Bunched At the Top
Eight of the MVC’s 12 teams are within two games of first place, which currently stands at a four-way tie (Belmont, Bradley, Drake, Southern Illinois).  The MVC is the only Division I conference with a four-way tie for first.  The SoCon and the Southland enter the week with three teams tied for their lead.  No other Division I conference has as many as eight teams within two games of first place.

Only Six Games Remain
Since 2011 (12 seasons, which has yielded 14 champions/co-champions), the eventual league champ of those 14 has gone 5-1 or 6-0 in its final six games 10 of those 14 times.


MVC MBB Notebook (PDF)


Tuesday, Feb. 7
Drake at Murray State (ESPN+) 7:00 PM ct

Wednesday, Feb. 8
Belmont at Missouri State (MVC TV) 6:00 PM ct
Valparaiso at Indiana State (ESPN+) 6:00 PM ct
UIC at Southern Illinois (ESPN+) 7:00 PM ct
Bradley at Illinois State (ESPN+) 7:00 PM ct
UNI at Evansville (ESPN+) 7:00 PM ct

Saturday, Feb. 11
Southern Illinois at Drake (ESPNU) 1:00 PM ct
Murray State at Bradley (ESPN3) 1:00 PM ct
UIC at Belmont (ESPN3) 1:00 PM ct
Indiana State at UNI (ESPN3) 1:00 PM ct
Illinois State at Valparaiso (ESPN3) 6:00 PM ct

Sunday, Feb. 12
Missouri State at Evansville (ESPN+) 1:00 PM ct

MVC Player of the Week
Ben Sheppard, Belmont
6-6, 190, Sr., G
Atlanta, Ga. | Greater Atlanta Christian
Sheppard averaged 26.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game this past week as Belmont remained in a tie for first place in the conference standings.  Sheppard had a season-high 35 points on 12-for-21 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds at Murray State, threatening the CFSB Center scoring record. He had 17 points and three steals vs. Illinois State.  For the week, Sheppard shot 56 percent from the field, 46 percent from 3-point distance and 80 percent from the free throw line. He leads the Missouri Valley Conference in total points and points per game.

MVC Newcomer of the Week
Courvoisier McCauley, Indiana State
6-5, 211, Gr., G
Indianapolis, Ind. | DePaul/Lincoln Memorial
McCauley averaged 20.5 points and 8.5 rebounds on the week to help the Sycamores to back-to-back double-digit wins. He posted an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double Wednesday at Evansville before scoring a game-high 23 points while hitting five of ISU’s program-best 19 3-pointers against Murray State Saturday. Wednesday was his third double-double this season, and he is one of 15 Valley players with three or more double-doubles this year. Saturday was his seventh 20+-point effort, and he is one of eight Valley players with seven or more 20+-point outings this season.

Others Nominated Last Week

• Alston Mason, Missouri State -- Mason began the week with a career-high 27 points in MSU’s overtime win over Valparaiso, playing all 45 minutes without coming off the floor while dishing out 9 assists in the win with three 3-pointers. Mason scored 8 of MSU’s last 11 points in regulation to force overtime, including the game-tying free throws with 22.5 seconds left. He responded with a team-high 14 points at Southern Illinois on Sunday.
• Roman Penn, Drake -- Averaged 22.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in a pair of double overtime wins over UNI and Valparaiso. Penn scored 28 points with four rebounds and six assists in Drake’s 88-81 double OT win against UNI on Wednesday. He recorded his second double-double of the season (fourth of his career) with a career-high 12 rebounds to pair with 16 points and six assists in the 85-82 win at Valpo
• Tre Anderson, UIC -- Netted a new season-high in points in UIC’s loss at Illinois State Wednesday, scoring 29 points and adding four rebounds, three assists, and a steal. He followed up that performance by scoring 15 points Saturday
• Ben Krikke, Valparaiso -- Averaged 23.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this week, leading Valpo in scoring in both contests. Krikke scored 19 points on Wednesday in Springfield before totaling 27 on Saturday vs. Drake. He climbed four more spots on Valpo’s all-time scoring list this week and now sits 12th in program history with 1,437 points. 
• Bowen Born, UNI -- Tying his career-high with 30 points against Drake, Born kept the Panthers alive with two game-tying three-point baskets at the buzzer against the Bulldogs in an 88-81 double overtime loss. Born also scored 11 points for the Panthers in their 77-69 home loss to Bradley
• Lance Jones, Southern Illinois -- Paced the Salukis over the last week with 15.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, two steals and two assists per game as SIU finished 1-1. Jones had 18 points and four steals in a win at home over Missouri State. He scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half 
• Julian Larry, Indiana State -- Shot 83.3 percent from the field with 12.5 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, and 8.0 assists per game this week to help the Sycamores to back-to-back double-digit wins.
• Xavier Johnson, Southern Illinois -- Averaged 9.5 points, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals as the Salukis fell to Bradley on the road and defeated Missouri State at home. Johnson scored 13 to go with five rebounds and a pair of steals against the Braves.
• Maximus Nelson, Valparaiso -- Nearly doubled his previous career high with an 18-point output in Saturday’s game vs. Drake, part of a week where he averaged 11.5 points per game. He shot 57.1 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from 3-point range during the week, including six made 3s in Saturday’s game vs. Drake.

