MVC MTE Update – Paradise Champion Bears

First Tournament Win Since 2009

(St. Louis, MO) – Missouri State is the Paradise Jam Champion. Today’s MVC MTE update highlights the Bears’ first in-season tournament victory since the 2009-10 season. Dana Ford’s team has won four straight games.

MTE Update – Bears Sweep

During their Paradise Jam title run the Bears played outstanding defense and showed the importance of having a healthy Matthew Lee in the lineup. Lee, who was named as the tournament’s MVP is averaging 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and five assists per game. His double-double (13 points & 10 rebounds) during the low scoring semifinal was huge. 87-69 was the championship final score.

Donovan Clay scored 19 points in the title-clinching win over Abilene Christian. The fifth-year player was also named to the all-tournament team. Bears’ leading scorer Alston Mason scored 21 points and Chance Moore added 17. Bears defenders allowed just 60.7 points per game in the US Virgin Islands.

Clay has now accumulated over 1,300 points, 700 rebounds and 300 assists during his four-plus Missouri Valley Conference seasons.

MTE Update – Illinois State and Bradley Victories

Bradley is 4-0 after defeating previously undefeated Tulane (3-1) in the SoCal Challenge’s second round. The Braves defeated the Green Wave 80-77. Five Braves scored at least twelve points. Malevy Leons (18) led the team in scoring and steals (4). Darius Hannah (14), Duke Deen (13), Connor Hickman (12) and Christian Davis (12) doing the other offensive damage. Davis led the team with seven rebounds.

 Bradley plays UTEP in the tournament semifinal Wednesday.

The Braves neighborhood rival, Illinois State took care of business at the Gulf Coast Showcase. ILS defeated Long Beach State 61-52 as SIU transfer Dalton Banks continues to shine with his new Valley team. Banks scored 15 points and contributed a spectacular six steals. Freshman Johnny Kinziger added ten points and Myles Foster led with ten rebounds.

The Showcase continues today for the Redbirds (3-1) with a 4:00 pm contest with High Point.

Yesterday’s Losses

Murray State was an overtime loser to a very good UNC Wlimington team (83-81). The Racers led the Seahawks by ten points with just over six minutes remaining and Nick Ellington’s layup gave the Racers a two point lead with mere seconds remaining, but UNCW tied the game as time expired. The Seahawks (4-0) prevailed in the extra session.

JaCobi Wood was outstanding scoring 24 points, grabbing seven rebounds and handing out six assists. Rob Perry added 20 points and seven boards. Ellington scored 15 points and led the Racers with eight rebounds.

Steve Prohm’s squad plays Appalachian State on Wednesday.

Drake’s worst game of the year occurred during yesterday’s Cayman Islands Classic game against Stephen F. Austin. The Bulldogs got blown out in the second half of a 92-68 defeat when the Lumberjacks scored 54 second half points.

Drake (3-1) lost for the first time this season as freshman Kevin Overton scored 19 points. The Bulldogs face another very good team in Akron (4-1) today at 4:00 pm.

MTE Update – Today’s Schedule

Southern Illinois gets a crack at a nationally ranked team as the Salukis take on twenty-second ranked James Madison. SIU defeated Chicago State in first round action of the Cancun Challenge and tangle with the undefeated Dukes at 5:00 pm.

Indiana State (2-1) begins play in the round-robin styled Ball Dawgs Classic with a 5:30 tip against Rice. The Sycamores will face both Pepperdine and Toledo in Las Vegas.

Valparaiso continues it’s participation in the Joseph J Biggs Invitational with a home game against Western Illinois. The Beacons opened the invitational with a loss at Illinois.

Valley teams have won eight of eleven MTE contests. We’ll keep you up-to-date.

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