Missouri Valley Near Misses

Frustrating Early Season Losses Mounting

(St. Louis, MO) – A season of promise and returning stars has not started as well as hoped AND expected. Missouri Valley Conference teams have started 24 and 31. Many of those losses are decisions that would fall into the ‘Valley near misses’ category.

Wednesday’s Loyola two-point loss might be the most painful of the near misses. Marcus Bingham’s dunk with 3.4 seconds left did in the Ramblers. Loyola Chicago’s first loss and Drew Valentine’s first loss was a heart-breaker. Michigan State’s interior defense (8 blocks) were too much to overcome.

Tuesday’s Missouri State loss to East Tennessee State is one of the latest dramatic of the near misses. ETSU’s David Sloan made a jumper with three seconds left to hand MSU its second loss of the season. 77-76 was the final.

Monday, Southern Illinois’ loss to Creighton was even more crushing. SIU led by eight points with under four minutes to go, only to lose on a Ryan Nembhard jumper with ONE SECOND to go. The former Valley member Creighton won it 66-64.

Those games make Evansville’s Monday triple-overtime loss to Rice look like a route. Valpo’s Tuesday three-point defeat in regulation looks like a yawner, since the winning triple dropped through the tin with 23 seconds left in the game.

Valley Near Misses Have Been Painful

Heart-breaking doesn’t even begin to explain these narrow setbacks. Prior to the decisive shot by Coastal Carolina’s Rudi Williams, Valpo’s Sheldon Edwards tied the game with his own long distance dagger with 40 ticks on the clock. Monday, SIU’s Marcus Domask tied Creighton at 64 with just eight seconds to go, only to fall by two.

For a league that has been thinking ‘multi-bid’ and returning numerous all-conference players, the disappointment has been huge. League members are 1-and-3 in overtime games and are sub-.500 in games decided by five points or less.

With Valpo’s four-point in on Wednesday, the Valley teams improved to 6-and-11 in games decided by that margin.

MVC squads are collectively ranked eleventh in KenPom with Loyola Chicago (34), Drake (53) and Missouri State (70) in the top 100.

Multi-Team Events & Thanksgiving Weekend

With several, neutral site, multi-team events on tap, the league members will have some important opportunities to play stout opposition. If they can change the current trend, the season can start to turn around.

Loyola and Drake appear to be the Valley’s best two teams, so watching them during this Thanksgiving week will give an indicator as to how post season chances are measuring up. They both play on Turkey Day and on Friday.

If the MVC is going to turn heads to repeat as a multi-bid league, the Valley near misses will have to become ‘clutch performances’.

The Valley talent level is good enough to prevail in these close games and there are plenty of opportunities ahead. Northern Iowa and Bradley still have multi-team events ahead.

Four Valley teams are shooting below 70% from the free throw line and only four teams are making the needed 35% from deep. Shoring up those areas will be key for changing those near misses into big wins.

Do Good