Three-Way Tie For First
There have been 20 seasons in which the MVC had co-champions in its previous 115 years of men’s basketball (excluding the MVC’s first seven seasons in which divisional play occurred).  There have only been three MVC seasons with tri-champs.

MVC Seasons With Tri-Champions
1930-31 Creighton/Okla. St./Washington (5-3)
1935-36 Creighton/Okla. St./Drake (8-4)
1970-71 Drake/Louisville/Saint Louis (9-5)

Homecourt Advantage
While the league’s overall homecourt record is a pedestrian 53-31 (63.1 percent), notably the eight teams with winning records in league play have combined for a 45-11 record at home (80.4 percent).  Five of those eight are 6-1 in league play on their home courts.

Working Overtime
Drake played its second-straight double-overtime game, beating Valpo on the road Saturday.  Drake played six overtime games last year, including back-to-back OT games on two occasions.  The last time Drake played back-to-back 2OT games was in 2018-19.  Three MVC teams (Drake, Illinois State, Valparaiso) have the most overtime games in the NCAA over the past two seasons; Valpo also played two overtime games this week. Drake has gone 7-3 in overtime games over the past two seasons.

Most Overtime Games, NCAA DI (last 2 years)
10 - Drake (7-3), Illinois State (5-5), Valparaiso (4-6)
8 - Bucknell, Florida Gulf Coast, Lafayette, Manhattan, Stetson, Utah Valley

Sycamores Soar
Indiana State handed Murray State its worst loss since 1960 with a 43-point victory over the Racers, marking ISU’s largest margin of victory against a Valley opponent in program history.  The Sycamores set a program record for 3-pointers in a single game with 19. Eight different Sycamores connected on a triple. The 43-point margin of victory tied for the 19th largest in MVC history (and sixth best in the past 50 years), besting ISU’s previous best of 36 (Evansville, 2001).

Most Three-Pointers, MVC (2022-23)
19 Indiana State vs. Murray State (02/04/2023)
18 Drake vs. St. Ambrose (12/21/2022)

Three-Pointers Made, MVC (All Time)
21 Missouri State vs. Evangel, 12/30/21
20 Creighton vs. Chattanooga, 2/19/05
20 Bradley vs. Florida A&M, 11/21/06
20 UNI vs. South Dakota State, 12/7/16
20 UNI vs. Western Kentucky, 11/25/20
20 Loyola vs. Coppin State, 11/9/21
19 UNI vs. Luther College, 12/2/19
19   Indiana State vs. Murray State (02/04/2023)

Largest Margin of Victory, MVC (Last 50 seasons)*
52 -- (106-54) Missouri State vs Evansville (1-9-07)
51 -- (82-31) Loyola vs Evansville (2-23-22)
49 -- (103-43) Drake vs Creighton (2-26-85)
45 -- (112-67) Louisville vs North Texas (2-1-75)
44 -- (91-47) Missouri State vs Drake (1-16-99)
43 -- (99-56) Indiana St. vs Murray St. (2-4-23)
43 -- (84-41) Tulsa vs Illinois State (2-7-91)
43 -- (101-58) Illinois St. vs Indiana St. (1-16-97)
43 -- (85-42) Wichita St. vs S. Illinois (1-21-12)
43 -- (78-35) Wichita State vs Missouri St. (2-7-15) 
*all-time mark is 70 (Cincinnati vs. North Texas, 1958)

MVC at Midway Point
The MVC reached the midway point of its 20-game Conference schedule on Jan. 21.  Notably, since 1992-93, all 41 MVC teams in the lead (or co-lead) at the ‘turn’ have reached post-season play.  The last Valley mid-season leader to not reach post-season play was Tulsa in 1992.  Belmont (8-2) and Southern Illinois (8-2) were tied for first Jan. 21.

