Tight Games
Missouri Valley Conference teams put a high priority on winning at home and breaking even on the road. With nearly 75 percent of the games going down to the wire, that has not been the case this year.
MVC road teams have won 15 of the thirty-five contests (.429 winning percentage). Valley teams won 80 percent of their non-conference home games. Only Murray State and Bradley have unblemished home records.
While the Racers are off until Saturday, the league’s four, two-loss teams play Tuesday and Wednesday. Northern Iowa (12-5, 4-2) and Belmont are at home and Bradley (12-6, 5-2) and Illinois State hit the road.
The biggest game of the upcoming weekend is in Normal, Illinois where Illinois State hosts Bradley in the league’s fiercest rivalry. “The War on 74” happens twice each season for these two long-standing rivals.
Bradley and Illinois State are separated by just 40 miles on Illinois Interstate 74. They’ve played one another 140 times with Bradley holding the competitive edge 74-66 and the Braves had won six straight until last February’s Redbird winner, giving Ryan Pedon is first ‘War on 74’ coaching victory.
The preseason favorite Redbirds travel to Bradley for the second game of this year’s ‘War’ on February 21.
Two other league rivalries are headline events, but don’t reach to the fever of the Illinois State/Bradley battles.
Northern Iowa and Drake are two of just four Division 1 programs in Iowa and the two teams have a rich MVC heritage and history of success. While UNI holds a sizeable lead in the overall rivalry (52-36), the recent success of Bulldog teams has seen them win eight of the last ten meetings.
Dating back to their Ohio Valley Conference days, Belmont and Murray State have had some epic battles. The two seemingly co-ruled the OVC for about a decade and routinely met in the conference tournament finals. With these two competing for the top spot in the MVC, this rivalry could be taken to a much higher level.
Tight Games? The Missouri Valley Conference has had more than its share already and there will be many more in store.