Wednesdays in the Valley

Drake Stays Hot – War on 74

(St. Louis, MO) – Drake has won six straight games and there are five Missouri Valley Conference games tonight. The ‘War on 74’ high-lights tonight’s schedule. Drake’s win pushed them one-half game in front of Southern Illinois, Belmont and Bradley. All three of those teams are in action tonight.

Tucker DeVries and the Drake Bulldogs dominated their game with Murray State last night. DeVries scored 32 points for the second straight game and Drake defeated the Racers 92-68. The Bulldogs (20-6, 11-4) have won at least twenty games during all five of coach Darian DeVries’ tenure in Des Moines.

Garrett Sturtz recorded a double-double with ten points and eleven rebounds and the Bulldogs buried 12 of twenty-one three point attempts. Tucker DeVries made six of eight. Murray State (13-12) fell to 8-7 in league play.

Wednesdays In the Valley

Belmont (17-8, 10-4) @ Missouri State (12-12, 8-6) – 6 pm – MVC TV

In the only game featuring two of the league’s top eight teams, the red hot Bruins visit a Bears team that is looking for momentum and identity. Belmont has won eight of its last ten games and Missouri State has split its last ten.

The Bruins won the earlier meeting between the teams when freshman Cade Tyson scored twenty points. Also scoring 20 were Missouri State’s Donovan Clay. Head coach Dana Ford told me Monday, he expects his best player to return to the lineup tonight. He missed the Bears’ last game with a sickness.

Valparaiso (10-15, 4-10) @ Indiana State (16-9, 9-5) – 6 pm – ESPN+

While Indiana State has won three straight and Valparaiso has won four of seven with two of the losses coming in overtime. Both of these teams are playing better basketball. Valpo is just 2-11 on the road and the Sycamores are 9-3 at home.

Indiana State won the first meeting by 18 points by dominating the rebounding battle and holding the Beacons to 50 points.

Illinois Chicago (10-15, 2-12) @ Southern Illinois (18-7, 10-4) – 7 pm – ESPN+

UIC snapped a long losing streak this past weekend and SIU has already won more games this year than any time under Bryan Mullins. The Salukis are 11-and-1 at home. These two teams believe in defense. While the Salukis are the Valley’s best defensive team, the Flames are tenacious on that end of the floor too. SIU leads the league in steals and UIC is the Valley’s most prolific shot-blocking-team.

Each team’s leading scorer averages over 16 points per game. Marcus Domask leads the Salukis and Jace Carter is the Flames’ top gun.

These two teams will face one another twice during the season’s final six games.

Bradley (17-8, 10-4) @ Illinois State (10-15, 5-9) – 7 pm – ESPN+

The ‘War on 74’ returns tonight in Bloomington-Normal. Bradley won the first half of this rivalry series in Peoria (79-75). That was the first win of Bradley’s recent four-game winning streak. The Redbirds have won two of their last three games. Coach Ryan Pedon says his team now has a better understanding of what the War on 74 is all about.

Bradley owns the league’s best frontcourt, but Illinois State has the kind of frontcourt size that could make life more difficult for Rienk Mast, Malevy Leons, Ja’Shon Henry and Darius Hannah. Bradley coach Brian Wardle hasn’t been afraid to ‘go small’ and use guards Duke Deen, Zek Montgomery and Connor Hickman at the same time.

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Northern Iowa (12-12, 8-6) @ Evansville (4-21, 0-14) – 7 pm – ESPN+

Each of these teams are on a losing streak. UNI has dropped three straight and the Purple Aces have lost twelve in-a-row. This game features two of the league’s top guards. UNI’s Bowen Born is fourth in scoring and Evansville’s Kenny Strawbridge is ninth.

Born scored 29 points during UNI’s December victory over Evansville. Stawbridge contributed 17 for the Purple Aces.

The league’s longest tenured coach (Ben Jacobson) faces off against first year head man David Ragland. During his seventeen seasons, Jacobson has won 333 games and his next Valley victory will move him into sole possession of second place among Valley coaches in conference wins.

UE has been playing a little short handed as promising sophomore Sekou Kalle has been out with an injury.

Only five conference games remain after tonight’s games. The battle for first place is wide open. Drake’s half-game lead will be challenged by three teams tonight. Remember, the top four teams in the final standings, receive a first round bye at Arch Madness. These games are critical.

Courtside Chat

This week’s #CourtsideChat will come your way on Friday. Belmont’s Greg Sage and Valparaiso’s Todd Ickow will join the Valley’s Mike Kern and me to discuss those two programs and their personal careers!

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