Close Games in MVC Play
Twenty-one of the league’s 84 contests have been decided by three points or less (or in overtime) this year.  Twelve additional games have been decided by six points or less [33 of 84 decided by six or fewer points this year].  MVC records in games decided by 3 or fewer (or OT):
Murray State (4-0); Belmont (2-1); UNI (2-1); Missouri State (4-2); Drake (4-3); Indiana State (2-2); Bradley (1-2); Illinois State (2-3); Southern Illinois (0-1); UIC (0-2); Valparaiso (0-4)

First Year Phenoms
A handful of first-year MVC players are on pace to surpass 200 total points as freshmen.  Cade Tyson of Belmont leads the way with 306 points so far.  UNI (3) and Belmont (2) account for five of the league’s top seven scoring freshmen.

306 - Cade Tyson, Belmont
242 - Michael Duax, UNI
229 - Robbie Avila, Indiana State
227 - Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Belmont
183 - Trey Campbell, UNI
161 - Kenny White, Murray State
170 - Landon Wolf, UNI

Double Trouble
Tytan Anderson of UNI leads the MVC with nine double-doubles this year.  He entered the 2022-23 season with career averages of 1.9 points per game and 2.0 rebounds per game.  Three league players (Rienk Mast of Bradley, Garrett Sturtz of Drake, and Kendall Lewis of Illinois State) each have six double-doubles.

9 -- Tytan Anderson, UNI
6 -- Rienk Mast, Bradley
6 -- Garrett Sturtz, Drake
6 -- Kendall Lewis, Illinois State
5 -- Malevy Leons, Bradley
5 -- Jonathan Mogbo, Missouri State
4 -- three tied

30 Something
Ben Sheppard of Belmont hit a league scoring high with 35 points at Murray State last week.  Marcus Domask of Southern Illinois leads the league with three 30-point games.  Tucker DeVries of Drake leads the Conference with 12 20-point games.

Number of 30-Point games
3 -- Marcus Domask, Southern Illinois
2 -- Bowen Born, UNI
2 -- Ben Krikke, Valparaiso
2 -- Courvoisier McCauley, Indiana State
2 -- Ben Sheppard, Belmont

Number of 20-Point games
13 -- Tucker DeVries, Drake
11 -- Bowen Born, UNI
11 -- Ben Sheppard, Belmont
10 -- Ben Krikke, Valparaiso

MVC Active Career Leaders
Here are the league’s active career leaders in various statistical categories and, when applicable, MVC all-time rank.  The numbers only include stats while one’s school was an active member of the MVC (thru games of Feb. 5).

POINTS
1,486 - (97) Marcus Domask, Southern Illinois
1,482 - (98) D.J. Wilkins, Drake
1,437 - Ben Krikke, Valparaiso
1,415 - Lance Jones, Southern Illinois
1,297 - Garrett Sturtz, Drake
1,266 - Cooper Neese, Indiana State
1,257 - Roman Penn, Drake
1,134 - Donovan Clay, Missouri State
*eight active MVC players have reached 1,000 points

REBOUNDS
875 (35) - Garrett Sturtz, Drake
651 - Donovan Clay, Valparaiso/Missouri State
577 - Rienk Mast, Bradley

3-POINT FIELD GOALS MADE
282 (5) - D.J. Wilkins, Drake
203 - Cooper Neese, Indiana State
192 - Lance Jones, Southern Illinois

ASSISTS
558 (11) - Roman Penn, Drake
326 - D.J. Wilkins, Drake
323 - Marcus Domask, Southern Illinois

STEALS
168 - Lance Jones, Southern Illinois
168 - Garrett Sturtz, Drake
122 - Roman Penn, Drake

Nothing But Net
Bradley heads a list of six MVC men’s basketball schools that rank in the Top 150 of the NET (Feb. 6).  The Braves are at No. 74, followed by Drake (83) and Indiana State (101).  The MVC ranks 15th as a Conference in the NET rankings.  Drake has had the best success in the MVC vs. Quad 1 and Quad 2 opponents, compiling a 3-3 mark in those chances.  Bradley (10-0) and Drake (10-0) do not have a Quad 4 loss this year.

