Arch Madness – Making Big Impressions

Spectacular Individual Performances

(St. Louis, MO) – Missouri Valley Conference players are making big impressions. During the evening games of Arch Madness, some stunning performances were enjoyed by players launching their teams into the MVC postseason tournament.

One Arch Madness record fell and two teams desperate for an Arch Madness victory succeeded. Seventh seeded Murray State (16-16) defeated Evansville 74-53 and eleventh-seeded Valparaiso pulled the minor upset eliminating sixth seeded Illinois Chicago 67-50.

Murray State faces No. 2 Bradley Friday night at 6 pm and Valpo meets third seeded Northern Iowa at 8:30.

Harcum Making Big Impressions

Murray State’s Terence Harcum’s season has been filled big, game winning shots and maddening shooting droughts. Thursday Harcum was the best three-point shooter in Arch Madness history. Harcum completed all seven of his triple attempts, setting a tournament record for long distance accuracy.

The 6’3 guard finished with a career high 31 points and the rest of his teammates made seven more triples, including Kylen Milton’s four-for-six performance. Milton finished with fourteen points and the Racers handed out twenty-one assists.

Evansville’s Tayshawn Comer was impressive in defeat. The second-team all-conference guard recorded his eleventh twenty-point game (22) and added four assists. Comer made twelve of thirteen free throw attempts, but all-freshman team member Gabriel Pozzato was held ten points under his season average of 15 points per-game.

Schwieger and Wright Making Big Impressions

The Missouri Valley’s last two freshmen of the year were on full display Thursday. 2024 winner of the award, Cooper Schwieger dominated early and 2025’s top rookie, All Wright was huge late.

Schwieger’s outstanding stat-line is eye-popping. The 6’9 sophomore scored 17 points, grabbed eleven rebounds, handed out three assists and blocked three UIC shots. He was everywhere altering shots. Fifteen of those points came in the first half.

Wright was a force of nature driving to the rim and popping threes, finishing with 22 points, but it might have been the Valpo defense that was most impressive. The Beacons blocked nine shots and held UIC to a .298 shooting percentage and 25% from deep.

With the win, Valpo (14-18) doubled their win total from last season and handed head coach Roger Powell Jr his first ever Arch Madness victory.

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