A look at Friday’s MVC Tournament quarterfinals
Friday’s quarterfinals
No. 8 Missouri State or No. 9 Southern Illinois
vs. No. 1 Wichita State
When: Noon
TV: FSKC (Cox 34, Dish 418, DirecTV 671, U-Verse 750)
Missouri State (11-19)
Coach: Paul Lusk
Tournament titles: 1992
RPI: 229
Players to watch: G Dorrian Williams provided stability in a difficult season and ranks second in the MVC with 4.4 assists. F Camyn Boone makes 60.2 percent of his shots in conference play and leads MSU with averages of 9.5 points and 5.1 rebounds. F Chris Kendrix, a freshman, averaged 12.5 points and 7 rebounds in the past four games.
Can MSU get to the final: No. A stressful season ends soon and Lusk can start rebuilding a team that seemed so promising in October. The last meeting with Wichita State ended in a 78-35 loss, a game in which the Bears made 13 baskets and committed 16 turnovers.
OR
Southern Illinois (11-20)
Coach: Barry Hinson
Tournament titles: 1977, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2006
RPI: 284
Players to watch: G Anthony Beane is second in the MVC in scoring with a 16.5 average. He averaged 12 points in the two meetings with WSU and went 8 for 24 from the field, 1 for 9 from three-point range. F Jordan Caroline averages 9.5 points and 6.4 rebounds, fourth in the MVC.
Can Southern Illinois get to the final: No. The Salukis reached the semifinals last season with an upset of third-seeded Northern Iowa. The optimism created by that strong finish quickly disappeared this season and SIU needs to add talent to its young roster. SIU’s lack of size is a killer against Wichita State. Darius Carter scored 25 points in the first meeting and Shaq Morris scored 17 in the second.
Wichita State (27-3)
Coach: Gregg Marshall
Tournament titles: 1985, 1987, 2014
RPI: 11
Players to watch: G Ron Baker and G Fred VanVleet are one of the nation’s best backcourts. In Saturday’s win over Northern Iowa, both handed out seven assists without a turnover and made three three-pointers. G Tekele Cotton is the MVC’s top defender and is tied for sixth in the MVC with an average of 3.2 assists.
Can Wichita State get to the final: CBS is counting on a WSU-Northern Iowa rematch. Saturday’s possible semifinal matchup against Illinois State could be tough. The Redbirds possess the depth and size to push the Shockers. They are the only MVC team which didn’t lose to WSU by double digits at least once during the regular season. WSU’s experience and poise should get it to Sunday.
No. 5 Evansville
vs. No. 4 Illinois State
When: 2:30 p.m.
TV: FSKC (Cox 34, Dish 418, DirecTV 671, U-Verse 750)
Evansville (19-11)
Coach: Marty Simmons
Tournament titles: None
RPI: 113
Players to watch: C Egidijus Mockevicius drew four fouls in both regular-season losses to Illinois State. He totaled 14 points and made 5 of 15 shots. G D.J. Balentine averages 19.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists. His 129 made foul shots are the most in the MVC.
Can Evansville get to the final: The Aces come to St. Louis losers of three straight, including 69-67 in overtime to Illinois State on Saturday at home. The Aces went 0 for 10 from three-point range and committed 18 turnovers in a 77-51 loss to Illinois State on Feb. 3. On Saturday, Illinois State out-rebounded them by 18. Evansville drew a bad matchup and getting to Saturday will be an accomplishment.
Illinois State (19-11)
Coach: Dan Muller
Tournament titles: 1983, 1990, 1997, 1998
RPI: 77
Players to watch: F DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell averaged 20 points and 8 rebounds in two games last week, including a career-high 24 points against Southern Illinois. G Daishon Knight averages 13.9 points and makes 36 percent of his threes. But he is 4 of 15 from behind the arc in his past four games. C Reggie Lynch leads the MVC with an average of 2.7 blocks.
Can Illinois State get to the final: It’s doubtful, but we’ve seen it before. In 2012, fourth-seeded Illinois State upset top-seeded WSU in the semifinals by turning the game into a brawl — baiting mild-mannered Shocker Garrett Stutz into a technical — and the Shockers never forgave former Redbirds coach Tim Jankovich. Keeping Lynch out of foul trouble is a priority. He fouled out of both games against the Shockers, yet managed to total 18 points and 14 rebounds.
