ESPN has selected the Loyola at Southern Illinois men's basketball game for distribution on ESPNU on Sunday, Feb. 24. The game will tip at 3 p.m. CT. Also, CBS Sports has selected the Drake at Illinois State game for distribution on CBS Sports Network on that day with a 1 p.m. CT airtime. The network designations were previously listed as TBD on the MVC schedule.
Loyola currently shares the top spot in the league standings with Illinois State. The Ramblers, defending regular-season and tournament champs, reached the NCAA Final Four in 2018, and are led by seniors Clayton Custer and Marques Townes and sophomore Cameron Krutwig. Loyola won the previous meeting with SIU this year, 75-50, at Gentile Arena on Jan. 27. Southern Illinois, meanwhile, is tied with three other teams for fourth place in the league race -- just two games behind co-leaders Illinois State and Loyola. The Salukis have won three of their past four games -- with the only loss in that span to Loyola. SIU is led by coach Barry Hinson, who ranks fourth all-time in MVC history with 150 career wins in league play.
The other matchup that day features two of the leagues hottest teams. Drake has won five of its past six games in league play, including three-straight road games. Senior Nick McGlynn leads the Bulldogs as he is averaging 15.7 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game. The Redbirds won a recent matchup with Drake, defeating the Bulldogs in Des Moines on Jan. 30, 69-55 -- it's Drake's only loss since a three-point defeat at UNI on Jan. 13. Illinois State enters tomorrow night's home game against Valparaiso having five of its past six games, too. Three Redbirds average double-figure points per game, including Milik Yarbrough (17.2), Phil Fayne (15.3) and Zach Copeland (10.5).
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.