KenPom 
Bradley leads the MVC in the KenPom ratings. The Braves are 83, followed by Drake (89) and Indiana State (105).  Six MVC teams are in the Top 140.  Southern Illinois (50), Drake (58) and Bradley (59) are among the KenPom leaders for adjusted defensive efficiency. Belmont tops the MVC in the KenPom metrics for offensive efficiency (74), followed by Indiana State (106), Bradley (127), and Drake (140).

Notable Player Trends
• Even Brauns, Belmont - Has hig double-figure rebounds in two of his last three games with two double-doubles (12p-10r vs. Drake) (18p-12r vs. Illinois State)
• Connor Hickman, Bradley -- hit a season high with 17 points in the win at UNI, which included 5-of-7 from three-point range
• Roman Penn, Drake -- has hit double-figure points in five-straight games, during which he has averaged 17.8 points and 8.0 assists for the Bulldogs
• Kenny Strawbridge, UE -- Has hit double figures in two straight games after his first two-game stretch of non double-figures (9 vs. Belmont, 8 at Valpo)
• Steven Clay, UIC -- Scored a season-best 17 points in the win against Evansville.  He had not hit double-figures in any game previously this year
• Jayden Johnson, Illinois State -- Played a season-high 20 minutes and scored a season-high 13 points at Belmont.  He had 14 total points in 14 games prior
• Julian Larry, Indiana State -- During ISU’s 5-game losing streak (24 total points); in 4 games prior (all wins), he was 25-of-30 from the floor and averaged 17.0 points in those wins
• Chance Moore, MoState -- After scoring a total of 17 points during a 5-game stretch, he has hit double figures in two straight (16 vs. Valpo; 14 at Southern)
• Brian Moore Jr., Murray State -- Since being inserted into the starting lineup (six games ago), he has averaged 15.6 points 
• Michael Duax, UNI -- Has hit double figures in five-straight games
• Troy D’Amico, SIU -- Had a season-best 15 points (5-of-6 FG) in the win against Missouri State
• Maximus Nelson, Valpo -- Scored his season-high total with 18 points in the double-overtime loss to Drake.  He had hit double-figure scoring just once previously (10 points vs. UNI)

Against the Top 25
MVC teams were 2-2 vs. Top 25 non-conference teams this season, and the Conference was 3-5 against teams from Power leagues.  Drake beat No. 15 Mississippi State on Dec. 20, and Murray State knocked off No. 24 Texas A&M in the opening round of the Myrtle Beach Invitational.  In 2021-22, the MVC recorded a 1-6 record against non-conference Top 25 programs.

Vs. Non-MVC
The league finished the regular season with a 74-55 record vs. non-league teams (.574).  That record includes an impressive 46-10 slate in home non-league games. MVC teams were 71-54 (.568) in non-league play in 2021-22.

Power Play
MVC teams combined for three wins against power conferences in 2022-23, but only had eight tries. During the last four seasons, the MVC has averaged 12.5 games a year against teams from power leagues.  In the six seasons prior (2013-14 through 2018-19), MVC teams averaged twice as many contests against teams from power leagues (25.0).

Making His Threes
Belmont’s Drew Friberg leads the MVC and ranks in the Top 10 in the NCAA in three-point field goal percentage (5th, 45.9) and total 3FG made (7th, 83). His 83 makes are among the all-time bests for a player in his first year in the MVC.  Courvoisier McCauley of Indiana State has 75 treys.

Three-Pointers Made - First-Year MVC Players
103    Adam Leonard, Missouri State (2009-10), Jr.
93    Troy Hudson, Southern Illinois (1995-96), Jr.
90    Chamberlain Oguchi, Illinois State (2008-09), Sr.
87    Skipp Schaefbauer, Illinois State (1996-97), Jr.
86    Luke McDonald, Drake (2000-01), Fr.
83    Drew Friberg, Belmont (2022-23), Gr. 
82    Tad Ackerman, Creighton (1994-95), Jr.
  82    Brady Ellingson, Drake (2017-18), Gr.
79    Tyler Brown, Illinois State (2011-12), Jr.
77    Tony Freeman, Southern Illinois (2009-10), Sr.

Effective
Four MVC programs are in the Top 70 in the NCAA for effective field goal percentage, led by Indiana State (14th) at 55.9 percent.  Belmont is 27th (54.9).

