Big changes prove chaos is king in the Missouri Valley Basketball

Missouri Valley Basketball: Northern Iowa benefits from chaos in standings

Northern Iowa guard A.J. Green looks around the court while being defended by Southern Illinois guard Aaron Cook (10) during a NCAA Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa.190105 Uni S Illinois 028 Jpg /

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Drake guard Roman Penn 020522 Drake Uni 019 Jpg /

A week of transition has proven that in the Missouri Valley Basketball Conference, chaos is king. Just when it looked like Loyola Chicago was back in the Valley driver’s seat, Northern Iowa has ascended to first place. Drew Valentine is trying to find the right roster rotation and Dan Muller has been let go at Illinois State. During this week’s Missouri Valley Monday we look at these three emerging issues.

After Loyola defeated Northern Iowa last Sunday, the Ramblers stood at the top of the league with a 10-3 record. Drake had lost two straight games and was seemingly out of the race and with Missouri State facing on Northern Iowa yesterday, the Ramblers seemed in control.

Every time we think Drake’s team has run out of gas, they come up with a huge win and rearrange the Valley landscape. Saturday the Bulldogs waltzed into Loyola’s Gentile Arena and handed the Ramblers (20-6, 11-4) their second home loss of the season.

Drake (19-9, 10-5) coach Darian DeVries and his shorthanded Bulldogs proved they are too tough to count out and proved that in the Missouri Valley Conference, chaos is king.

Just as we thought Missouri State had put it all together, they went to Northern Iowa and allowed 95 points and dropped a 20-point decision to the Panthers. UNI (16-12, 12-4) has won seven of its last eight games and owns a one-half game lead over the defending champion Ramblers.

MSU (20-9, 11-5) has fallen into a third-place tie with Drake.