Southern Illinois
BY JONATHAN MICHEL
On paper, Loyola Chicago, Northern Iowa and Bradley jump out as the teams most likely to contend for a Missouri Valley Conference tournament title. However, a viable contender lurks down in Carbondale.
Southern Illinois was picked to finish dead last in the preseason MVC poll under new head coach Bryan Mullins. Coming into conference play at 6-7, SIU did not appear to have the makings of a competitive team needed for Arch Madness, but freshman forward Marcus Domask and the Salukis have since found their stride.
Southern Illinois began a seven-game win streak early in the MVC slate, toppling Valley teams such as Loyola, Northern Iowa, Missouri State and Drake. Winning nail-biting games has kept the Salukis streaking. In a conference like the MVC where close games abound no matter the matchup, SIU’s ability to wriggle their way to victory may keep them alive longer than expected.
Marcus Domask has single-handedly kept Southern Illinois alive in most games. Wisconsin’s Mr. Basketball in 2019, Domask has started all 29 games and paces the team with 14.3 points per game. In the last game of their win streak, the freshman showed no signs of nervousness and drained a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to give them a 68-66 victory over Missouri State. He has scored 21 or more points on five occasions this season and continues to wreak havoc on the MVC.
Anthony may argue that Indiana State is the team to look out for in Arch Madness, but the problem is that the Sycamores are not as complete of a team. Tyreke Key certainly can make a difference, but he lacks the supporting cast that Domask and SIU possesses.
SIU’s current standing would put them as the fourth seed, but as Bradley proved in the conference tournament last year, seeding matters minimally. It does not matter if Southern Illinois continues to pull off wins by the skin of its teeth; if they can get hot and pull off wins against the Missouri Valley heavyweights, the Salukis will go from underdogs to top dogs in the conference.
Indiana State Sycamores
BY ANTHONY CULLOTTA
My sleeper pick to win the Missouri Valley Conference tournament is Indiana State.
Currently the Sycamores are 17-11 and 10-7 in conference play and sitting tied for fourth in the MVC standings. They play their final game at home tomorrow, where it is 11-1 this season.
The biggest thing that stands out for the Sycamores is the way that they have played the other MVC teams, especially the teams above them. Indiana State has split the season series with all the teams above them or tied with them in the standings; Southern Illinois, Loyola, Bradley and regular season champion Northern Iowa. The Sycamores have shown that they have the capability to beat the best in the conference this season. If they can do it in the regular season, they can do it in St. Louis.
A team that shoots 38 percent from 3-point distance, second in the league, can always get hot. Staying hot over the course of the three-day competition is crucial.
The pairing of guards junior Tyreke Key and senior Jordan Barnes ranks in the top-10 of the league scoring. Additionally, 6 foot, 7 inch freshman center Tre Williams, although undersized, ranks third in blocked shots and can provide some scoring on the inside, adding 7 points per game.
It was proven last season when Bradley won the conference tourney that as long as a team can keep it close, it is possible for anyone to win in St. Louis.
Come playoff time, confidence is everything and a team riding high can cause a lot of problems for the rest of the league. Considering it has beat every team in the league with the exception of Valparaiso, who comes to Terre Haute tomorrow, Indiana State should like its chances.
Southern Illinois has had a miracle season, but has tapered off as of late. This simply just isn’t its year, as the team is too young for the spotlight. I’ll be keeping my eye on a battle-tested Indiana State squad.
