Critical Final RPI Push

(St. Louis, MO) – Wichita State’s revival and missed opportunities by several Missouri Valley teams are the headlines from this weekend’s Valley activities.

The Shockers are getting healthy at the right time. They’re conquest of then # 25 Utah highlighted the fact that even when they’re only relatively healthy, they are a dangerous, playing angry team. WSU is showing more of that defensive grit with all-American guard Fred VanVleet in the lineup.

Freshman Markis McDuffie was explosive in Saturday’s win with 13 points on four three-pointers, and that patented suffocating Shocker defense forced 19 turnovers and sparked Gegg Marshall’s team to their third straight win.

Illinois State nabbed an important win over Ohio Valley Conference power Murray State as Deontae Hawkins and Nick Banyard asserted themselves combining for 27 points, 16 rebounds and six three-pointers.  Redbird watchers have been longing for the potential in those two athletic players to emerge. Maybe this is the beginning of that promise.

On the down side, upset hopes for Drake, Northern Iowa, Indiana State, Loyola and Missouri State never materialized. Drake gave Nevada a run and Missouri State put a scare into Tulsa, but those RPI building opportunities did not net the boosts league members were pursuing.

Resume builders remain including several significant ones this week. League members must take care of business against the ‘lighter fare’ of the weekday games before Saturday’s bonanza of big games. The two biggest games prior to Saturday are Wednesday when Missouri State hosts Oral Roberts (17 RPI) and Friday when Southern Illinois travels to Murray State. These chances, however are rapidly running out.

Six significant match ups await on Saturday. The surging Shockers battle Big East power Seton Hall (8-2) who is 5-0 at home. Illinois State and Indiana State travel to Atlantic 10 gyms to take on Saint Joseph’s and Saint Louis respectively. Missouri State is visiting Horizon League power Valparaiso.

The annual battle for Iowa bragging rights takes place at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines when Drake takes on the Big 10’s Iowa Hawkeyes (7-3) and Northern Iowa tangles with undefeated Iowa State (9-0). After winning five straight games the Panthers (6-3) who have dropped two of their last three, will be playing their first ‘neutral site’ game of the year.

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