5 MVC games Tuesday, Feb. 3

[Da Coach]

There are 5 MVC games today, Tuesday, Feb. 3. The idle team is Northern Iowa-

Men's College Basketball Scores - February 3, 2026 - ESPN

Live scores for NCAAM games on February 3, 2026 on ESPN. Includes box scores, video highlights, play breakdowns and updated odds.

www.espn.com

	Away	Home	Time	Location	Links
	Southern Illinois	Illinois State	6:00 PM	Normal, Ill. (Conf.)	TV: ESPN+ Stats Video
	UIC	Murray State	7:00 PM	Murray, Ky. (Conf.)	TV: ESPN+ Stats Video
	Indiana State	Evansville	7:00 PM	Evansville, Ind. (Conf.)	TV: ESPN+ Stats Video
	Valparaiso	Bradley	7:00 PM	Peoria, IL (Conf.)	TV: ESPN+ Stats Video
	Drake	Belmont	8:00 PM	Nashville, Tenn. (Conf.)	TV: ESPN+ Stats Video

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 Men's Basketball​

 

[yoda]

we need SIU and Drake to play well & win tonight
and as for the UIC/Murray State game, I guess I'd rather see Murray State go down, but either way one of them will get a loss.
If all of that occurs and BU wins, then BU will be 9-4, one game out of 1st but with still 5 teams within 2 games of 1st place

 

[yoda]

SIU goes into Redbird Arena and knocks off ISU 54-50
ISU drops to 7-5 in the standings - 5th place

Indiana State wins easily at Evansville , 84-63, shooting 13-27 from 3-pt

Murray State wins at home vs UIC, 81-74-- so Murray State will keep pace with BU at 9-4, UIC drops to 8-5, 4th place

BU wins 72-65, holds on to 2nd place (tie with Murray State), Valpo drops to 5-7

Drake & Belmont both shooting at 60% from 3-pt in the 1st half
Belmont wins 103-90, they hit 17-35 from 3-point

 

[Da Coach]

SIU goes into Redbird Arena and knocks off ISU 54-50
ISU drops to 7-5 in the standings - 5th place

Murray State wins at home vs UIC, 81-74-- so Murray State will keep pace with BU at 9-4, UIC drops to 8-5, 4th place

Johnny Kinziger, who would have been a Preseason 1st team All-MVC pick if the MVC had actually picked an All MVC team, has really slumped lately. After starting the first 21 games for Illinois State, he has come off the bench in their last 2 games. His scoring average has dropped to 11.4 ppg, and his 3-point shooting percentage has dipped to 29.7%. Tonight at home against SIU he had 10 points off the bench, but was just 4-13 overall, and 1-6 from three in 29 minutes. In their last game, a loss to Murray State, Kinziger also had 10 points in 29 minutes,m but was just 3-9 in the game.

And in the UIC loss at Murray State, UIC point guard Elijah Crawford, who had 26 points to lead UIC to their win at Bradley, played only 1 minute 28 seconds in the game before being ejected for what was determined to be a Flagrant 2 foul on Murray State's Javon Jackson (who played at UIC last year). I have not been able to find a video of the incident, but UIC fans did not think it deserved a flagrant 2 call and ejection.

Standings- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/standings/_/group/18

 

[BUBraves2006]

I got the clip. It was bad. He not only punched him but actually took a swing at him right before that.

https://x.com/ChargeOnHilltop/status/2018924652203233706?s=20

 

[yoda]

Maybe a little acting by the Murray State guy but definitely a closed-fist punch to the liver by Crawford.

 

[Da Coach]

From that short clip, it didn't look like any of the 3 refs blew their whistle. The "punch" occurred at 18:39 on the video, but the clock didn't stop until 18:32.
And it looked like the incident was in retaliation for by the screen Jackson set for Crawford, where he appears to extend his left elbow a bit and give Crawford a jab as he was trying to get around him. That is when Crawford looks like he takes a swing, but I'm not sure that connected. Then a few seconds later comes the "punch".
I would like to see more video angles of the whole thing if anyone finds more. Oddly, BUBraves2006's post on X.com is the only video of the incident posted.

 

[BUBraves2006]

I have no dog in the fight, truly.

But, I think my issue with it is the two things together. We'll never know if the referees looked a both - in the moment, they probably didn't, I'd guess. But, what in its own separation could be deemed an attempt at a steal that caught a guy in the midsection, was a blatant act to get in a dirty play in because he was already mad about the screen and had thrown a punch right before that. Acting or not, there's no place for guys taking closed fist swipes at guys.

I watched the aftermath of it as well and Crawford didn't even protest it, really. Ehsan talked to him for awhile before Crawford walked to the locker room.

 

[Da Coach]

Here is something interesting I saw in the UIC-Murray State game last night. UIC has a player on their roster named Tai Walters-Whitaker, who had played only a few minutes in 11 games this season. He actually played 1 minute in the UIC win at Bradley, though I don't remember him.
He is a 5th year transfer from the south suburb of Flossmoor, Illinois, who played 2 seasons at NAIA Governors State University, near Chicago, then 2 seasons at D2 Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri. He was eligible as a grad-transfer to play one more season, so he transferred to UIC. Last night at Murray State, he played 12 minutes, and had 5 points on 2-4 shooting and 1-1 from three. It was his first three pointer of the season.

But what is interesting is his shot form, and the reaction of the announcers and other media and bloggers who have commented on it.
I thought Connor Dillon's shot was unusual, but check out this video, and let me know if you have ever seen any player shoot like this guy. It looks ugly, but hits nothing but net.
UIC's Tai Walters-Whitaker Drains Bizarre 24-Foot Three in Loss to Murray State
www.x.com/i/trending/2018933247569260743

This link has an enlarged and slowed-down view-
www..com/LoganWhaleyWPSD/status/2018943398258889189

Here he is in an earlier game this season, and his left-handed shot does not appear to be quite as unusual-
www.x.com/UIC_MBB/status/1999954933488161064