ESPN has selected the Missouri State at Loyola men's basketball game for distribution on ESPNU on Sunday, Feb. 17.  The game will tip at 3 p.m. CT.   Also, ESPN has selected the UNI at Evansville game for distribution on ESPN3 on that day with a 3:02 p.m. CT tip.  The network designations were previously listed as TBD on the MVC schedule.

Loyola is the defending MVC regular-season and tournament champion and represented the MVC in the NCAA Final Four last season.  The Ramblers are led by a trio of returning starters who all average in double figures.  Marques Townes leads the Ramblers in scoring at 14.1 points per game and is followed closely by Cameron Krutwig (13.9) and Clayton Custer (12.5).  Custer is the reigning MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year.  Missouri State's top two scorers are newcomers, including Tulio Da Silva (15.4 ppg) and Keandre Cook (13.5).  Returning seniors Jarred Dixon (13.5 ppg) and Ryan Kreklow (7.8) also chip in a combined 21 points per contest.  The Bears are led by first-year MSU head coach Dana Ford and beat the Ramblers last week, 70-35, in Springfield.  Cook was named the league's Newcomer and Player of the Week this week.

The UNI Panthers find themselves in the middle of the standings (4-4 league record) one game shy of the halfway point.  Freshman AJ Green leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.9 points per game.  He's looking to become the first MVC freshman to average 15.0 points per game in the past 21 seasons.  Newcomer Trae Berhow chips in 8.5 points per game and leads the team in rebounding (6.1 rpg).  Meanwhile, four different Purple Aces average in double figures for first-year head coach Walter McCarty.  K.J. Riley tops the team at 14.3 points per game, while Shea Feehan (10.9 ppg), Marty Hill (10.7 ppg) and John Hall (10.5 ppg) all average 10 or more per contest.  Riley continues to make his way to the free throw line at an astounding rate. In the two games in Iowa, Riley made 17 trips to the line to increase his season total to 169. He ranks second in the nation, just one behind Colbey Ross of Pepperdine.  UE and UNI played a close contest in Cedar Falls, with the Panthers edging the Aces, 81-74 on Jan. 26.

Using the wildcard/netflex model, the Missouri Valley Conference -- in conjunction with its television partners -- reserves clearance windows for select dates throughout the season and waits until three weeks before the contest(s) to determine network clearances.