ESPN has selected the Illinois State at Loyola men’s basketball game for distribution on ESPN2 on Saturday, Feb. 24. The game will tip at 1 p.m. CT. And CBS has selected the Indiana State at Bradley men’s basketball game for distribution on CBS Sports Network on Saturday, Feb. 24, with a 3 p.m. CT air time. The games were previously listed as TBD on the MVC schedule.
Saturday, Feb. 24
Illinois State at Loyola – 1 pm CT (ESPN2)
Southern Illinois at Evansville – 1 pm CT (ESPN3)
Missouri State at UNI – 1 pm CT (ESPN3)*
Valparaiso at Drake – 2 pm CT (ESPN3)*
Indiana State at Bradley – 3 pm CT (CBS Sports Network)
*denotes known clearances as of Feb. 6
Loyola leads the league with its 10-3 MVC mark (20-5 overall) with five conference games remaining. The Ramblers have won 20 games before conference tournament play for the first time since 2006-07 (then a member of the Horizon League) and have prevailed in 10 or more league games for the first time since that same season. The Ramblers have defended their home court well this season, winning 11 of 12 contests at Gentile Arena, and dating back to last year, have won 13 of their last 14 at The Joe. Illinois State, meanwhile, is the defending league regular-season champion (shared the title last year with Wichita State). The Redbirds enter tonight's game with Southern Illinois (CBS Sports Network at 8 pm CT) in third place in the MVC race. Illinois State's group of three leading scorers of Milik Yarbrough, Keyshawn Evans and Phil Fayne are one of three groups in the country of three teammates that average 15 points per game. The Ramblers beat Illinois State, 68-61, in Redbird Arena earlier this year.
Bradley leads the league in average home attendance this year and has won all but one game on its home court this season. With five games remaining, Bradley's 17 wins already match its highest regular-season total since it went 20-11 during the 2006-07 season (finished 22-13 after postseason). In fact, Bradley's 17 victories are just one shy of the last two seasons combined (5 and 13 wins). Bradley is on pace for its highest MVC finish in 17 years as the Braves have not placed higher than fourth since 2000-01 (t-2nd). Indiana State has been one of the league's top road teams, posting a 4-6 overall record in road contests, which includes victories at Indiana (by 21 points in the season opener) and at league-leading Loyola. The Trees are led by guards Jordan Barnes (a sophomore) and Brenton Scott (a senior). Barnes tied Michael Menser's single-season 3-point shooting record as he connected on four trifectas the last time out (vs. Missouri State) to give him 92 for the year. And Scott will finish his career 4th-best on the all-time scoring chart at Indiana State. Bradley beat Indiana State in the teams' previous meeting this year in Terre Haute, 81-73.
Using the Wildcard model, the Missouri Valley Conference -- in conjunction with its television partners -- reserves clearance windows for select dates throughout the season and waits until three weeks before the contest(s) to determine network clearances.