Three Game Impressions

Competitive Games & Mounting Injuries

(St. Louis, MO) – Missouri Valley Conference games are amazingly competitive. Our three game impressions revolve around the competitive nature of the conference games and the mounting injuries. Virtually every Valley team has sustained significant injuries and rarely is an MVC team blown out by a conference foe.

Competitiveness – Three Game Impressions

Through eighteen conference games the teams are uncharacteristically poor at defending the home court. During the opening three game schedule, the visitors have stolen half of the contests, leading to a wide-open race.

Only two teams are undefeated, and two are winless. Two-thirds of 18 Valley games have been decided by ten or fewer points and six of the eighteen by five or less. Undefeated Bradley (12-2, 3-0) has played in and won two of the conference’s three overtime games. Bradley’s double-overtime win over Valpo ended up being a six-point victory.

When looking at the metrics, three teams are top-100, kenpom.com teams and four are ranked in the 200’s. Five teams find themselves in the 100’s. The separation from top to bottom isn’t very large.

Mounting Injuries

Healthy players or the lack of healthy players will have, and has had a profound impact on the Valley race. Because some injuries have been already baked into the cake, fans forget the obstacles some of these teams have been facing all season.

Arguably the best players for Valparaiso (Isaiah Stafford) and Southern Illinois (Elijah Elliott) have been out all or virtually all season. Roger Powell Jr’s Beacons seemed to have adjusted. Scott Nagy’s Salukis have not. Elliott averaged 14 points and 3.4 rebounds during the team’s first five games.

Earlier, Beacon guard Darius DeAveiro was playing hurt, but he seems to be back in top form.

Northern Iowa has been without their two top point guards all season, and center Jacob Hutson sprained his ankle on Thursday. While we don’t believe the injury is serious, it bares watching.

Illinois State has been without the services of Boden Skunberg and Brandon Lieb all season. Redbird watchers were anticipating big contributions from both players and neither has seen the floor. Skunberg seems the more likely to return, but coach Ryan Pedon isn’t telling people that the North Dakota State transfer is returning any time soon. Either or both of those players could end up with a redshirt season.

Recently, preseason all-Valley guard Johnny Kinziger missed a game with a knee problem, but returned Thurssday night. Center Chase Walker sat out the Redbird win at Murray State and is in that ‘day-to-day’ category. Projecting how much better a team would be without injuries is difficult, but Illinois State fans have to wonder.

Evansville has been playing the last few games without star freshman Gabriel Pozzato. Bradley started the season with a limited ability to use Connor Dillon and DeMarion Burch missed several early games. Both Braves are back and playing significant minutes and roles.

I may be missing some injuries. Feel free to let me know.

Will Three Game Impressions Change this Weekend?

Ironically, one of the top games of the weekend, is Indiana State’s visit to Evansville. Some Valley fans left the Purple Aces (5-9, 2-1) for dead, but David Ragland’s team has rebounded and won two straight. Indiana State (8-6, 2-1) was picked eighth in the preseason poll and they are one, overtime loss away from being tied for first place.

One of these two teams will remain at worst, one game out of first place after Saturday’s contest.

Finding out how good UIC (9-4, 2-1) and Belmont (9-5, 1-2) are, will be an interesting study. The Bruins opened this part of conference play with an Iowa road trip that netted a pair of losses. UIC knocked off previously undefeated Drake and have won five straight games, but winning in Nashville won’t be easy.

The new and improved Valparaiso Beacons (8-6, 1-2) have already won more games than last season. After narrowly losing to both Drake and Bradley, Powell’s squad won at Missouri State on Wednesday. Hosting UNI (9-5, 3-0) will be another solid test.

The other three other league games are intriguing to see if any of the three road teams can muster up the ability to change the narrative on their seasons. Cellar dwelling Missouri State (7-7, 0-3) and Southern Illinois (5-9, 0-3) haven’t been competitive in league play and they visit the I-74 corridor to visit Bradley (12-2, 3-0) and Illinois State (9-5, 1-2) respectively.

Murray State (7-7, 1-2) is really struggling and have a Sunday date at Drake (12-1, 2-1).

By Monday, we could have some completely different impressions.

Do Good

 

Editor: Cover photo of Caden Boser, courtesy of Bill Salyer and goredbirds.com.