No. 10 Bradley or No. 7 Drake
vs. No. 2 Northern Iowa
When: 6: p.m.
TV: FSKC (Cox 34, Dish 418, DirecTV 671, U-Verse 750)
Bradley (8-23)
Coach: Geno Ford
Tournament titles: 1980, 1988
RPI: 295
Players to watch: G Warren Jones averages 12.6 points, but is shooting 35 percent from the field. G Tramique Sutherland shoots 36.2 percent and averages 11.8 points.
Can Bradley get to the final: No. Finishing last in a season in which four schools rank No. 230 or lower in the RPI is a special kind of miserable. The Braves bring a six-game losing streak to St. Louis and are 0-8 against teams on its side of the bracket.
OR
Drake (9-21)
Coach: Ray Giacoletti
Tournament titles: 2008
RPI: 250
Players to watch: G Reed Timmer is one of the Valley’s top freshmen. He benefited from more time at shooting guard and averages 11.6 points. He shoots 86.1 percent from the foul line and 35.6 percent from three-point range. G Gary Ricks averages 10.9 points and is shooting 42.1 percent from behind the arc.
Can Drake get to the final: Nope. Getting to Friday for a third time in four seasons, all after defeating Bradley, is a modest accomplishment. The Bulldogs peaked during a three-game winning streak midway through MVC play. They blew a chance to finish sixth with an overtime loss at home to Loyola and a loss at ninth-place Southern Illinois. Drake shoots well enough to be a pest. Leaky defense keeps it from building a real threat.
Northern Iowa (27-3)
Coach: Ben Jacobson
Tournament titles: 2004, 2009, 2010
RPI: 15
Players to watch: C Seth Tuttle averages 15.6 points and 6.6 rebounds. He is shooting 63 percent from the field and 44.7 percent (17 of 38 from three-point range). G Deon Mitchell made 23 of 40 threes in 18 MVC games and F Paul Jesperson went 24 for 49 behind the arc in conference play.
Can Northern Iowa get to the final: Yes. And the Panthers are deep enough to arrive there with fresh bodies. Jacobson goes nine deep with no stress and seven shoot 38 percent or better from three-point range. Like Wichita State, UNI is playing to earn a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
No. 6 Loyola
vs. No. 3 Indiana State
When: 8:30 p.m.
TV: FSKC (Cox 34, Dish 418, DirecTV 671, U-Verse 750)
Loyola (18-12)
Coach: Porter Moser
Tournament titles: None
RPI: 134
Players to watch: F Christian Thomas averages 11.5 points and 4.4 rebounds. F Montel James averages 9 points and scored 18 in the first meeting with Indiana State. G Milton Doyle played nine minutes Saturday after missing 10 games with an ankle injury. He gave the Ramblers a boost with six points and four assists, all in the second half.
Can Loyola get to the final: No, but the Ramblers made progress in their second season as an MVC member. Finishing sixth with Doyle sidelined most of the MVC schedule says good things about the depth Moser is building. To get to Saturday, Loyola needs to toughen up on defense — Indiana State made 22 of 42 three-pointers in a regular-season sweep.
Indiana State (15-15)
Coach: Greg Lansing
Tournament titles: 1979, 2001, 2011
RPI: 178
Players to watch: G Devonte Brown averages 12.2 points and gets to the foul line frequently — 117 makes on 180 attempts. He made 7 of 10 three-pointers in two wins over Loyola and averaged 23 points. G Brenton Scott shoots 44.9 percent from three-point range and averages 11.4 points. F Khristian Smith comes to St. Louis after averaging 18 points and 5 rebounds in his previous two games.
Can Indiana State get to the final: The five-game gap between UNI and Indiana State in the standings says it’s unlikely. Any shot at an upset must start with better outside shooting. The Sycamores depend on the three and they made 13 of 43 in two losses to the Panthers.
Paul Suellentrop
This story was originally published March 4, 2015 at 10:33 AM with the headline "A look at Friday’s MVC Tournament quarterfinals."