No One Goes Easy in the Missouri Valley

(St. Louis, MO) – For teams with losing records, these are the ‘dog days’ of the basketball season. Practices feel long, little injuries seem big, travel seems boring and college classes are a bit more difficult. So we expect losing teams to go quietly when they play supposedly better competition. If they go on the road, they will absolutely lose, and if they fall behind in a game, you know it’s over.

But not so in the Missouri Valley Conference, in this ‘coaches’ conference’ there are no nights off and there are no teams ‘playing out the string’. Wednesday night proved that point all over again. Two Valley teams, tied for last the conference race rose up and won again.

Indiana State (9-16, 3-10) has played in so many close games that head coach Greg Lansing’s already graying hair may start to fall out, was in another one Wednesday. Fifteen of the Sycamore games have finished in overtime or been decided by six points or less. With Wednesdays’ two-point win at Bradley, ISU improved to six and nine in such games. But here in those ‘dog days’ Lansing’s team has suddenly won two of their last three contests and are showing that grit, that last place teams rarely find in early February.

Evansville (12-14, 3-10) doesn’t have the size or depth to compete at a high level this season in a league as strong as the MVC. So what have the Purple Aces done recently? Destined to finish ninth or tenth in the Valley, head coach Marty Simmons’ squad has gone out and won their last two games. Wednesday they ground out a home win over Loyola (16-14, 6-7). They were out rebounded, shot a lower percentage from the field and won a two-point decision over the Ramblers.

After losing nine straight games, it would have been easy for the Purple Aces to roll over. Instead they’ve dealt damaging blows to Missouri State and Loyola in back-to-back home games. There is simply no quit in these Missouri Valley teams.

Veteran coaches, and character-minded players, prove this to be kind of league we love to watch. Lansing, in his seven years at ISU has won 118 games and has crafted two 20-win seasons. Simmons has collected 163 victories in his ten seasons at UE, including a College Insider Tournament championship two years ago, and three 20 win seasons in the past four previous years.

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Editor: Cover photo courtesy of Emondre Rickman (Collinsville High) gosycamores.com. Rickman hit Wednesday’s game-winning shot.