By Peyton Wesner
Will anyone defeat the defending champs? On Saturday afternoon, Evansville did not have enough fire power behind D.J. Balentine to stay with Wichita State's "Big Four" as they were easily beaten at the Ford Center. Indiana State had the opposite problem that day. The Sycamores offense scored 78 points but gave up 84 points, 24 of which came from Senior guard Gary Ricks Jr. who doubled his scoring average in the performance, to the Drake Bulldogs allowing their first loss of conference play and Drake's first win of the season. Maybe Indiana State and Evansville are not the conference contenders we thought because of their weaknesses.
January 19, 2015
8:05 PM EST
11-7 (3-3) Illinois State
at 4-14 (1-5) Drake
11-7 (3-3) Illinois State
Solid Wins:
-Old Dominion 64-45 in the Semi-Final of Paradise Jam.
-DePaul 78-72 (Road)
-Missouri State 69-55 (Road)
Conference Losses
-Indiana State 63-61 (Home)
-#16 Wichita State 70-62 (Road)
-Indiana State 71-70 in Overtime (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against Bradley 82-72 (Home)
Players to Watch:
---#3 Daishon Knight (SR)
-15.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.6 APG, & 1.2 SPG.
---#44 DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (JR)
-12.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#4 Bobby Hunter (SR)
-9.6 PPG, 2.3 RPG, & 1.9 APG.
---#22 Reggie Lynch (SO)
-8.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, & 2.8 BPG.
4-14 (1-5) Drake
Wins:
-IUPUI 73-60 (Home)
-Jackson State 76-66 (Home)
-Simpson (Non-Division I) 84-62 (Home)
Single-Digit Conference Losses:
-#16 Wichita State 66-58 (Home)
-Loyola (IL) 50-47 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against Indiana State 84-78 (Home)
Players to Watch:
---#2 Gary Ricks Jr. (SR)
-11.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, & 2.3 APG.
---#12 Reed Timmer (FR)
-9.9 PPG, 1.7 RPG, & 2.6 APG.
---#3 Jordan Daniels (SR)
-8.7 PPG.
---#25 Chris Caird (SR)
-7.9 PPG & 2.0 RPG.
---#11 Jacob Enevold Jensen (SR)
-7.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, & 1.1 BPG
Redbirds Fly Past Pesky Bulldogs
Watch out Redbirds, Drake may have hit their stride with their win against Indiana State. The Bulldogs have had a terrible season so far but the win against the then 5-0 Indiana State Sycamores could be the swing that helps them win some games moving forward. On the other hand, Illinois State has been hot since their 0-2 start by winning their last three out of four games while averaging 75.5 points per game on the offensive end. I believe Illinois State's Daishon Knight will outperform his counterpart, Drake's Gary Ricks Jr., in a close but not too close Redbird win.
---Illinois State 75, Drake 67
January 20, 2015
8:00 PM EST-Full Court/ESPN3
9-9 (5-1) Indiana State
at 16-2 (5-1) 20. Northern Iowa
9-9 (5-1) Indiana State
Solid Wins:
-Illinois State 63-61 (Road)
-Evansville 79-75 in Overtime (Home)
-Missouri State 71-56 (Home)
-Illinois State 71-70 in Overtime (Home)
"Never Should Have Happened" Losses:
-Eastern Illinois 60-56 (Home)
-Missouri-Kansas City 73-70 in Double Overtime.
Last Game:
-Loss To Drake 84-78 (Road)
Players to Watch:
---#11 Devonte Brown (JR)
-12.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, & 2.6 APG.
---#1 Khristian Smith (JR)
-11.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.2 APG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#4 Brenton Scott (FR)
-11.4 PPG & 3.7 RPG.
---#5 Justin Gant (SR)
-9.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, & 1.0 BPG.
16-2 (5-1) 20. Northern Iowa
Lunardi's Bracketology: 7 Seed
Solid Wins:
-Stephen F. Austin 79-77 in Overtime (Road)
-Virginia Tech 73-54 in Semi-Final of Cancun Challenge.
-Northwestern 61-42 in Championship of Cancun Challenge.
-Iowa 56-44 (in Des Moines)
-Loyola (IL) 67-58 (Home)
Losses:
-VCU 93-87 in Overtime (Road)
-Evansville 52-49 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against Missouri State 60-46 (Home)
Players to Watch:
---#10 Seth Tuttle (SR)
-14.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, & 3.2 APG.
---#11 Wes Washpun (JR)
-9.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.6 APG, & 1.2 SPG.
---#1 Deon Mitchell (SR)
-7.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG, & 2.0 APG.
