Missouri Valley Basketball Monday: Loyola stumbles opens up league race

Update on key injuries

In addition to the Henry’s concussion issues, there is a growing list of key Valley contributors that are spending or have spent time on the injured list.

Drake’s Penn and Hemphill seem to be improving, but they are both playing on injured feet and coach Darian DeVries has to monitor both their practice and playing time. Their ability to stay healthy that will determine a great deal about the success for the Bulldog squad.

Illinois State’s Sy Chatman is now out for the season. The Redbird center was the team’s leading rebounder (6.1 per game) and second-leading scorer (13.5). Chatman’s interior threat forced other teams to defend the post and he averaged five free throw attempts per game.

Previously injured Mark Freeman has returned to the Redbird rotation.

Indiana State has been without All-Valley guard Tyreke Key all season and newcomers Cameron Henry and Xavier Bledson and have been in and out of injury issues and covid protocols.

Missouri State is winning games and pouring on the offense, but have been without point guard Demarcus Sharp most of the year.  He has missed 15 games. The junior guard was averaging four assists per game before his injury.

Valparaiso coach Matt Lottich rebuilt his roster around four Big Ten transfers, but have rarely employed their full roster. During the team’s first nine games Kobe King waited to become eligible. Since then Trevor Anderson and Thomas Kithier have been in and out of the lineup. Both have battled back problems.

Each has been averaging nearly ten points per game and Kithier leads the team in rebounding (6.9 per game). There have been games in which they played, that their participation was limited and now Anderson is out for the season. Kithier hasn’t played the past two Beacon games.

The Valley season is at the halfway point and the race is tight at the top. Bradley could play a larger role than many people thought just two weeks ago. How or if injured players return will be key components to the close of this conference season.