Cross Valley Conflicts

Valley Hoops Insider Double Feature

(St. Louis, MO) – We love when Ohio Valley and Missouri Valley Conference teams go head-to-head. Wednesday we have two such games. During each contest, one of the teams will be playing its first game of the season. One team is still dealing with a tragedy.

UTM’s First Game Without Stewart

When UT Martin hosts Evansville it will be far more than just a game between two teams from our two favorite leagues. The Skyhawks will be playing with heavy hearts and competing for the first time without their deceased coach Anthony Stewart.

The 50-year-old Stewart passed away suddenly and tragically on November 15. A memorial service was held and memorial fund started in his honor on November 22. Former Alcorn State head coach Montez Robinson, who was on Stewart’s staff, has been named the interim head coach.

Robinson was the Southwest Athletic Conference’s 2017 Coach of the Year. While grieving the loss of his friend and co-worker, Robinson feels ready to lead. He told utmsports.com he has mixed emotions.

“Coach Stewart was a close friend, good man and outstanding coach,” said Robinson. “So, with mixed emotions, it is an honor to be chosen to lead the program that Coach Stewart has been building for more than six years. The staff and I plan to continue working together, giving 110-percent effort on and off the court, to make Coach Stewart and the UT Martin community proud of this program.”

Evansville is no stranger to hardship. On December 13, 1977 a plane crash claimed the lives of the Purple Aces’ basketball team. Last season the Aces went through three coaches when head coach Walter McCarty was dismissed for disciplinary reasons. Current coach Todd Lickliter was the third of those coaches last season. UE hasn’t won a game since knocking off the OVC’s Murray State on December 21^st of last year.

The Aces (0-2) lost to Louisville and Prairie View this past weekend.

Game time on ESPN+ is set for 7:00 pm.

Renewing a Neighborhood Rivalry

Southern Illinois is beginning their season Wednesday. The Missouri Valley squad travels to Southeast Missouri. The Redhawks (1-0) won their season opening game, giving first-year coach Brad Korn his first head coaching victory.

SIU will be without their head coach. Bryan Mullins is side-lined with covid-19 issues and his brother Brendan Mullins will slide over one chair and lead the Salukis.

Korn played and coached at Southern and knows the rivalry well. The two regional rivals have played 117 times with the Salukis leading the series 71-46. While this is the season opener for SIU, it is the home opener for SEMO.

Game time on ESPN+ is set for 6:30 pm.

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