stanford all getting one vote apiece.

Now: 1. Alabama (5 votes); 2. Michigan (4); 3. Virginia Tech (2); T4. Drake and Florida (1)

What our voters say
• Hmm. If several of us were in on Alabama on the preseason — once again, see my vote for Oats as coach of the year and sing my praises from the mountaintops — then how can the Crimson Tide also be a surprise team at midseason? You know what team absolutely nobody talked about in October and November? Drake. The Bulldogs are 17-0. They’re in the Top 25 for the first time in 13 years. Now that’s what I call a true surprise. — Bennett

With Drake 17-0, many an athletic director is going to be looking at Darian DeVries this spring. (Jeff Curry / USA Today)

Who will be the hot coach everyone on the carousel will be pursuing this offseason?

Now: 1. Darian DeVries, Drake (4 votes); T2. Niko Medved, Colorado State, and Craig Smith, Utah State (2); T4. Pat Kelsey, Winthrop; Todd Golden, San Francisco; Nate Oats, Alabama; Jon Scheyer, Duke (assistant); Wes Miller, UNC Greensboro; John Beilein (1)

What our voters say

• Darian DeVries has Drake undefeated, and it doesn’t appear to be an aberration. Will he stay in Des Moines and try to build the Bulldogs into an annual Missouri Valley contender, or will the native son wait to see what happens at other schools in the Great Plains and Upper Midwest before making a jump? Or will he listen to offers from major programs? — Dochterman

Bigs In the Valley--Valley Hoops Insider

5 categories in which Bradley is struggling after a tough weekend in Indiana--Peoria Journal Star

Women’s Basketball Visits Valparaiso To Close Road Swing--bradleybraves.com

News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Tuesday, Feb 2nd--Hoops HD

NEWS AND NOTES
-Drake has cracked the rankings, and they had no trouble blowing out Illinois State last night after struggling with them just the day before.

Has Drake played its way into an NCAA Tournament at-large bid? It's iffy. Here's why.--Des Moines Register
Darnell Brodie Named MVC Men’s Basketball Newcomer of the Week--godrakebulldogs.com

Todd Lickliter, Shot Whisperer--Eville-Ways

Watch now: MVC Notebook: Drake, Loyola clearly distancing themselves from rest of pack--The Pantagraph

COVID forces ISU-MSU women's cancellation--Terre Haute Tribune Star

Krutwig Named MVC Player Of The Week--loyolaramblers.com

Saluki Basketball 5@5: Steven Verplancken's breakout game, TV update, and Drake breaks into top 25--Southern Illinoisan
MVC Notebook: Domask feels good, but status still unknown for Bradley--Southern Illinoisan

Valpo to Host Nationally-Ranked Drake This Weekend--valpoathletics.com

Valpo Basketball Weekly: Feb. 2--valpoathletics.com

MVC MBB Weekly Notes (F2)--The Missouri Valley

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

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

Key scores 19 to carry Indiana State past Bradley 67-55--Associated Press
Givance scores 12 to lift Evansville over Valparaiso 58-51--Associated Press
Krutwig carries Loyola of Chicago past Missouri State 70-50--Associated Press
Bracketology 2021: Ohio State starts February on a high--Blogging The Bracket

Turning our attention to the bubble ...

Loyola Chicago wasn’t able to win in Madison earlier this season, but the Ramblers haven’t gotten much wrong since.
Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

While the Big East is down to four teams in this projection, we have a two-bid Missouri Valley for the first time. Loyola Chicago enters the field as the last team in today, largely on the strength of a 15-3 record and some impressive computer numbers. The Ramblers are currently 13th in KenPom, thanks in no small part to a fifth-ranked defense that suffocated Missouri State on Sunday and Monday, and 14th in the NET, two spots lower than undefeated Drake. Set reminders for February 13th and 14th, when the Valley’s two best teams meet in Des Moines for the pair’s lone regular-season meetings.

