One MVC Game tonight, Thursday, Feb. 8

[tornado]

SIU at ISU

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/scoreboard/_/group/18

we oughta do a poll to see how many people think Milik Yarbrough will dress and play -

I think he will but to save face, he won't start but will sub in as soon as the fall behind

[tornado]

Milik Yarbrough is dressed and warming up - but starters are not yet announced

[Da Coach]

As predicted, Milik Yarbrough is in the starting lineup tonight.

[tornado]

Yup, Yarbrough is starting - guess there won't be any discipline.

[bigjimmy]

SIU and ISU are going to overtime tied ay64. SIU just missed a half court shot at the buzzer.

[Da Coach]

SIU and ISU are headed to overtime tied 64-64.-

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=400989733

ISU center Phil Fayne suffered an injury in the second half to what appeared to be his left ankle. He left the game and has not returned. He is now on crutches. Milik Yarbrough has 9 turnovers. ISU had the final possession with a chance to win, and after a timeout, Dan Muller took Yarbrough out of the game for the final play.
He has returned to the game at the start of overtime.

[Da Coach]

ISU wins in overtime-
SIU 68
ISU 76

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=400989733

[bigjimmy]

ISU was 7-7 from the FT line in the last minute to pull away. Yarbrough had 2 FT's in OT and were his only points after halftime. He almost pulled off a triple double as he had 11 points, 9 rebounds and 9 turnovers. This was the 11th straight win against SIU in Normal. Taylor Bruninga was fouled on a made layup with 34 seconds left in the 2nd half and made the and 1 to tie the game at 64. Fayne looked like he couldn't put any pressure on his foot as he was walking off after the game. SIU and ISU are now tied for 2nd at 8-5, BU tied for 4th at 7-6. Beat SIU and we have the tiebreaker over them. Makes the game even bigger now.

[tornado]

we have to beat SIU and ISU
ISU may be without Fayne if the ankle was bad enough and they are already without Evans

[BUfan39]

we have to beat SIU and ISU
ISU may be without Fayne if the ankle was bad enough and they are already without Evans

Well let' go get SIU first on Sunday. I'd imagine a decent game since we were horrible in the last one assuming this is how the team works...

[tornado]

Muller said after the game that the ankle was bad and he wouldn't be surprised if Fayne is out a while
but he rides those 3 guys hard so it's no wonder they are injured all the time

[mvcfan]

Muller said after the game that the ankle was bad and he wouldn't be surprised if Fayne is out a while
but he rides those 3 guys hard so it's no wonder they are injured all the time

One common coaching philosophy is playing your best players usually helps you win. So yes Fayne plays a lot of minutes.

[BUfan39]

Muller said after the game that the ankle was bad and he wouldn't be surprised if Fayne is out a while
but he rides those 3 guys hard so it's no wonder they are injured all the time

Well hopefully he's still resting that ankle next Wednesday

[tornado]

One common coaching philosophy is playing your best players usually helps you win. So yes Fayne plays a lot of minutes.

But the wise coach ought to be able to see that nobody at the top of the MVC is likely gonna get an at large bid - so the ONLY thing that matters is how healthy your team is gonna be the first week in March - right?
So there probably is some correlation between recurring injury problems and the degree to which the players are utilized.

Or is Muller focused only on what he has to do to win every game regardless of how it may hurt his team's chances down the road?
Last year only one player played more than 27 mpg and they all stayed pretty healthy - but this year they are being played harder wouldn't you agree?

BUT- it's not just playing them the most minutes on the team- and of course the ball is in their hands the most...so they take the most beating...
But you gotta look at how many times one of their "big three" have played 34, 35, 36 or more minutes in a game...it has happened a lot - and just "coincidentally" ISU folks complain about all the danged injuries they have??

BUT even the ISU beat writer was surprised that Yarbrough was in the starting lineup last night - and Keyshawn Evans was brought back really fast from his prior knee injury (which was a recurring thing) and - surprise - he re-injures it again.
Looking more & more like ISU is gonna be the walking wounded in St. Louis, so go figure.

..and even your own announcers last night on the ESPN3 broadcast noted how hard Clarance was pushed to return from his injury and that it resulted in blisters that cost him even a couple more weeks...(their words - not mine)

[cpacmel]

But the wise coach ought to be able to see that nobody at the top of the MVC is likely gonna get an at large bid - so the ONLY thing that matters is how healthy your team is gonna be the first week in March - right?

That's one way to look at it. Others value a conference championship. Also seeding for the conference tourney is important, not much breathing room between 2nd seed and 8th seed.

Also does ISU with an RPI of 70 have a shot at an NIT bid?

Or is Muller focused only on what he has to do to win every game regardless of how it may hurt his team's chances down the road?
Last year only one player played more than 27 mpg and they all stayed pretty healthy - but this year they are being played harder wouldn't you agree?

BUT- it's not just playing them the most minutes on the team- and of course the ball is in their hands the most...so they take the most beating...
But you gotta look at how many times one of their "big three" have played 34, 35, 36 or more minutes in a game...it has happened a lot - and just "coincidentally" ISU folks complain about all the danged injuries they have??

ISU's Big 3

Evans averages 30.5 minutes per game
Fayne averages 29.7 minutes per game
Milik Y averages 26.8 minutes per game

Just for comparison purposes:

UC-Davis's Big 3

Schneider 30.4 minutes per game
Shorts 30.2 minutes per game
Moneke 30.0 minutes per game

Duke's Big 3

Grayson Allen 33.8 minutes per game
Marvin Bagley 33.0 minutes per game
Gary Trent 33.0 minutes per game


Darrell Brown averages 32.2 minutes per game for Bradley

BUT even the ISU beat writer was surprised that Yarbrough was in the starting lineup last night - and Keyshawn Evans was brought back really fast from his prior knee injury (which was a recurring thing) and - surprise - he re-injures it again.
Looking more & more like ISU is gonna be the walking wounded in St. Louis, so go figure.

I follow Jim Benson on twitter. I don't remember a surprised tweet by him. Any chance you could post it?

..and even your own announcers last night on the ESPN3 broadcast noted how hard Clarance was pushed to return from his injury and that it resulted in blisters that cost him even a couple more weeks...(their words - not mine)

Game wasn't on ESPN3

Game was on Cbs Sports

They weren't our announcers.
John Sadak, play-by-play. Out of Delware
Michael O'Donnell, analyst. Out of Florida

Clarance's blisters: http://www.valleyhoopsinsider.com/ba...end-of-losses/

Illinois State is yet to play a game with 7-footer Daouda (David) N’diaye or highly touted freshmen Elijah Clarance. Both are out with foot injuries. Clarance’s original injury is fine, but he has developed extremely painful blisters from orthotics placed in his shoes to protect against future injuries.