MVC Games Week 10

[hot nuts]

ISU isn't as bad a team as some think. They have some legit MVC players. They won't be a top five team or anything but people aren't going into Redbird Arena and winning easily.

As many have said - Evansville is awful. I like one player on their roster - that's it. That said, Bradley is a Top 25 type team at home. They really are. Can they carry some of that on the road? Back to back at Drake and the Sycs. Interesting to see.

Yeah, I don't think UIC is that bad either. Valpo and Evansville though might only beat each other.

Valpo is sweeping that series and neither game is going to be in single digits.

Illinois State is clearly the best of that group and going to finish 9th. They also seem to have the most momentum and have a chance to be competitive in a couple years.

Thanks for the info! Now I don't have to goto anymore games this year and can avoid buying season tix next year! Between you and my mother-in-law I have a source for all the answers!

[ValleyFAN]

The Bears had the game won late vs the Birds, but a missed free throw and a late shot sent it to OT and I knew the Bears had no chance.

The Bears proved once again why they are the worst (literally, the worst) free throw shooting team in the country. They were awful at free throws last night, probably cost them the game, yet their overall percentage went up if that tells you anything.

[ISUSOX13]

The Bears had the game won late vs the Birds, but a missed free throw and a late shot sent it to OT and I knew the Bears had no chance.

The Bears proved once again why they are the worst (literally, the worst) free throw shooting team in the country. They were awful at free throws last night, probably cost them the game, yet their overall percentage went up if that tells you anything.

No doubt. On the flip side, ISU shot 29 of 32 from the charity stripe and didn't miss in OT. The 'Birds are fifth in the country in free throw percentage.

[Majik45]

Bradley continues to pound bad teams that come into Carver Arena, but last night they took it to another level. Here's some records broken or tied last night from the Bradley release:

- This game marks: (*Only taking into account Divison-1 opponents)
The largest win in Carver Arena in history.
The largest Missouri Valley Conference home win in school history (previously 41 points over Northern Iowa in 2000).
Ties the largest margin of a home victory against a Division-1 opponent in school history (45 points vs Louisville in 1938).

[Adunk33]

ISU isn't as bad a team as some think. They have some legit MVC players. They won't be a top five team or anything but people aren't going into Redbird Arena and winning easily.

Interesting enough, the Redbirds are 5-4 at home and and 3-2 on the road. They seem to play more loose on the road. At home they are nervous and tight. In those home losses (and really most loses) the Birds have come out flat and don't turn it on until the second half. Hell, it was the same last night. Mo State led 11-4 at the U16.

Prior to last night's game- Just to further exemplify how the slow starts have doomed the Birds...in league play, opponents have scored 208 points to ISU's 162. In the second half, Birds have the advantage 234-189. Including the @ Murray St OT game, the Redbirds have been out scored 405-401. It just goes to show how close the squad is from being 5-1.

As your teams will see as you play ILST, is that they are going to win games at the free throw line. That was the case last night. They shot more FTs than FGs in 2H and OT yesterday. The offense frequently stalemates and that the way to get points is to eat contact and get to the line. Sure, bias could be in the way, but I didn't think it was home cooking last night, the Birds getting to the line 30+ times. Mo State is incredibly physical. Pedon said postgame he noticed in the tape how physical MoSt is and to him, a lot with them were fouls. He was intentional about getting to the line and it worked for them.

[BCPanther]

ISU isn't as bad a team as some think. They have some legit MVC players. They won't be a top five team or anything but people aren't going into Redbird Arena and winning easily.

Interesting enough, the Redbirds are 5-4 at home and and 3-2 on the road. They seem to play more loose on the road. At home they are nervous and tight. In those home losses (and really most loses) the Birds have come out flat and don't turn it on until the second half. Hell, it was the same last night. Mo State led 11-4 at the U16.

Prior to last night's game- Just to further exemplify how the slow starts have doomed the Birds...in league play, opponents have scored 208 points to ISU's 162. In the second half, Birds have the advantage 234-189. Including the @ Murray St OT game, the Redbirds have been out scored 405-401. It just goes to show how close the squad is from being 5-1.

As your teams will see as you play ILST, is that they are going to win games at the free throw line. That was the case last night. They shot more FTs than FGs in 2H and OT yesterday. The offense frequently stalemates and that the way to get points is to eat contact and get to the line. Sure, bias could be in the way, but I didn't think it was home cooking last night, the Birds getting to the line 30+ times. Mo State is incredibly physical. Pedon said postgame he noticed in the tape how physical MoSt is and to him, a lot with them were fouls. He was intentional about getting to the line and it worked for them.

I've been impressed with Pedon. His guys really play hard and he's giving them a chance to compete pretty consistently even when they're undermanned. He's separated the Birds from the bottom three and I'm not sure he's got that much more talent than they do (other than Evansville). If he can pull a couple more good classes (and hit the portal successfully if that's the route he wants to go), I think we'll see the Birds moving up the standings over the next couple years.

[bleach]

As your teams will see as you play ILST, is that they are going to win games at the free throw line. That was the case last night. They shot more FTs than FGs in 2H and OT yesterday. The offense frequently stalemates and that the way to get points is to eat contact and get to the line. Sure, bias could be in the way, but I didn't think it was home cooking last night, the Birds getting to the line 30+ times. Mo State is incredibly physical. Pedon said postgame he noticed in the tape how physical MoSt is and to him, a lot with them were fouls. He was intentional about getting to the line and it worked for them.

I have commented all MVC season to date how it seemed like the refs were making a concerted effort to let teams play more physical as long as there wasn't grabbing and shoving. The games were more crisp and fluid. Last night was not that way at all. Way too many fouls called and that definitely benefitted ISU because they really struggled to score from anywhere not the free throw line and the Bears are just putrid there.

[IllinoisState]

ISU isn't as bad a team as some think. They have some legit MVC players. They won't be a top five team or anything but people aren't going into Redbird Arena and winning easily.

Interesting enough, the Redbirds are 5-4 at home and and 3-2 on the road. They seem to play more loose on the road. At home they are nervous and tight. In those home losses (and really most loses) the Birds have come out flat and don't turn it on until the second half. Hell, it was the same last night. Mo State led 11-4 at the U16.

Prior to last night's game- Just to further exemplify how the slow starts have doomed the Birds...in league play, opponents have scored 208 points to ISU's 162. In the second half, Birds have the advantage 234-189. Including the @ Murray St OT game, the Redbirds have been out scored 405-401. It just goes to show how close the squad is from being 5-1.

As your teams will see as you play ILST, is that they are going to win games at the free throw line. That was the case last night. They shot more FTs than FGs in 2H and OT yesterday. The offense frequently stalemates and that the way to get points is to eat contact and get to the line. Sure, bias could be in the way, but I didn't think it was home cooking last night, the Birds getting to the line 30+ times. Mo State is incredibly physical. Pedon said postgame he noticed in the tape how physical MoSt is and to him, a lot with them were fouls. He was intentional about getting to the line and it worked for them.

My biggest gripe about this team is excessive turnovers and fouls. We have lost a few winnable games because of them.

[sivert]

Wow. Belmont 10-16 from 3 in first half.

[racernation]

Good 17-point win by the Racers today over UIC. Jekyll showed up today... now fully preparing for Hyde at Belmont Tuesday