News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Monday, Feb 1st--Hoops HD

NEWS AND NOTES
-Loyola Chicago should be getting the selection committee’s attention. I don’t know if they are or not, but they should be. Missouri State has been a solid team this year, especially at home, and Loyola just blew them out of the building. They’ve looked the part all year, both at home and on the road, and deserve to at least be in the discussion.
-Drake, the other Missouri Valley team that’s gotten noticed, remains undefeated, but barely. They needed overtime yesterday to get by Illinois State.

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-ILLINOIS STATE AT DRAKE (Missouri Valley). Drake had to sweat out the win in overtime yesterday, but they remain unbeaten and I believe they remain inside the bubble.

-LOYOLA CHICAGO AT MISSOURI STATE (Missouri Valley). This will be a tough road test for Loyola Chicago, but if they can pull off the win they’ll be in good shape for being in a position to get an at-large bid. Or…they should be, at least.

Bubble Watch: Prepare for an NCAA Tournament, and a Watch, unlike any other--The Athletic

Others
Work to do: Drake, Loyola Chicago, Boise State, San Diego State, St. Bonaventure, Saint Louis, BYU, VCU, Colorado State, Richmond, Toledo, Utah State, Winthrop

Drake (15-0, 8-0; NET: 13, SOS: 226): All hail the masters of the NET … your 2020-21 Drake Bulldogs! The last time we thought this much about Drake was probably high school, when our team qualified for the mock trial state finals hosted at Drake’s law school. This is a refreshing change of pace. No, the Bulldogs are not the 13th-best team in the country, as the NET somewhat mysteriously seems to think, but Drake is a high-quality team in the Missouri Valley, one that not only hasn’t lost but also one capable of beating Illinois State, 95-60, as it did Monday night. (On Sunday, Drake beat Illinois State in overtime, 78-76. Still a win!) Drake’s nonconference schedule was bad. It still hasn’t beaten anyone we’d call “good.” But it is unbeaten, and playing good basketball, and one of two potential at-large teams in the Valley. That’s enough for us.

Loyola Chicago (13-3, 10-1; NET: 16, SOS: 253): Rambler Fever™ returns! Rambler Fever 2: The Ramblering! It’s a spec title. We’ll workshop it. Point is, Loyola Chicago is back in the Bubble Watch, baby. It’s pretty exciting. It’s also the real deal: Unlike Drake, which is 49th in adjusted efficiency, Loyola’s elite NET ranking is backed up by its KenPom.com rank, which sits safely in the top 20. This is a really good team, and even if its gambit of picking up a sudden road trip to Wisconsin didn’t quite work out on Dec. 15, there’s enough proof in its other performances to suggest Porter Moser’s latest outfit deserves real at-large consideration. Can both Valley teams get in the field?

'An awful feeling': Bradley basketball can't stop slide, loses its sixth straight--Peoria Journal Star
Indiana State Defeats Bradley, 67-55--bradleybraves.com

No. 25 Drake routs Illinois State 95-60 after return to poll--Associated Press
A look at who is unbeaten and winless in college basketball--Associated Press

DRAKE
Record: 17-0
AP Rank: 25
Pomeroy Rank: 51
Best Start Since: This is the best start in school history.
Highlight So Far: Drake’s Missouri Valley Conference schedule includes several back-to-backs — two games in two days against the same opponent. The Bulldogs have fared just fine in the latter halves of those. After beating Southern Illinois by 18 on Jan. 3, Drake came back the following night and clobbered the Salukis 86-55.
Why They’re Unbeaten: The Bulldogs have been efficient both inside the arc and outside. They’re shooting 51.2% from the field and 39% from 3-point range.
Upcoming Challenge: Drake hosts Loyola of Chicago on Feb. 13 and 14.

