Missouri Valley Basketball Tournament: Top 4 teams advance to semifinals

Top teams are asserting their dominance at the Missouri Valley Basketball Tournament. The top four seeded teams will all play in Saturday’s semifinals.

Friday games at Arch Madness are normally very competitive. This Saturday, they were not. The Top Missouri Valley Basketball teams asserted their dominance over the lower seeds setting up unique semifinal games for Saturday.

# 1 Northern Iowa 78 – # 8 Illinois State 65

Northern Iowa’s superior depth and experience were on display as eight different players scored. While the score wasn’t overly lopsided the decision was rarely in doubt. UNI trailed 19-18 at the 11:00 mark of the first half and went on a 13-2 run and the game was never in doubt from the 4:45 mark of the first half.

During that six-minute span, five different players scored those 13 points. Illinois State (13-20) never got closer than six points the rest of the game.

Valley ‘Player of the Year’ A.J. Green led the Panthers with 17 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Noah Carter scored 16 points and Trae Berhow 15. The league’s leading scorer, Illinois State’s Antonio Reeves scored 20 points in defeat. UNI (19-10) has won five straight games and ten of its last eleven.

# 4 Loyola Chicago 66 – # 5 Bradley 50

This game was not this close. Loyola led Bradley 20 to 10 early in the first half and went into intermission with a 44-27 lead. They were never headed. LUC (23-7) picked up 28 points from its outstanding bench. Substitutes Ryan Schwieger (11), Marquise Kennedy (9), and Tom Welch (8) contributed mightily.

Terry Roberts led Bradley (17-14) with 17 points, making all seven of his free-throw attempts. Lucas Williamson led the balanced Loyola attack with 13.

UNI and Loyola tip at 2:30 pm on CBS Sports Network.

# 2 Missouri State 67 – # 7 Valparaiso 58

Missouri State’s depth and talent come in the form of three all-conference players rather than in-depth of numbers. First teamers Isiaih Mosley (18 points) and Gaige Prim (16 points and 17 rebounds) and all-defensive team member Donovan Clay (17 points and five boards) were virtually all the offensive fire-power needed during their win over Valparaiso.

MSU (23-9) struggled shooting the three, but Clay’s early offense and Prim and Mosley’s late contributions were the difference. The Bears have won three straight games and six of their last seven.

Three Beacons (14-18) reached double figures. Thomas Kithier (17), Kevion Taylor (13) and Sheldon Edwards (10) with Edwards recording a double-double by also grabbing ten rebounds.

# 3 Drake 65 – # 6 Southern Illinois 52

When Drake and Southern Illinois played during the regular season, Drake won both games by a total of three points. Through 19:55 of Saturday’s quarterfinal game, the teams were tied at 26. The Bulldogs scored a late basket and took a two-point lead into the locker room.

In a game that was more ‘plumbers than painters’ neither team topped 34% shooting in the first half. Almost three minutes into the second half, Drake still led by two points. During a six-minute, second-half stretch the Bulldogs outscored the Salukis 10-to-1, led the game 44-33, and SIU never closed the gap to less than six points.

Drake’s depth hasn’t been much all season and then their top defender and three-point shooter D.J. Wilkins went down with a season-ending knee injury. ShanQuan Hemphill entered the starting lineup and led Drake with 19 points and ten rebounds. During the pivotal second half, Valley ‘Freshman of the Year’ Tucker DeVries scored eleven points to finish with 13. Marcus Domask led SIU with 18 points and eight rebounds.

Drake has won six straight games but lost two closely contested games with Missouri State during the regular season. The Bears and Bulldogs tip at 5:00 pm on CBS Sports Network.