MTE Sweeping Success

Evansville Joins the Sweeping Style

(St. Louis, MO) – Missouri Valley Conference teams are experiencing MTE sweeping success. After Bradley, Missouri State and Indiana State swept their multi-team events, Evansville joined that sweeping style by taking both of its MTE games.

Valley teams enjoyed sweeping success on Saturday winning all seven games they played.

MTE Sweeping Success – Evansville & UIC

Evansville is clearly the Valley’s most surprising team. Saturday the Purple Aces completed its sweep of the Coke Zero Sugar Classic by defeating Southeast Missouri. David Ragland’s team defeated the Ohio Valley’s Redhawks for the second time this season, this time at the Chattanooga-based tournament.

UE ran its record to 6-0 behind the 27-point performance by Ben Humrichous. 93-74 was the final as the Aces are off to their best start since the 1964-65 season. The Huntington U transfer is averaging 19 points, five rebounds and 2.3 assists.

Illinois Chicago isn’t done with its tournament, but the Flames are experiencing sweeping success. If not for Evansville, the Flames would be the MVC’s most surprising team. UIC (5-1) defeated previously undefeated George Washington 89-79. Five Flames’ players reached double figures in scoring.

Reigning MVC ‘Player of the Week‘ Isaiah Rivera scored 23 points and sophomore C.J. Jones tallied 22 during UIC’s second straight win in the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championships. Luke Yaklich’s team faces UNC Greensboro for the total sweep Sunday at 6:00 pm.

Finishing Well

While Belmont and Valparaiso won’t sweep their MTEs but the Bruins and Beacons enjoyed success Saturday. Belmont and Valpo each lost the opening games of their tournaments, but have bounced back well.

After losing to Monmouth in their opener of the Cathedral of College Basketball Classic, the Bruins went to overtime to defeat Pennsylvania 84-79. Malik Dia enjoyed a career game with 27 points and eight rebounds. Belmont (3-3) plays Lafayette at 11:00 a.m.

Valpo opened the Joseph J. Biggs MTE with a loss at Illinois but with yesterdays win over Southern, the Beacons swept their two home games of the event. Cooper Schwieger and MVC reigning ‘Newcomer of the Week‘ Isaiah Stafford led the Beacons with 17 points.

Non MTE Action

Valley teams went 7-0 Saturday as Bradley continued its undefeated season edging Vermont. While Missouri State won its fifth straight game (South Carolina State), Drake was running its record to 5-1 with a win over Texas Southern.

The Valley’s MTE sweeping success has lifted the league’s national profile. While posting a 22-10 MTE record, the MVC has risen to eleventh in the KenPom.com conference rankings and eighth in the BartTorvik.com evaluations. Prior to Sunday’s games, four Valley squads are in Ken Pomeroy’s top-100 and six more are in the top-200.

Do Good

 

Editor: Cover photo courtesy of gopurpleaces.com.