In its first game as a ranked team since 2008, Drake scores 95 points to beat Illinois State--Des Moines Register
No. 25 Men’s Basketball Wins 17th Straight--godrakebulldogs.com

Women's Basketball to Host annual Pink Game presented by MercyOne Medical Center Des Moines--godrakebulldogs.com

Evansville basketball rallies to sweep Valparaiso, improve to 6-4 in MVC play--Evansville Courier & Press
Sayonara, Thursday! Aces Sweep Valpo--Eville-Ways
Aces overcome 16-point deficit to defeat Crusaders--gopurpleaces.com

Evansville women's basketball pauses activities due to COVID-19--Evansville Courier & Press
Evansville women's basketball pauses team activities--gopurpleaces.com

Watch now: No doubt this time as No. 25 Drake routs Illinois State behind Murphy's 30 points--The Pamtagraph
Bulldogs maul Redbirds, sweep season series--Vidette Online
Redbirds Fall in Series Finale to Ranked Bulldogs--goredbirds.com

The Illinois State Basketball Coaches Shows Presented by Bud Light Air Tonight--goredbirds.com

Winning time is the Sycamores’ time again as Bradley is swept--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Todd Aaron Golden: When it comes to ISU and the OVC? Never is the only answer--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Down In The Valley: Week In Review, Feb. 2--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Indiana State Overpowers Bradley for Sixth Straight Win, 67-55--gosycamores.com

Indiana State-Missouri State Women’s Basketball Series Cancelled--gosycamores.com

Loyola Men’s Basketball Powers Past Missouri State Following Huge First Half--Loyola Phoenix
Loyola Men’s Basketball Blows Out Missouri State on the Road--Loyola Phoenix
Loyola Wins Eighth Straight, Knocks Off Missouri State, 70-50--loyolaramblers.com

Loyola Women’s Basketball Holds Off Southern Illinois, Hampton-Bey Scores Season-High 23--Loyola Phoenix
Rice Scores Season-High 19 as Loyola Women’s Basketball Sweeps Southern Illinois--Loyola Phoenix

Missouri State basketball ends important homestand 0-4 after another loss to Loyola--Springfield News-Leader
MSU Insider: Bears basketball looks broken after disappointing 0-4 homestand--Springfield News-Leader
Missouri State basketball losing streak up to four after loss to Loyola--The Standard
Sharp Posts 21 as Bears Fall to Loyola for Second Time--missouristatebears.com

MSU Lady Bears' home series vs. Indiana State canceled due to COVID-19 concerns--Springfield News-Leader
Feb. 5-6 Women’s Basketball Games with Indiana State Cancelled--missouristatebears.com

Northern Iowa women's basketball weekend series with Evansville PPD--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
UNI-Evansville Women's Basketball Series Postponed--unipanthers.com

Salukis regain winning feeling after Jones' record performance--Southern Illinoisan
Bryan Mullins Press Conference--siusalukis.com

Valpo squanders large lead and falls to Evansville--NWI Times
Valpo Falls to Evansville on Monday--valpoathletics.com

Women's Basketball Welcomes Bradley to ARC Thursday and Friday--valpoathletics.com

Monday, February 1, 2021

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/1/2021

The AP voters finally did the right thing on Monday, giving undefeated Drake (16-0) a spot in the Top 25. That came in a week where the Bulldogs won three games, all by single-digits in an impressive display of tenacity.

That effort moved them into the top 10 of The Other Top 25 as well, just five spots behind Loyola University Chicago. The Ramblers are 16th in KenPom and have been dismantling the Valley en route to a 9-1 conference start. Drake and Loyola square off on Feb. 13 and 14 in a pair of must-see games as both teams have a chance to strengthen their at-large arguments.
Here are our full rankings:
The Other Top 25: Week 11

Rank School Record Change Our reasoning

5 Loyola University Chicago 14-3 1 Loyola is up to 16 in KenPom and it's getting kind of funny. Let's see how high the Ramblers can rise simply by bludgeoning opponents in the Valley.
10 Drake 16-0 3 Drake has won close, won big, and everything in between. The Bulldogs FINALLY cracked the AP Poll this week at 25.

