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Missouri Valley Basketball: Valparaiso, Illinois State survives to play another day

By Harry Schroeder

MADISON, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 29: Josiah Strong #2 of the Illinois State Redbirds looks on during the second half of the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Kohl Center on December 29, 2021 in Madison, Wisconsin. Badgers defeated the Redbirds 89-85. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 29: Josiah Strong #2 of the Illinois State Redbirds looks on during the second half of the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Kohl Center on December 29, 2021 in Madison, Wisconsin. Badgers defeated the Redbirds 89-85. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) /
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Survival tactics by Valparaiso and Illinois State allow them to advance in Missouri Valley Basketball Tournament.

Playing in the opening round of the Missouri Valley Basketball Conference Tournament is all about survival tactics. The participants in of Arch Madness’ first day earned their way to the opening round by finishing in the bottom four of the regular season standings.

Those bottom four teams accumulated a combined .236 conference winning percentage and played one another on Thursday for the opportunity to play the league’s two best teams on Friday. It is not an enviable position.

Illinois State leaned on the second half three-point shooting of Josiah Strong to edge Indiana State 58-53. The Redbirds trailed by ten points when Strong went to work with three second-half triples. Strong has landed 83 long-distance bombs and he and teammate Antonio Reeves (75) have combined to make 158 three-pointers this season. The Redbirds (13-19) will need those long-distance survival tactics Friday against top-seeded Northern Iowa.

Strong said his team believed they could win on Thursday and they believe they can win on Friday.

Valparaiso used the survival tactics of balanced scoring to knock off Evansville 81-59. Six different Beacons scored nine or more points, including 18 each from Kobe King and Sheldon Edwards. Valpo raised their record to 14-17 while getting at least one assist from seven different players and knocking in ten of 21 three-point attempts.

Coach Matt Lottich ran his Arch Madness record to 5-4. His 2020 squad is the only team in tournament history to be seeded seventh or above to reach the finals. He says this year’s team didn’t come to St. Louis to only play two games.

Next. MVC Tournament preview. dark

Four games will be played on Saturday. Regular-season champion Northern Iowa (18-10,14-4) battles Illinois State at noon. Fourth-seeded Loyola Chicago (22-7) faces fifth-seeded Bradley (17-13) at 2:30 pm. The evening games find second-seeded Missouri State (22-9) meeting Valpo at 6 pm and third-seeded Drake (22-9) facing Southern Illinois (16-14) at 8:30 pm.