Prediction:
Sycamores Slide Continues at Cedar Rapids
Indiana State doesn't look too tough and mighty now after their loss at Drake do they? Now, let's get this straight. I obviously did not predict the Drake victory on Saturday but I never really thought the Sycamores were a contender with Jake Odum playing professionally. Also, their loss could not have came at a worse time since their next opponent is the best defensive team in "The Valley", the Northern Iowa Panthers. UNI has looked almost unstoppable since their let-down loss in Evansville on New Years. Seth Tuttle has looked great and the supporting cast around him has continued to impress me, which leaves me "out of my seat" excited for January 31st game in Cedar Rapids against Wichita State. Tonight is a big game and obviously the "Game of the Night" since it is on Fox Sports Net, too bad Indiana State will continue to be exposed in another defeat. Don't get me wrong it will be close but there is no excuse for the Panthers to lose this matchup.
---Northern Iowa 64, Indiana State 58
8:00 PM EST-ESPN3
6-13 (1-5) Bradley
at 8-11 (1-5) Southern Illinois
6-13 (1-5) Bradley
Solid Wins:
-Central Michigan 84-73 (Home)
-Southern Illinois 63-44 (Home)
"Never Should Have Happened" Losses:
-Texas-Arlington 86-75 (Home)
-Robert Morris 68-61 (Home)
-UC Irvine 55-47 in the Semi-Final of the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic.
-Arkansas-Little Rock 64-54 in the Consolation Championship of the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic.
Last Game:
-Loss to Illinois State 82-72 (Road)
Players to Watch:
---#2 Warren Jones (JR)
-13.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, & 1.6 SPG.
---#5 Tramique Sutherland (JR)
-11.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, & 3.2 APG.
---#4 Auston Barnes (SR)
-11.1 PPG & 3.9 RPG.
---#24 Omari Grier (JR)
-9.3 PPG & 2.2 APG.
8-11 (1-5) Southern Illinois
Solid Wins:
-SIU-Edwardsville 79-67 (Road)
"Should Not Have Happened" Losses:
-Southeast Missouri State 55-54 (Home)
-New Orleans 56-52 (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Against Loyola (IL) 59-52 (Home)
Players to Watch:
---#25 Anthony Beane (JR)
-16.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.3 SPG.
---#33 Sean O'Brien (SO)
-9.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#14 Jordan Caroline (FR)
-8.9 PPG & 6.3 RPG.
Prediction:
Sutherland & Jones Too Much for Beane and Southern Illinois
Well at least one team will finally get their second win right? Southern Illinois got a big victory on Sunday against a quality Loyola Ramblers team behind the first great performance of the conference season by star Anthony Beane (20 points). Maybe Beane is finally getting out of his shooting slump but Bradley hopes not. The Bradley Braves' only victory this season came in a blowout win in Peoria against the Salukis. Extra motivation for SIU? I could see the Salukis carrying a bit of momentum into tonight but really Bradley, and any other team that plays Southern Illinois, only has to do one thing: keep Anthony Beane from scoring. In addition, I think the Braves have enough solid scorers to run their opponent out of the building, now that Warren Jones is back from injury to complement Tramique Sutherland, Auston Barnes, and Omari Grier. There is no doubt in my mind this game will be competitive for all 40 minutes since it is another chance for both teams to try to turn things around this season in order to salvage a decent seed for Arch Madness.
---Bradley 64, Southern Illinois 59
8:00 PM EST-ESPN3
13-5 (3-3) Evansville
at 13-5 (3-3) Loyola (IL)
13-5 (3-3) Evansville
Solid Wins:
-San Francisco 79-72 in Third Place Game of Gulf Coast Showcase.
-Wright State 86-78 (Home)
-Belmont 65-62 (Road)
-Ohio 81-69 in Overtime (Home)
-#23 Northern Iowa 52-49 (Home)
-Bradley 66-56 (Home)
Losses:
-Green Bay 64-62 in Semi-Final of Gulf Coast Showcase.
-Murray State 81-79 (Home)
-Indiana State 79-75 in Overtime (Road)
-Loyola (IL) 71-70 (Home)
Last Game:
-Loss To 13. Wichita State 61-41 (Home)
Players to Watch:
---#31 D.J. Balentine (JR)
-20.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, & 3.5 APG.
---#55 Egidijus Mockevicius
-13.1 PPG, 10.7 RPG, & 2.7 BPG.
---#5 Mislav Brzoja (SO)
-9.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, & 1.0 SPG
---#50 Blake Simmons (SO)
-7.8 PPG & 2.4 APG.
13-5 (3-3) Loyola (IL)
Solid Wins:
-Kent State 69-61 (Road)
-Texas Tech 62-44 in the Semi-Finals of the Las Vegas Classic.
-Boise State 48-45 in the Championship of the Las Vegas Classic.
-Bradley 64-49 (Home)
-Evansville 71-70 (Road)
"Never Should Have Happened" Losses:
-Tulane 83-70 (Home)
Last Game:
-Loss To Southern Illinois 59-52 (Road)
Players to Watch:
---#32 Christian Thomas (SR)
-12.8 PPG & 4.1 RPG.
