6 MVC games Saturday, Dec. 21

[Da Coach]

There are 6 MVC games today, Saturday, Dec. 21 - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...ype/2/group/18

All six games are afternoon games.
12:00 pm- Indiana State at home against University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy (an NAIA school from St. Louis)
1:00 pm- Evansville is a 4.5 point underdog at Ball State
1:00 pm- Southern Illinois is a 2.5 point underdog at home to 11-2 High Point University
1:00 pm- Bradley is favored by 24.5 points over Canisius.
3:00 pm- UNI is a 3.5 point underdog against Washington State- in a 1-game event, the Holiday Hoops Classic at the Orleans Arena (Las Vegas)
5:00 pm- Drake is favored by 24.5 points over Doug Gottlieb's 2-11 UW-Green Bay, coming off an embarrassing home loss to D2 Michigan Tech

[yoda]

couple minutes until halftime...
Washington State 41
UNI 21

heck...at least we hung right with 'em until the 2nd half

[Da Coach]

Washington State continues to lead UNI 67-56 with about 8 1/2 minutes left in the game. - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...meId/401715922
UNI trailed by 23 at halftime, but they have played better in the 2nd half, cutting the deficit to 11 points.

UNI has played well lately and they came into this game with a 4-game win streak, and leading the country in Field Goal Percentage.
Washington State is playing without their leading scorer, Cedric Coward, who averages 17.7 ppg, and who scored 18 points in their win over Bradley.
But in the first half, UNI shot only 37.1% (13-35) and 28.6% from three (4-14), while WSU shot 65% form the floor.

In other games that are completed-
Indiana State improved to 8-4 clobbering NAIA University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy 101-53 - InSU played their deep reserves much of the 2nd half. - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...meId/401722610

Evansville was embarrassed by Ball State 80-43. Ball State was just 4-6 coming into this game, but only 2-6 vs. Division I schools. UE shot only 29% for the game and 11.5% from three. Evansville is now 3-9. - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...meId/401720997

Southern Illinois lost at home to High Point University 94-81 - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...meId/401720453
SIU is now 5-7, and HPU improved to 12-2. SIU fell behind early by as much as 19 points, and remained behind by double-digits for nearly all the rest of the game. As we saw in their game against Bradley, they are not a good 3-point shooting team, and today they hit just 5 of 17 threes.
And for some reason, their leading scorer Kennard Davis did not start the game. He ended up with 13 points in 30 minutes off the bench.

[Da Coach]

...
Southern Illinois lost at home to High Point University 94-81 - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...meId/401720453
SIU is now 5-7, and HPU improved to 12-2. SIU fell behind early by as much as 19 points, and remained behind by double-digits for nearly all the rest of the game. As we saw in their game against Bradley, they are not a good 3-point shooting team, and today they hit just 5 of 17 threes.
And for some reason, their leading scorer Kennard Davis did not start the game. He ended up with 13 points in 30 minutes off the bench.

Here is the reason Kennard Davis did not start - https://x.com/salukiradio/status/1870548895786512410
He was reportedly "nursing an ankle injury", though he ended up playing 30 minutes, which is more than 4 of the 5 starters played and almost what he averages per game (31.8 mpg).

[Da Coach]

UNI loses to Washington State 76-68 - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...-northern-iowa

UNI is now 7-5.

[yoda]

could Drake be facing an upset vs lowly Green Bay?
UWGB trailing by only 5 with 9 min to go, Drake just 1-12 from 3-pt

[Da Coach]

could Drake be facing an upset vs lowly Green Bay?
UWGB trailing by only 5 with 9 min to go, Drake just 1-12 from 3-pt

Drake holds on to beat Green Bay 72-62 - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...meId/401727289
They finish their non-conference schedule 11-0. Their next game is Dec, 29 vs. Belmont.
Their MVC schedule includes only one game against Belmont (home game 12/29/24) and one game against SIU (road game 2/1/25)

[yoda]

we start the Valley season with 3 of our first four games at home (Valpo, Missouri State, then Drake)
..and the other game is at Indiana State.
Drake has Belmont & Murray State at home and UIC & Bradley on the road.
By then we might be able to tell if Drake, UNI and Bradley or possibly someone else are the contenders.