Injuries Mount Threatening Valley Teams

Hickman Goes Down Saturday Night

(West Africa) – As injuries mount for Missouri Valley Conference teams, this may become one of the league’s most significant issues. Saturday afternoon, with the game on the line, Bradley guard Connor Hickman went out of his team’s game with Indiana State with what looked to be an ankle injury.

He joins a growing list of starting Valley players banged up and missing in action.

Indiana State built a huge 19-point, second-half lead only to see the Hickman-led Braves get back within reach and in the midst of the Bradley (6-2, 0-2) rally, Hickman went down. In obvious pain he was helped to the locker room and missed the final 5:03 of the contest.

The Sycamores (7-1, 2-0) held on for a 85-77 road win as Jayson Kent recorded his third, double-double of the young season.

Injuries Mount – Some Better

Missouri State (6-2, 1-1) continues to play without leading scorer Alston Mason. He and Damien Mayo missed the Bears’ conference opener, but Mayo returned for Saturday’s game. Without Mason the Bears offense was stuck in mud. Fourteen turnovers, just six assists and just five three-pointers on 22 attempts sealed the Missouri State fate against league-favorite Drake.

After missing three games, freshman Tyler Bey returned to the Bears lineup Saturday. The 6’8 wing was impressive scoring ten points and grabbing five rebounds.

Northern Iowa’s Bowen Born missed just one game with his injuries but has been battling hip and groin problems and his shot has shown it. Saturday the star guard looked more like himself on the floor and in the shooting category. UNI (2-6, 0-2) lost in overtime at Evansville. Born scored 17 points and handed out four assists.

Belmont’s Cade Tyson missed Saturday’s game against Valparaiso with some sort of stomach problem.