Leading the League
Indiana State leads the MVC and ranks 31st nationally for team field goal percentage (47.9).  The Sycamores have led the MVC in team field goal percentage just one time in ISU history -- their 1978-79 MVC championship and Final Four season with Larry Bird.

Most League Losses, Champ
Drake and Loyola shared the MVC title in 2018-19 with 12-6 conference records.  It marked the most losses for a league champ in MVC history (during the MVC’s 18-game schedule).

Most League Losses For an MVC Champion
6 Drake (2018-19)
6 Loyola (2018-19)
5 Creighton (2012-13)
5 Evansville (1998-99)
5 Illinois State (1992-93)
5 Drake (1970-71)*
*Drake won a playoff for the title, but the Bulldogs tied for the best regular-season record with Saint Louis and Louisville.

Streaking
No team in MVC history has lost more than three consecutive league games and won (or shared) the Conference title.  Among the league’s Top 8 teams, both UNI (3 games) and Indiana State (5 games) have had league losing streaks of more than two games this year.

Longest MVC Losing Streaks by an MVC Champ
3 Creighton (2012-13); Bluejays finished 13-5
3 Evansville (1998-99); Aces finished 13-5
3 Southern Illinois (1991-92); Salukis finished 14-4
3 Drake (1935-36); Drake shared title at 8-4
2 numerous times

Defending the Shot
Since 2010, all but three teams that have led the MVC in FG percentage defense have earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament.  Bradley’s current 40.5 figure leads the MVC and ranks 37th nationally.

Charity Tosses
Illinois State ranks 3rd nationally in team free throw percentage, connecting on 79.9 percent of its foul line shots.  Missouri State set a league record last year by connecting on 79.7 percent for the season.  Drake ranks 15th in the NCAA this year (76.6 percent).

Sturtz In Select Company
Standing just 6’3” and weighing 180 pounds, Garrett Sturtz is the all-time leading rebounder in Drake men’s basketball history with 875 career rebounds and counting. Of the 37 all-time MVC members, he’s the shortest to lead his program in career rebounding.  He joins Oscar Robertson as the only guards to lead their MVC programs in rebounds.

Career Rebound Leaders (Past & Present MVC Schools)
Shortest Student-Athletes to Lead Their Schools
6-3 Garrett Sturtz, Drake*
6-4 Dick Estergard, Bradley*
6-4 Seymour Bryson, Southern Illinois
6-5 Byron Houston, Oklahoma State
6-5 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati*
*played full career as an MVC student-athlete

On the Defensive
Four league teams rank in the Top 60 of the NCAA for scoring defense.  Southern Illinois is tops in the MVC and ranks 11th nationally at 60.9 ppg allowed; Bradley ranks 24th (62.5 ppg) and Missouri State is 36th (63.6).

Scoring Offense
Indiana State continues to lead the league and ranks 32nd nationally in scoring (78.6 ppg).  Notably, only one league team has averaged better than 80 points per game since 1994 (Tulsa, 83.4).  Wichita State (81.0 ppg in 2017).  

Long Range Snipers
Belmont leads the league and ranks 8th nationally by shooting 39.3 percent from beyond the arc. Belmont is 13th nationally in total 3-pointers made per game (9.8).

BEL .. Dynamic Duo
Belmont’s duo of Drew Friberg and Ben Sheppard have combined to make more three-point goals than any other pair of players nationally.  Friberg leads the MVC with 83 treys, while Sheppard has made 66 for a combined 149 this season.

BRAD .. Trending Up
Bradley’s current four-game winning streak is its longest in league play this year.  Bradley is in a four-way tie for first place, marking the first time the Braves have shared first place in February since early 2001 when BU shared first with Indiana State at 8-3 prior to losing at Illinois State on Feb. 6 that season.

DU .. DeVries 2nd All-Time
Darian DeVries has passed E.O. Williams to sit alone in second place on the Drake men’s basketball all-time wins list (114). DeVries has won 114 games in just 161 games coached. His 70.8 winning percentage ranks 10th-best all-time in MVC coaching history.

UE .. Another Career Mark
Evansville’s Yacine Toumi continued his strong first season with the Purple Aces and scored a career-high 19 points on Wednesday against Indiana State.  In total, he has reached double figures on 14 occasions this season and four of the last five contests overall.

