Wednesdays in The Valley – 2/1

Rivalry Wednesday

(St. Louis, MO)  – Big Rivalry games are on tap as all twelve Missouri Valley Conference teams are in action tonight. Welcome to Wednesdays in the Valley. Wednesdays in the Valley is a part of ValleyHoopsinsider.com.

As we head into this very full night of Valley Hoops, we have an MVC race that is so much fun. Eight league members are within two games of first place and there is a clear group of players that will be the finalists for the Larry Bird Trophy.

This first year of a twelve team league has brought some interesting twists of schedules and opens up interesting story-lines for Arch Madness.

Big Rivalry Games

Belmont (16-7, 9-3) @ Murray State (12-1-, 7-5) – 7 pm – ESPN+

These two have one of the best and most impacting rivalries in the college basketball. For ten seasons, Belmont and Murray State waged war at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference standings and now they dual as Valley members.

Belmont is tied for first and defeated the Racers earlier this season as Player of the Year candidate Ben Sheppard scored 23 points, grabbed six rebounds and handed out four assists. The Bruins handed out twenty assists and won the game 80-65.

Murray State is 8-and-1 at home, with its only loss coming at the hands of the league’s other first place team Southern Illinois.

UNI (12-10, 8-4) @ Drake (17-6, 8-4) – 8 pm – MVC TV

Two of the three teams tied for second place are Iowa rivals and teams with overlapping relationships and history. It is the first meeting between last season’s regular season champion (Northern Iowa) and last year’s Arch Madness champ (Drake).

One Player of the Year candidate is on each team. UNI’s Bowen Born is one of four Valley players averaging over 18 points per game (18.77). Drake’s Tucker DeVries (18.91) is the conference’s leading scorer. Sheppard (18.78) and Valparaiso’s Ben Krikke (18.13) are the other two.

After being hospitalized by an infection in his elbow, DeVries sat out of Sunday’s victory at Belmont. As of Monday, coach Darian DeVries was unsure of his son’s status for tonight’s game.

While UNI holds a 51-31 advantage in the head-to-head series, Drake has won four of the last five encounters.

(See the YouTube version of this story!)

Highest Profile Game

Southern Illinois (17-6, 9-3) @ Bradley (15-8, 8-4) – 7 pm – ESPN+

When you look at the standings, this is the headline game of the evening. One of the first place teams is battling one of the second place teams. As a matter of fact, both first place teams are playing on the road. It wouldn’t be shocking for us to wake up tomorrow with a four-way tie for first place and a four-way tie for second. #ValleyChaos is a real thing.

This is a matchup of the Valley’s best two defensive teams and they have star power too. SIU’s Marcus Domask is another of those Player of the Year candidates. The 6’5 senior ranks among the league leaders in six different categories. He is fifth in scoring and third in minutes played.

Bradley’s Rienk Mast is twelfth in scoring and second in rebounding.

The Braves hold a slight (54-50) edge in series history and the Salukis have won three of the last four between them.

Semi-Rivalry Games

Indiana State (14-9, 7-5) @ Evansville (4-19, 0-12) – 7 pm – ESPN+

These Indiana natives square off for the second time this year. Indiana won the first meeting in convincing (91-63) fashion. Saturday the Sycamores snapped a five game losing streak and the Purple Aces are in the throws of ten-game drought right now. Sycamore second-year coach Josh Schertz took his team through an eleven-win first season, losing 14 (of 18) Valley games. First year Evansville coach David Ragland is trying to find a way to snap his team’s near misses into some victories.

Indiana State leads the Valley in scoring and Evansville is last in scoring defense.

UIC (9-14, 1-11) @ Illinois State (9-14, 4-8) – 7 pm – Marquee/ESPN+

Neither of these teams are having the season they hoped for. During UIC’s first Valley season, they have struggled mightily. The Flames were 8-3 in the non-conference but have lost nine straight games and are winless in Valley road games.

First year Illinois State coach Ryan Pedon saw his team capture a significant win on Sunday. After the Redbirds’ losing streak had reached four games with an overtime loss at Bradley, Illinois State upset SIU at CEFCU 72-66. Seneca Knight broke out with 24 points and Kendall Lewis recorded a double-double.

During the UIC losing streak only three of the losses has come by more than ten points and one was in overtime.

Wednesdays in the Valley Momentum Game

Valparaiso (10-13, 4-8) @ Missouri State (11-11, 7-5) – 7 pm – ESPN+

Since starting 4-and-1 in league play, Missouri State is 3-and-4. Momentum is something Dana Ford’s team is looking to create and sustain. The Bears have defeated Drake twice but have struggled with lineup continuity.

Since losing its first seven league games, Valparaiso has won four of its last five games. Player of the Year candidate Ben Krikke has been outstanding. The 6’9 senior is fifth in scoring and ninth in the rebounding race. During Sunday’s win, Krikke scored 30 points, grabbed nine rebounds and handed out four assists.

While every Missouri State player has started at least one game, guard Alston Mason has emerged lately as an important scoring option. During his last two games, the Oklahoma transfer has set and reset his career high in points scored with 19 and then 22. Mason has started ten MSU games and has reached double figures in seven of those contests.

(Read last week’s Wednesdays in the Valley)

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