Today In The Valley (Jan. 17)
Drake (13-5; 4-2) vs. Northern Iowa (11-6; 5-1)
11:00 a.m.
Knapp Center; Des Moines, Iowa
ESPN2
All eyes in central Iowa — heck, maybe even the nation full of early-rising hoops junkies looking for something to counter the Notre Dame-Syracuse tilt on ESPN at the same — will be tuned in to The Deuce for this showdown of two of the Valley’s top teams.
This game features last year’s MVC champs, the Drake Bulldogs, hosting a team that would very much like to replicate that squad’s unexpected ascension from the depths of the preseason polls to the top of the Valley. Through one-third of the conference season, Northern Iowa has won road games in Carbondale and Omaha, arguably the two most difficult home courts on which to steal a win in the MVC. Today, the Panthers look to claim another victim on the road … albeit just down the road a bit from Cedar Falls.
UNI features a roster with solid offensive balance. Four Panthers average between 10.2 and 11.2 points per game, and freshman Johnny Moran is knocking on the double-figures door at 9.7 points per contest. Two of those leading scorers are big men (Jordan Eglseder, 10.2 ppg; Adam Koch, 11.2 ppg), while the others are sturdy if not flashy guards Kwadzo Ahelegbe (10.5 ppg), Ali Farokmanesh (10.5), and the aforementioned Moran.
What Drake’s roster lacks in offensive balance it makes up for with two of the most important players in the MVC. Junior Josh Young (17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals per game) and senior Bucky Cox (12 points, 8 rebounds per game) are arguably the most consistent (and clutch) inside-outside combination in the MVC at this time. They are surrounded by complementary role players, some who have the ability to go off for a few scoring spurts here and there, but these are the two Bulldogs that lead the rest of the pack.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Drake
Panon: Drake
Dance Cam Guy: Drake
~ Creighton Otter
---
Evansville (11-5; 3-3) vs. Indiana State (4-13; 2-4)
7:00 p.m.
Roberts Stadium; Evansville, Indiana
A win today and Evansville is within striking distance of the lead pack of five other teams who are above .500 in conference play. The Purple Aces are in foreign territory going into this game, as it will be their first game at home following a home loss. UNI snapped Evansville’s unbeaten streak this season at Roberts Stadium on Tuesday. Indiana State, meanwhile, hits the road (but stays in-state) following a home loss against Bradley.
The Purple Aces need to forget the loss to UNI and move on — the seniors especially. Against Northern Iowa, EU’s senior starts were kept in check to say the least: Shy Ely, 7 points, and Jason Holsinger, 4 points, were held to season lows. Players like them don't have two consecutive bad games. And as a team, the Purple Aces shot 33%, well below their season average of nearly 44%. The law of averages says they will shoot better in this game, which is what you would expect when you in the confines of their home arena.
Kevin McKenna should have his entire coaching staff and team memorize the game tape from UNI’s win against Evansville. If the Sycamore defense does its job, the offense will still need to put the ball in the bucket. That’s made more difficult by the unknown availability of Harry Marshall. They are a different team when he is on the floor, but even if he plays (it may be a game-time decision) he probably won’t be at 100%.
This should be a great game in what is the final regular season matchup between the Valley’s two Hoosier State representatives. Evansville won the first meeting by 6 points on the Hulman Center floor in Terre Haute. And as we approach the midpoint of conference action, a win by either team will help the victorious team avoid the dreaded Thursday night games at Arch Madness.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Evansville
Panon: Evansville
Dance Cam Guy: Evansville
~ Panon
11:00 a.m.
Knapp Center; Des Moines, Iowa
ESPN2
All eyes in central Iowa — heck, maybe even the nation full of early-rising hoops junkies looking for something to counter the Notre Dame-Syracuse tilt on ESPN at the same — will be tuned in to The Deuce for this showdown of two of the Valley’s top teams.
This game features last year’s MVC champs, the Drake Bulldogs, hosting a team that would very much like to replicate that squad’s unexpected ascension from the depths of the preseason polls to the top of the Valley. Through one-third of the conference season, Northern Iowa has won road games in Carbondale and Omaha, arguably the two most difficult home courts on which to steal a win in the MVC. Today, the Panthers look to claim another victim on the road … albeit just down the road a bit from Cedar Falls.
UNI features a roster with solid offensive balance. Four Panthers average between 10.2 and 11.2 points per game, and freshman Johnny Moran is knocking on the double-figures door at 9.7 points per contest. Two of those leading scorers are big men (Jordan Eglseder, 10.2 ppg; Adam Koch, 11.2 ppg), while the others are sturdy if not flashy guards Kwadzo Ahelegbe (10.5 ppg), Ali Farokmanesh (10.5), and the aforementioned Moran.
What Drake’s roster lacks in offensive balance it makes up for with two of the most important players in the MVC. Junior Josh Young (17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals per game) and senior Bucky Cox (12 points, 8 rebounds per game) are arguably the most consistent (and clutch) inside-outside combination in the MVC at this time. They are surrounded by complementary role players, some who have the ability to go off for a few scoring spurts here and there, but these are the two Bulldogs that lead the rest of the pack.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Drake
Panon: Drake
Dance Cam Guy: Drake
~ Creighton Otter
---
Evansville (11-5; 3-3) vs. Indiana State (4-13; 2-4)
7:00 p.m.
Roberts Stadium; Evansville, Indiana
A win today and Evansville is within striking distance of the lead pack of five other teams who are above .500 in conference play. The Purple Aces are in foreign territory going into this game, as it will be their first game at home following a home loss. UNI snapped Evansville’s unbeaten streak this season at Roberts Stadium on Tuesday. Indiana State, meanwhile, hits the road (but stays in-state) following a home loss against Bradley.
The Purple Aces need to forget the loss to UNI and move on — the seniors especially. Against Northern Iowa, EU’s senior starts were kept in check to say the least: Shy Ely, 7 points, and Jason Holsinger, 4 points, were held to season lows. Players like them don't have two consecutive bad games. And as a team, the Purple Aces shot 33%, well below their season average of nearly 44%. The law of averages says they will shoot better in this game, which is what you would expect when you in the confines of their home arena.
Kevin McKenna should have his entire coaching staff and team memorize the game tape from UNI’s win against Evansville. If the Sycamore defense does its job, the offense will still need to put the ball in the bucket. That’s made more difficult by the unknown availability of Harry Marshall. They are a different team when he is on the floor, but even if he plays (it may be a game-time decision) he probably won’t be at 100%.
This should be a great game in what is the final regular season matchup between the Valley’s two Hoosier State representatives. Evansville won the first meeting by 6 points on the Hulman Center floor in Terre Haute. And as we approach the midpoint of conference action, a win by either team will help the victorious team avoid the dreaded Thursday night games at Arch Madness.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Evansville
Panon: Evansville
Dance Cam Guy: Evansville
~ Panon
posted by Creighton Otter at 6:46 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home