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Redbirds End MSU’s Streaks
Illinois State used a closing 14-6 run over the final two minutes for a 60-56 win at JQH Arena Friday, halting Missouri State’s winning streak at 13 games and handing the Lady Bears their first loss since Dec. 16. MSU had the third longest active win streak in the nation behind Oregon’s 16 and Baylor’s 14. MSU’s streak of 17-straight MVC regular season wins sits in a tie for the fifth longest streak in league history.
Landmark Win
Illinois State surpassed its number of wins from last season (14-16) on Sunday, capturing their 15th win, which now brings them to the winningest season since the 2012-13 year. The road sweep of Missouri State and Southern Illinois is the first for the program since 2013-14. Illinois State has stretched its win streak to five-straight after having a six-game win streak earlier this season. This marks the first time ISU has posted a pair of five-game win streaks in a season since 2010-11 when the Redbirds finished 24-11 and made the WNIT semifinals.
Elite This Late...
During the history of women’s basketball in The Valley, on only four occasions have two teams been 11-1 or better at this point in the season. The most recent occasion occurred in 1993-94 when Missouri State and Creighton stood 11-1. In 1984-85 both Illinois State and Drake were 13-1 when they met on Feb. 27, 1985 in Des Moines with Illinois State pulling out a 79-74 win on the way to the regular season title.
Season Teams (Rec.) MVC Finish
1993-94 Missouri St. 11-1 1st (15-1)
Creighton 11-1 2nd (14-2)
1985-86 So. Illinois 12-0 1st (18-0)
Drake 11-1 2nd (16-2)
1984-85 Illinois St. 13-1 1st (17-1)
Drake 13-1 2nd (16-2)
First Place (Both Genders)
The last time both Missouri State men's and women's basketball teams appeared at the top of The Valley standings occurred on Feb. 1-2, 1999. The last time Drake had its two teams at the top was on March 8, 2008 when the men captured the regular season title and the women shared the title with Evansville and Illinois State.
Poll Position
Drake moved back into the Associated Press’ women’s Top 25 poll this week, appearing at No. 24 in the poll. This is the third time this season Drake has been ranked in the AP weekly poll, also appearing No. 24 in Week 3 and No. 21 in Week 4. The Bulldogs have been ranked in the AP poll 19 times in program history, which ranks second in MVC history behind Missouri State’s 52 appearances in the poll.
Team Times Ranked Last Rank
Missouri State 52 2/10/04 (23)
Drake 19 2/18/19 (24)
Southern Illinois 17 12/7/87 (13)
Illinois State 8 1/28/08 (24)
Indiana State 3 12/22/76 (20)
The Bulldogs also appear at No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll this week.
On the Cusp
Entering the Evansville game, Drake is on the cusp of its fifth-consecutive 20-win season with an overall record of 19-5. The impressive streak began in 2014-15. The league record for consecutive 20-win seasons is held by Drake and Missouri State, with each holding a streak of six-straight.
Consecutive 20-win seasons since 1982-83
1. Drake (1996-97 through 2000-01) 6
Missouri State (1990-91 through 1995-96) 6
3. Illinois State (2006-07 through 2010-11) 5
Southern Illinois (1982-83 through 1986-87) 5
5. Drake (2014-15 through current) 4
Aces Snap MVC Skid
Friday’s win over Valparaiso was Evansville’s first Missouri Valley Conference win since a 52-44 win on the road at Indiana State on March 4, 2017, snapping a conference record 29-game MVC regular season losing streak.
Consecutive Conference Losses
1. 29, Evansville 12/29/17 to 2/15/19
2. 24, Bradley 2/26/98 to 1/13/00
24, Southern Illinois 12/31/10 to 1/14/12
Defensive Battle
Loyola closed regulation with a 10-0 run to surge past Indiana State by a final score of 44-36. The win was Loyola’s first on the road at Indiana State in program history. The 80 combined points sits as the fifth lowest in a league game in conference history.
Fewest Points (Both Teams, Conference Games)
1. 75, Indiana State 38, Southern Illinois 37 (1989-90)
75, Wichita State 44, Evansville 31 (2015-16)
75, Illinois State, 39, Southern Illinois 36 (2017-18)
4. 77, Southern Illinois 43, Wichita State 34 (1984-85)
5. 80, Loyola 44, Indiana State 36 (2018-19)
Updated RPI Ratings
The latest installment of the NCAA RPI Report (Feb. 18) has six Valley teams that rank in the top-165, led by Drake at No. 19, followed by Missouri State (71), UNI (78), Illinois State (157), Bradley (158) and Southern Illinois (163). The MVC ranks 13th among 32 conferences. The league ranking is the highest for the league since the 2013 season (finished 10th).
Sharing the Rock
Over the past five seasons, Drake has ranked in the top 10 every season in the NCAA in assists per game, including leading the nation a year ago. The Bulldogs are once again sharing the basketball as they enter the week No. 2 in the country averaging 22.2 assists per contest. The Bulldogs lead the nation in assisted shot rate, assisting on 75.9% of their field goals.
Assists Per Game
1. Baylor 23.5
2. Drake 22.2
3. Iowa 22.0
4. Oregon 20.1
5. Notre Dame 20.0
Rhine on McClain Watch List
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the WBCA announced Thursday that Drake junior Sara Rhine is one of 10 watch list candidates for the 2019 Katrina McClain Award. Named after the two-time All-American and 1987 National Player of the Year, the annual award in its second year recognizes the top power forwards in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. A committee will narrow the list to five finalists in early March, and the winner will be determined by Ms. McClain-Pittman and the Hall of Fame committee to be revealed as part of the WBCA Convention at the 2019 Women’s Basketball Final Four.