---#35 Milton Doyle (SO)
-11.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 4.2 APG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#4 Devon Turk (JR)
-8.1 PPG & 2.4 RPG.
---#24 Montel James (JR)
-7.8 PPG & 4.1 RPG.
Prediction:
Balentine and Evansville Take Out the Pack on the Road
The game that intrigues me the most on Wednesday night is Evansville at Loyola (IL). While the Purple Aces were "taken behind the shed" by the Wichita State Shockers, the Ramblers were narrowly defeated by the Southern Illinois Salukis. Plain and simple Loyola just did not have enough offense to stay with "The Valley's" second leading scorer (Marcus Marshall does not count since he has decided to transfer) Anthony Beane. Milton Doyle has continued to decide to play "pass-first" basketball, which is a great attribute to have in a star-player but I do not feel like his teammates find him shots in return. Tonight, it will once again hurt the Ramblers since they face one of the best offenses in the conference. The first meeting was narrowly won at the end on a Milton Doyle drop down assist to Christian Thomas, but Evansville will come out remembering that with the motive to get revenge on their opponent's home court. I forsee D.J. Balentine and Egidijus Mockevicius both dominating the inside paint and outside perimeter in route to their fourth conference victory.
---Evansville 65, Loyola (IL) 57
8:05 PM EST-Full Court/ESPN3
16-2 (6-0) 14. Wichita State
at 8-10 (2-4) Missouri State
16-2 (6-0) 14. Wichita State
Lunardi's Bracketology: 4 Seed
Solid Wins:
-Memphis 71-56 (in Sioux Falls)
-St. Louis 81-52 (Home)
-Seton Hall 77-68 (Home)
-Alabama 53-52 (Home)
-Illinois State 70-62 (Home)
-Loyola (IL) 67-53 (Road)
Losses:
-#25 Utah 69-68 in Overtime (Road)
-George Washington 60-54 in the Championship of the Diamond Head Classic.
Last Game:
-Win Against Evansville 61-41 (Road)
Players to Watch:
---#31 Ron Baker (JR)
-16.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.3 APG, & 1.3 SPG.
---#12 Darius Carter (SR)
-12.8 PPG & 6.4 RPG.
---#23 Fred Van Vleet (JR)
-10.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 5.5 APG, & 1.9 SPG.
---#32 Tekele Cotton (SR)
-9.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, & 1.4 SPG.
8-10 (2-4) Missouri State
Conference Wins:
-Southern Illinois 53-50 (Road)
-Drake 62-37 (Home)
Conference Losses:
-Indiana State 71-56 (Road)
-Illinois State 69-55 (Home)
-Evansville 56-54 (Home)
Last Game:
-Loss to #23 Northern Iowa 60-46 (Road)
Players to Watch:
---#2 Austin Ruder (SO)
-8.8 PPG & 2.3 RPG.
---#23 Dorrian Williams (JR)
-8.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.7 RPG, & 1.4 SPG.
---#30 Camyn Boone (JR)
-7.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, & 1.1 BPG.
No Marshall = No Problem for Ron Baker and Wichita State
"Wichita is not a state!" Well Missouri State has no room to talk because they will be beaten tonight. Marcus Marshall and his flattop hair-do will not be walking into the JQH Arena at 8:05 Eastern Standard Time but Ron Baker, Darius Carter, Fred Van Vleet, and Tekele Cotton will be on the floor for the opening tip-off. The Shockers know how to play on the road, just ask Evansville. Another unfortunate occurance for the Bears is that it actually looks like the Shockers have remembered how to play the tough defense that they did last year. "Wichita is not a state?" Well that will not matter tonight, Missouri State, because the Shockers have the best four players on the court and they are more than capable of scoring double-digit points.
---Wichita State 67, Missouri State 50
THE ROAD TO ARCH MADNESS
It is never to early to begin looking ahead to March so here is the seedings and matchups if the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament started today.
Arch Madness if it Started Today
1. Wichita State 16-2 (6-0)
2. Northern Iowa 16-2 (5-1)
3. Indiana State 9-9 (5-1)
4. Loyola (IL) 13-5 (3-3)
5. Evansville 13-5 (3-3)
6. Illinois State 11-7 (3-3)
7. Missouri State 8-10 (2-4)
8. Bradley 6-13 (1-5)
9. Southern Illinois 8-11 (1-5)
10. Drake 4-14 (1-5)
Thursday Night
G1: BRAD vs SIU (BRAD Won First Matchup at Carver Arena (BRAD))
G2: MOST vs DRAKE (MOST Won First Game at JQH Arena (MOST))
Friday Afternoon
G3: WSU vs W-G1
G4: LOY vs UE (LOY Won First Meeting at Ford Center (UE))
Friday Night
G5: INST vs ILST (INST Swept Season Series)
G6: UNI vs W-G2
PW's Prediction Record Coming into Today: 89-37 (22-9 in the MVC)
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