Today In The Valley (Feb. 28)
Indiana State (9-20; 6-11, 9th) vs. Missouri State (11-18; 3-14, 10th)
1:00 p.m.
Hulman Center; Terre Haute, Indiana
Well, at least one team knows exactly when they will be playing in the Missouri Valley Tournament. Missouri State is locked in as the #10 seed and will be playing on Thursday, no matter what happens today. The Bears looked like they were going to pull off a huge upset against Valley co-leader Creighton on Tuesday night, but fell short after holding an 11-point halftime lead.
Cuonzo Martin and Kyle Weems might know their plans for 8:30 p.m. next Thursday night, but Indiana State doesn’t know if they’ll join the Bears at that time or show up to the Scottrade Center a little earlier that evening.
The Sycamores enter today’s game after dropping their first game in their last 6 contests, a close loss on the road at Wichita. Tonight the Sycamore fans say farewell to just one senior, Jay Tunnell. He has been a guiding light through the second half of MVC play this season, and he is on quite a roll offensively for the Trees.
Both teams want to end their regular seasons on a high note, with both knowing their places to some degree for next week’s Arch Madness.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Indiana State
Panon: Missouri State
Dance Cam Guy: Indiana State
~ Dance Cam Guy
---
Northern Iowa (19-10; 13-4, t-1st) vs. Evansville (17-11; 8-9, t-5th)
7:30 p.m.
McLeod Center; Cedar Falls, Iowa
MVC TV
By the time this one tips off, the Panthers will know exactly where they stand and what they need to do to win a conference title. With Creighton playing in the afternoon, the Panthers can actually watch the game if they so choose. A loss by the Jays and the Panthers know a win will earn them an outright conference crown. A win by the Jays puts the pressure on the Panthers to match a CU victory.
The Panthers come in losing three of five in conference play and four of six overall. It easily could have been five of six overall, but a gutsy performance in Normal in double overtime allowed UNI to escape with a win on Illinois State’s Senior Night. Adam Koch’s game winning put-back as time expired was the difference after 50 minutes of play. UNI will need to play their best against an experienced Evansville team in an arena where they have already lost three conference games.
The Purple Aces have guaranteed themselves a pass on the Thursday night action as they can finish no lower than a #6 seed, with a possible #4 within reach. When these two teams met in Indiana, Shy Ely went 2-15 from the field and scored a season-low 7 points, Evansville scored just 47 points, and they lost by 11. You can bet anything a senior like Ely won’t be that cold from the field again. Fellow senior Jason Holsinger, an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American, is saving his best for last and will shoot better than 1-7 like he did in their first meeting.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Northern Iowa
Panon: Evansville
Dance Cam Guy: Evansville
~ Panon
--
Southern Illinois (12-17; 7-10, t-7th) vs. Wichita State (15-14; 8-9, t-5th)
7:00 p.m.
SIU Arena; Carbondale, Illinois
A trio of Salukis will be saluted for their efforts on Senior Day at SIU Arena. For Tony Boyle and Wesley Clemmons, it will be their final game at home. For Bryan Mullins, it will be a final chance for him to be saluted by the Saluki fans for his hard work in a career that ended prematurely due to a stress fracture.
Senior Bryan Mullins, an ESPN Academic All-American, has shown he has worked just as hard off the court as on it. While just two seniors remain on the active roster, those three guys have seen the highs and lows in the Missouri Valley conference -- from a Sweet 16 appearance to potentially playing on Thursday night St. Louis.
Coach Greggggggggg Marshall should be a close second in Valley Coach of the Year behind UNI’s Ben Jacobsen. After starting 0-6 in the conference the Shockers have gone 8-3. The Jays are the only team with a better record over that stretch, going 9-2 (UNI has also gone 8-3). The Shocker starters play a lot of minutes. The Salukis have a short bench. Whoever lasts longer will be able to pull this one out. The winner avoids Thursday. I guess you have to find a silver lining in a less than exciting season.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Southern Illinois
Panon: Southern Illinois
Dance Cam Guy: Wichita State
~ Panon
--
Bradley (16-13; 9-8, 4th) vs. Drake (17-13; 7-10, t-7th)
7:00 p.m.
Carver Arena; Peoria, Illinois
The Braves say goodbye to four seniors tonight in Peoria. They have avoided the play-in games for yet another season but will be stuck in a familiar place next Thursday when they play as either the #4 or #5 seed in the MVC postseason tournament.
It has been an up and down season for Bradley, but they are still in a decent position to make a run through Arch Madness. They’ve done it before from the 4-5 spot, and they’re good enough to possibly do it again.
The Bulldogs joins the Bears and Sycamores as teams that already have booked their reservations for Thursday night in St. Louis. It has been quite a precipitous downturn for last year’s regular season and tournament champion Bulldogs. But this Bulldog squad has been more up and down than a January Creighton team. A win over the Bluejays (in Omaha) and a home loss on Senior Night to a depleted Southern Illinois team just make you scratch your head.
Each team will be looking to take a win down to the tournament, but neither team will be 100% satisfied with their 2008-2009 season.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Bradley
Panon: Drake
Dance Cam Guy: Drake
~ Dance Cam Guy
1:00 p.m.
