A Weekend of Opportunity

Missouri Valley Weekend Schedule

(St. Louis, MO) – While some have been disappointed with the Missouri Valley Conference’s start to the season, winning three of four non-conference games both Tuesday and Wednesday helped ease the pain. The next two days provide a weekend of opportunity. There are ten Valley games this weekend, including some very important matchups. Nine of the games are today.

1:00 PM on ESPN+

Things begin with 1:00 pm tips between Evansville and Ball State, while Drake travels to Richmond. Evansville snapped a short losing streak Wednesday and stay in state to play Ball State (5-4) where they are a ten-point under dog. The Cardinals carry a 141 NCAA Evaluation Tool ranking into the contest compared to the 314 hanging on the Purple Aces.

Drake is the highest NET rated Valley squad with an impressive 58. The Bulldogs visit a Spiders team that has struggled early (3-5) but are a dangerous Atlantic Ten Conference foe. Drake plays back-to-back Saturdays on the road at A10 locations. They visit Saint Louis next Saturday.

1:30 PM on ESPN3

Illinois Chicago visits Western Michigan. UIC (5-4) has lost two straight and visits a Bronco team (3-6) looking for answers of its own. Western Michigan (340) ranks in the bottom fifth of the NET. At 262 the Flames could use a road win.

2:00 PM on SECN

Valparaiso (4-6) has struggled through its first ten games and if the Beacons could somehow find a way to upset Mississippi, it would be the best of signature wins for a program looking for momentum. The Rebels (6-2) are 4-0 at home and carry a 67 NET ranking and this would secure the league a Quad One victory. The Beacons are a 15.5 point dog.

3:00 PM on ESPN+

Murray State (5-3) has won two straight and bring reigning Player of the Week, Rob Perry to Bellarmine. While the Knights are just 4-6 they are a perfect 3-0 at home. As the Racers seek to climb the NET rankings, any road win is a plus.

3:00 PM on ESPN3

In the first of two Missouri Valley/Ohio Valley weekend clashes, Illinois State hosts the OVC’s top NET rated team in the Southern Illinois Edwardsville Cougars. SIUE lost to Bradley 54-52 snapping a six-game winning streak. The Cougars (7-3) carry a 100 NET rating into this contest. Illinois State has won two straight and is hosting the game at historic Horton Field House.

4:00 PM on ESPN+

Old rivals collide when Middle Tennessee (6-3) travels to Belmont (6-4). The Bruins finally have their full complement of players assembled. MTSU (101) and Belmont (180) are both used to higher rankings than they currently carry. During this weekend of opportunity, each team sees this as an important contest.

7:00 PM on ESPN+

Missouri State is off to a sluggish start and hosting Purdue Fort Wayne gives them an opportunity to ‘right the ship’. The Mastodons are 6-4 and the Bears have lost two straight and stand at 4-5. Both teams are ranked in the high 100’s in the latest NET figures.

7:00 PM on ESPN3

Despite Southern Illinois’ home loss the Indiana State, the Salukis (5-4) are still a top 100 NET squad (98) and they entertain Alcorn State (204). SIU can’t allow a home loss to derail their quest for some computer-cred. Alcorn State (3-6) is better than you think. They’ve defeated Wichita State and Stephen F. Austin. Three of their losses have come at the hands of Ole Miss, Arizona State and Tennessee.

Sunday – 3:00 PM on ESPN+

Indiana State takes its five-game winning streak to a dangerous Southern Indiana. The Screaming Eagles (4-5) are undefeated at home, including a win over Southern Illinois and they lost by just six points at Missouri. USI is the OVC’s second best NET (190) program, while the Sycamores (9-1) are the third best in the Valley (76).

A weekend of opportunity awaits the Valley schools. The league carries a pedestrian 51-39 non-conference record into the weekend’s competition. Posting a winning record during these next two days and collecting wins in the key matchups would boost kenpom.com’s twelfth ranked league.

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