UIC .. Double Trouble
UIC’s Jace Carter led the Flames to a win against Evansville on Saturday as he secured his second double-double in as many home games with 15 points and 12 rebounds (Feb. 4).  He had 25 points and 10 boards against Bradley on Jan. 29.

ILS .. Lewis Leads
Illinois State senior forward Kendall Lewis is one of nine players in NCAA Division I with at least 20 blocks, 32 assists, 36 steals and 235 points this season.

INS .. Big Saturday
Saturday’s 19 3-pointers sets a program record for 3-pointers in a single game, breaking the previous record of 18 against Arizona State Dec. 2, 1988. Eight different Sycamores connected on a triple while six had two or more. The crowd of 4,672 was ISU’s second-largest in a league game this year.

MOST .. Block Party
The Bears have emerged as one of the country’s top shot-blocking teams, averaging 4.2 per contest which ranks second in The Valley and 55th nationally. The Bears are averaging 5.0 blocks per game over their last four contests with junior Jonathan Mogbo emerging as the club’s top rim protector. Mogbo now ranks third in the MVC in blocks per game (1.23).

MUR .. Home Sweet Home
In it’s 25th season, the CFSB Center has been very good to the Racers. With a winning percentage of .861 in those 25 years, the Racers are 24-1 in The Bank and 77-8 in the last two seasons. Southern Illinois is the only team to win at the CFSB Center in the last two seasons as they ended MSU’s 20-game streak 63-57 on Dec. 29.

UNI .. Jake Climbing the List
UNI’s Ben Jacobson has won 333 games in his time at UNI (3rd all-time in the MVC), and he is tied for second on the coaching wins list for MVC-only games trailing the legendary Henry Iba (Oklahoma State) by five wins.

Winningest MVC Coaches - All Games
486 -- Henry P. Iba, Oklahoma State (1934-57) 
337 -- Eddie Hickey, CU/SLU (1935-43; 1946-58
333 -- Ben Jacobson, UNI (2006-present)
327 -- Dana Altman, Creighton (1994-10)
285 -- Barry Hinson, MoState/SIU (1999-08; 2012-19)

Winningest MVC Coaches - MVC Games Only
187 -- Henry P. Iba, Oklahoma State (1934-57) 
182 -- Ben Jacobson, UNI (2006-present)
182 -- Dana Altman, Creighton (1994-10)

SIU .. Domask is Top Dawg
Marcus Domask scored in double-digits in 22 of 24 games this season to lead SIU. He has scored 20 or more seven times, 30 or more three times. His 16.9 points per game rank fifth in the MVC. 

VALPO .. Rookie Has Range
Maximus Nelson canned six 3-pointers in the Feb. 4 game vs. Drake. Nelson became the first Valpo player to make half a dozen 3s in a game at the ARC since Alec Peters on Dec. 22, 2016, vs. Santa Clara. Strangely enough, prior to Nelson, the last six instances of Valpo players hitting six 3s and 11 of the last 12 had come on the road.  Nelson became the first Valpo freshman to hit six 3s in a game since Peters on Nov. 20, 2013, at Evansville. Nelson became just the second freshman in the conference to make six 3s in a league game this year (Trey Campbell, UNI). 

DU .. Tucker’s Back
After missing the Jan. 29 game at Belmont, Tucker DeVries scored 11 points vs. UNI (nine of those in the two overtime periods) on Wednesday and delivered a career-high 32 points with a career-best 11 rebounds at Valpo on Saturday.

UNI .. MVC Leaders
The Panthers lead the nation in points per game scored by in-state players with 71.5 points per contest. Tytan Anderson leads the conference in total rebounds (221), rebounds per game (9.2) and defensive rebounds per game (6.9). He also ranks 5th in offensive boards per contest (2.2).

SIU .. Home Comfort
Southern Illinois is 11-1 inside Banterra Center this season -- its nine-game home streak is the longest in the MVC and the 25th longest nationally.

VALPO .. Bonus Basketball
Saturday marked the team’s fourth overtime game of the season. Valpo has played overtime in back-to-back games, something that also occurred last season, when the game vs. Indiana State went to double OT followed by an OT affair at Illinois State. Prior to last season, Valpo had not played back-to-back overtime games since 1993 (Feb. 6 at UIC, Feb. 8 vs. Green Bay). This is the first time in program history that Valpo has had consecutive games result in overtime losses.