Rank	School	Record	Change	Our reasoning
5	Loyola University Chicago	14-3	1	Loyola is up to 16 in KenPom and it's getting kind of funny. Let's see how high the Ramblers can rise simply by bludgeoning opponents in the Valley.
10	Drake	16-0	3	Drake has won close, won big, and everything in between. The Bulldogs FINALLY cracked the AP Poll this week at 25.

Belmont’s Casey Alexander leads group of emerging mid-major coaches--The Athletic

And, hey, one of those lists is coming up right now, as we undertake a mid-major midseason review. Here are nine more coaches who have boosted their stock, in alphabetical order:

Darian DeVries, Drake: Absolutely no one saw a 16-0 start for Drake coming. DeVries won 44 games in his first two seasons with the Bulldogs before this breakout. The Iowa native seems perfectly at home in Des Moines, Iowa, but the 45-year-old former Creighton assistant is on the radar of a lot of power-conference programs.

Dennis Gates, Cleveland State: Gates, a longtime Florida State assistant under Leonard Hamilton, took over a program in turmoil two years ago after the messy dismissal of Dennis Felton’s staff. Following an 11-win first season, the Vikings are leading the Horizon League with a 12-2 conference mark.
Games of the week
(All times ET. AP rankings as of Monday morning. And because this is 2020-21, all games are tentative).
Illinois State at Drake, 7 p.m. Monday, ESPN3. Undefeated watch continues for the Bulldogs in the second game of this back-to-back. Illinois State is 5-11 and 2-8 in the Valley but was a missed free throw away from beating Drake — and a missed layup from sending the game into double OT — on Sunday.
The Mid-Major Top 10
4. Drake (16-0, 7-0 Missouri Valley): There was plenty of drama for the Bulldogs last week as they returned from a coronavirus pause. They trailed by 17 points on Monday at Missouri State in their first game back. Then they ratcheted up the energy in the second half to pull out a 68-61 victory. They completed the impressive road sweep the following night. Then on Sunday, Drake got a big-time scare from Illinois State at home before escaping in overtime. Drake joins Gonzaga and Baylor as the last remaining undefeated teams in Division I; if it can stay that way until the Valentine’s Day weekend series with Loyola Chicago, that would be enormous for the Missouri Valley. LW: 7
7. Loyola Chicago (14-3, 9-1 Missouri Valley): Memo to the selection committee: The Ramblers might lack signature wins. They might have lost to Indiana State. But if this isn’t a tournament team, we’re not sure what is. After completing an impressive road sweep at Bradley, Loyola Chicago blasted Missouri State, 72-46, on the road Sunday. This team is playing as well as anybody in the traditional one-bid leagues. Don’t punish the Ramblers if they don’t claim the Valley autobid. LW: 10

Bradley basketball loses fifth straight in defensive battle at Indiana State--Peoria Journal Star
Braves drop fifth straight in 60-57 loss at Indiana State--Bradley Scout
Braves Fall at Indiana State, 60-57--bradleybraves.com

Gonzaga, Baylor top AP Top 25, Sooners climb, Drake in--College Basketball Talk
News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Sunday, Jan 31st--Hoops HD

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-ILLINOIS STATE AT DRAKE (Missouri Valley). Drake continues to win, and if they win this game they may crack the top 25 tomorrow. Even if they don’t, I think they should be safely inside the bubble at this point. Now, it’ll only take a couple of losses to knock them outside of it, but this is a legit Drake team.

Three teams remain undefeated in college basketball--Zagsblog

No. 1 Gonzaga, No. 2 Baylor and unranked Drake are the three remaining undefeated teams in college basketball after Alabama A&M fell to Prairie View A&M 79-57 on the road Saturday.
Gonzaga and Baylor are both projected as No. 1 seeds in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, while Drake is projected as a No. 9 seed, according to Joe Lunardi’s latest mock bracket released on ESPN Friday.