4 MVC games Wed., Feb. 26

[yoda]

All will come down to how involved the refs are. If they come in blowing the whistle every minute of play, I don't like our chances. If they let us play and we get in a rhythm, watch out!

I don't have the official stats or foul counts, but just from observation, watching decades of MVC Tournament games,
it seems to me that the reffing changes when the games start in St. Louis. They do NOT seem to call so many fouls, &
seem to let them play ....
Although....all you have to do is look at the free throw differential the past few years in Bradley's MVC Tourney games, and
it's hard to conclude that we get a fair shake. Pretty much every game, the FT count favors our opponents...
The only time I can recall our opponents griping that Bradley got to the FT line too much was that one game in 2019,
when DLO converted the 4-point play (on the flagrant), then Childs scored to make it a 6-point play to lift BU to the Championship.
(even then, we still only shot 12 FTs, but UNI got only 5 - numbers which seem unheard-of watching this season))

[Da Coach]

4 MVC games tonight, Wed. Feb. 26 - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...50226/group/18

UIC (9-9) at Northern Iowa (13-5)- 6 pm on MVC-TV Network and ESPN+ - UNI -7.5
Drake (15-3) at Evansville (8-10)- 7 pm on ESPN+ - Drake - 8.5
Belmont (11-7) at Missouri State (2-16)- 7 pm on ESPN+ - Belmont -1.5
Bradley (13-5) at Valparaiso (6-12)- 8 pm on MVC-TV Network (Gray Media/CW channel in Peoria) - Bradley - 4.5

MVC Standings - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...ngs/_/group/18

[Tommy]

I don't have the official stats or foul counts, but just from observation, watching decades of MVC Tournament games,
it seems to me that the reffing changes when the games start in St. Louis. They do NOT seem to call so many fouls, &
seem to let them play ....
Although....all you have to do is look at the free throw differential the past few years in Bradley's MVC Tourney games, and
it's hard to conclude that we get a fair shake. Pretty much every game, the FT count favors our opponents...
The only time I can recall our opponents griping that Bradley got to the FT line too much was that one game in 2019,
when DLO converted the 4-point play (on the flagrant), then Childs scored to make it a 6-point play to lift BU to the Championship.
(even then, we still only shot 12 FTs, but UNI got only 5 - numbers which seem unheard-of watching this season))

Yeah, those days are long gone, and that 2019 team was FAR more physical than this years. I hope you’re right and the whistles calm down in St. Louis. I really like our chances if we’re allowed to get in any kind of flow.

[yoda]

watching UIC at UNI - was hoping UIC can pull the upset but they are struggling early and behind by 15 pts

But one thing that amazes me - their arena is 80% empty! They are in the middle of a tight 3 way race and still have a chance to tie for the regular season title in the MVC. They claim 3700 average but that's buoyed by a 6600 against Drake, otherwise their average is closer to 3300- but I am sure it's only half that butts in the seats. Even their premium seats right behind the benches and scorers tables are 2/3 empty.
Wonder why? They used to have a rabid fan base.

the whole arena looks like these seats right behind the home bench

IMG_3728.jpg

[Da Coach]

Halftime score- UNI 41 UIC 26 - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...meId/401722551

UNI playing well and getting big production from Hutson and Anderson, and UIC playing poorly. UIC, along with Murray State are real Jekyll and Hyde teams. They have looked very good in some games, and looked awful in other games. It's hard to believe the UIC team I am watching tonight beat Drake this season, beat Bradley by 23 points in Peoria and nearly beat the Braves in Chicago if it were not for Duke Deen's last minute heroics.

[bigjimmy]

Drake had their hands full the last 17:00 of the half as Evansville actually took the lead at 49-48 with 9:33 left. That was the only lead of the half for the Purple Aces though. Drake led 59-54 with 4:35 left but didn’t make a FG the rest of the game. Evansville had a number of chances to tie and or get the lead but just couldn’t get over the hump. Drake is the regular season MVC Champs.

[bigjimmy]

Belmont clinches a buy with their 74-65 win at Missouri St. I for one am very happy that in their last year in the Valley that the Bears are last, with just 2 Valley wins

[Tommy]

Belmont clinches a buy with their 74-65 win at Missouri St. I for one am very happy that in their last year in the Valley that the Bears are last, with just 2 Valley wins

Agreed. Send them out in disgrace!

[yoda]

Belmont clinches a buy with their 74-65 win at Missouri St. I for one am very happy that in their last year in the Valley that the Bears are last, with just 2 Valley wins

precendent from other conferences - should dictate that since Missouri State is leaving the Valley, they should be banned from participating in the Conference Tournament. Wouldn't it be a public relations nightmare if a last place team that's not even going to be here next year actually made a run and won? Other conferences have avoided that potential by banning them and we should, too.

This is not unprecedented-
LINK
LINK (altho was reversed)

[Da Coach]

Not going to happen, and it shouldn't, IMO.

[egib52]

precendent from other conferences - should dictate that since Missouri State is leaving the Valley, they should be banned from participating in the Conference Tournament. Wouldn't it be a public relations nightmare if a last place team that's not even going to be here next year actually made a run and won? Other conferences have avoided that potential by banning them and we should, too.

This is not unprecedented-
LINK
LINK (altho was reversed)

If you weren't going to let them play in the tournament, should have had them leave before the season.

[yoda]

the contracts for the games were likely already signed well in advance of the season so cancelling all those games in all the sports would have been impossible

[Da Coach]

One thing for sure, there won't be many fans sitting in the yellow section-