Hulman Center; Terre Haute, Indiana
Well, at least one team knows exactly when they will be playing in the Missouri Valley Tournament. Missouri State is locked in as the #10 seed and will be playing on Thursday, no matter what happens today. The Bears looked like they were going to pull off a huge upset against Valley co-leader Creighton on Tuesday night, but fell short after holding an 11-point halftime lead.
Cuonzo Martin and Kyle Weems might know their plans for 8:30 p.m. next Thursday night, but Indiana State doesn’t know if they’ll join the Bears at that time or show up to the Scottrade Center a little earlier that evening.
The Sycamores enter today’s game after dropping their first game in their last 6 contests, a close loss on the road at Wichita. Tonight the Sycamore fans say farewell to just one senior, Jay Tunnell. He has been a guiding light through the second half of MVC play this season, and he is on quite a roll offensively for the Trees.
Both teams want to end their regular seasons on a high note, with both knowing their places to some degree for next week’s Arch Madness.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Indiana State
Panon: Missouri State
Dance Cam Guy: Indiana State
~ Dance Cam Guy
---
Northern Iowa (19-10; 13-4, t-1st) vs. Evansville (17-11; 8-9, t-5th)
7:30 p.m.
McLeod Center; Cedar Falls, Iowa
MVC TV
By the time this one tips off, the Panthers will know exactly where they stand and what they need to do to win a conference title. With Creighton playing in the afternoon, the Panthers can actually watch the game if they so choose. A loss by the Jays and the Panthers know a win will earn them an outright conference crown. A win by the Jays puts the pressure on the Panthers to match a CU victory.
The Panthers come in losing three of five in conference play and four of six overall. It easily could have been five of six overall, but a gutsy performance in Normal in double overtime allowed UNI to escape with a win on Illinois State’s Senior Night. Adam Koch’s game winning put-back as time expired was the difference after 50 minutes of play. UNI will need to play their best against an experienced Evansville team in an arena where they have already lost three conference games.
The Purple Aces have guaranteed themselves a pass on the Thursday night action as they can finish no lower than a #6 seed, with a possible #4 within reach. When these two teams met in Indiana, Shy Ely went 2-15 from the field and scored a season-low 7 points, Evansville scored just 47 points, and they lost by 11. You can bet anything a senior like Ely won’t be that cold from the field again. Fellow senior Jason Holsinger, an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American, is saving his best for last and will shoot better than 1-7 like he did in their first meeting.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Northern Iowa
Panon: Evansville
Dance Cam Guy: Evansville
~ Panon
--
Southern Illinois (12-17; 7-10, t-7th) vs. Wichita State (15-14; 8-9, t-5th)
7:00 p.m.
SIU Arena; Carbondale, Illinois
A trio of Salukis will be saluted for their efforts on Senior Day at SIU Arena. For Tony Boyle and Wesley Clemmons, it will be their final game at home. For Bryan Mullins, it will be a final chance for him to be saluted by the Saluki fans for his hard work in a career that ended prematurely due to a stress fracture.
Senior Bryan Mullins, an ESPN Academic All-American, has shown he has worked just as hard off the court as on it. While just two seniors remain on the active roster, those three guys have seen the highs and lows in the Missouri Valley conference -- from a Sweet 16 appearance to potentially playing on Thursday night St. Louis.
Coach Greggggggggg Marshall should be a close second in Valley Coach of the Year behind UNI’s Ben Jacobsen. After starting 0-6 in the conference the Shockers have gone 8-3. The Jays are the only team with a better record over that stretch, going 9-2 (UNI has also gone 8-3). The Shocker starters play a lot of minutes. The Salukis have a short bench. Whoever lasts longer will be able to pull this one out. The winner avoids Thursday. I guess you have to find a silver lining in a less than exciting season.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Southern Illinois
Panon: Southern Illinois
Dance Cam Guy: Wichita State
~ Panon
--
Bradley (16-13; 9-8, 4th) vs. Drake (17-13; 7-10, t-7th)
7:00 p.m.
Carver Arena; Peoria, Illinois
The Braves say goodbye to four seniors tonight in Peoria. They have avoided the play-in games for yet another season but will be stuck in a familiar place next Thursday when they play as either the #4 or #5 seed in the MVC postseason tournament.
It has been an up and down season for Bradley, but they are still in a decent position to make a run through Arch Madness. They’ve done it before from the 4-5 spot, and they’re good enough to possibly do it again.
The Bulldogs joins the Bears and Sycamores as teams that already have booked their reservations for Thursday night in St. Louis. It has been quite a precipitous downturn for last year’s regular season and tournament champion Bulldogs. But this Bulldog squad has been more up and down than a January Creighton team. A win over the Bluejays (in Omaha) and a home loss on Senior Night to a depleted Southern Illinois team just make you scratch your head.
Each team will be looking to take a win down to the tournament, but neither team will be 100% satisfied with their 2008-2009 season.
Picks
Creighton Otter: Bradley
Panon: Drake
Dance Cam Guy: Drake
~ Dance Cam Guy
posted by Creighton Otter at 7:15 AM
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