Today In The Valley (Jan. 24)
Illinois State (16-3; 5-3) vs. Southern Illinois (9-10; 4-4)
4:00 p.m.
Redbird Arena; Normal, Illinois
MVC TV
Today marks the first meeting this season between the Redbirds and the Salukis. They’ll face off twice in 11 days, with the return trip to Carbondale by ISU scheduled for February 4.
These teams always tend to play each other tightly, and since 1980 the average score in these contests is 71-70, advantage SIU. But before sweeping both games last season en route to a resurgent year in the MVC, the Redbirds had lost 11 straight to the Salukis.
This game features two of the more balanced starting 5s in the MVC, but neither team is exceptionally deep. For SIU, that is a byproduct of losing a few players before and during the season to either injury or defection. For ISU, five players log more than 24 minutes a game (and four players over 30 mpg), so there is simply limited time on the court for backups.
That’s because when Osiris Eldridge, Champ Oguchi, and the other Redbird regulars are on the floor, Tim Jankovich has to feel pretty good about his team’s chances. But SIU’s Bryan Mullins, arguably the most experienced player in the Valley, has seen every possible lineup and type of game from most of the ISU players. Nothing will get past him, especially a weak pass. For the Redbirds to prove Vegas right (favored by 7.5 this morning), they’ll need to be tough with the ball against the usually-stringent SIU defense.
It seems that the excitement of a remarkable season has faded a bit in Normal, as Illinois State has dropped their last three road games in the Valley this year after completing an undefeated non-conference slate. The last of the three was a loss to Wichita State, which came into the game with just one conference win. WSU was able to knock off the Redbirds by shutting down their offense with great defensive intensity in the second half. That and some timely 3-pointers were enough for the Shockers to walk away with a 64-58 victory.
SIU on the other hand have been able to win 4 of their last 5 Valley games, and as I have said before, are getting hot at just the right time. The Salukis’ most recent win was over a struggling Indiana State club, by a score of 58-47, a typical defensive battle by the Egyptian Dogs.
When these two meet this afternoon, the buildup may not be what it was at the start of the season, but should go a long way in a very tight Valley race. If the Salukis are able to pull out a victory today, that could drop the Redbirds into a race for third with SIU. This should be a fun game to watch, with the defense of SIU working their best to contain the explosive athleticism of the Redbirds. If this is a low scoring game, look for the Dawgs to come out on top.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Illinois State
Panon: Illinois State
Dance Cam Guy: Southern Illinois
~ Dance Cam Guy
---
Bradley (11-8; 5-3) vs. Indiana State (4-15; 2-6)
6:00 p.m.
Carver Arena; Peoria, Illinois
MVC TV
Well, the Braves had it. And then they lost it. They could have handed Northern Iowa a second home loss, and had a double-digit second half lead. Alas, the Panthers continued their winning ways and took a two-game lead in the MVC regular season race through 8 games.
The Braves look to rebound against the Sycamores, who tried hard but ultimately came up on the losing end against SIU on Wednesday. To be blunt, with Harry Marshall still less than 100% due to an injury, even if he plays things don’t look good night in and night out for the Trees in conference play. They’re simply not deep enough, nor experienced enough, to win consistently in this conference right now. But there are a few pieces in place, players who continue to gain valuable court time.
Tonight poses a new test. The Sycs haven’t won in Carver Arena since 1998. Seriously.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Bradley
Panon: Bradley
Dance Cam Guy: Bradley
~ Creighton Otter
4:00 p.m.
Redbird Arena; Normal, Illinois
MVC TV
Today marks the first meeting this season between the Redbirds and the Salukis. They’ll face off twice in 11 days, with the return trip to Carbondale by ISU scheduled for February 4.
These teams always tend to play each other tightly, and since 1980 the average score in these contests is 71-70, advantage SIU. But before sweeping both games last season en route to a resurgent year in the MVC, the Redbirds had lost 11 straight to the Salukis.
This game features two of the more balanced starting 5s in the MVC, but neither team is exceptionally deep. For SIU, that is a byproduct of losing a few players before and during the season to either injury or defection. For ISU, five players log more than 24 minutes a game (and four players over 30 mpg), so there is simply limited time on the court for backups.
That’s because when Osiris Eldridge, Champ Oguchi, and the other Redbird regulars are on the floor, Tim Jankovich has to feel pretty good about his team’s chances. But SIU’s Bryan Mullins, arguably the most experienced player in the Valley, has seen every possible lineup and type of game from most of the ISU players. Nothing will get past him, especially a weak pass. For the Redbirds to prove Vegas right (favored by 7.5 this morning), they’ll need to be tough with the ball against the usually-stringent SIU defense.
It seems that the excitement of a remarkable season has faded a bit in Normal, as Illinois State has dropped their last three road games in the Valley this year after completing an undefeated non-conference slate. The last of the three was a loss to Wichita State, which came into the game with just one conference win. WSU was able to knock off the Redbirds by shutting down their offense with great defensive intensity in the second half. That and some timely 3-pointers were enough for the Shockers to walk away with a 64-58 victory.
SIU on the other hand have been able to win 4 of their last 5 Valley games, and as I have said before, are getting hot at just the right time. The Salukis’ most recent win was over a struggling Indiana State club, by a score of 58-47, a typical defensive battle by the Egyptian Dogs.
When these two meet this afternoon, the buildup may not be what it was at the start of the season, but should go a long way in a very tight Valley race. If the Salukis are able to pull out a victory today, that could drop the Redbirds into a race for third with SIU. This should be a fun game to watch, with the defense of SIU working their best to contain the explosive athleticism of the Redbirds. If this is a low scoring game, look for the Dawgs to come out on top.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Illinois State
Panon: Illinois State
Dance Cam Guy: Southern Illinois
~ Dance Cam Guy
---
Bradley (11-8; 5-3) vs. Indiana State (4-15; 2-6)
6:00 p.m.
Carver Arena; Peoria, Illinois
MVC TV
Well, the Braves had it. And then they lost it. They could have handed Northern Iowa a second home loss, and had a double-digit second half lead. Alas, the Panthers continued their winning ways and took a two-game lead in the MVC regular season race through 8 games.
The Braves look to rebound against the Sycamores, who tried hard but ultimately came up on the losing end against SIU on Wednesday. To be blunt, with Harry Marshall still less than 100% due to an injury, even if he plays things don’t look good night in and night out for the Trees in conference play. They’re simply not deep enough, nor experienced enough, to win consistently in this conference right now. But there are a few pieces in place, players who continue to gain valuable court time.
Tonight poses a new test. The Sycs haven’t won in Carver Arena since 1998. Seriously.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Bradley
Panon: Bradley
Dance Cam Guy: Bradley
~ Creighton Otter
posted by Creighton Otter at 9:57 AM
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