The MVC Rundown

The Shockers lose their third straight game, this time at home, 63-59 to Northern Iowa.

Kyle Wilson had a three-point attempt to tie the game with three seconds left, but it failed to draw iron and UNI’s Eric Coleman hit one of two free throws to ice the game.

Wichita St. led 25-22 at half, and opened a 34-26 lead to start the second half.

UNI took control of the game with an 18-4 run as they led 42-38 with under 12 minutes to play.

Grant Stout led the Panthers with 17 points, including several key baskets and rebounds down the stretch.

Freshman Marico Stinson hit 9-of-10 three-pointers for Indiana St. in a 84-73 win over Drake at Terre Haute.

Stinson shot a blistering 82.3% from the floor (14/17 FGs) and finished with a career-high 37 points.

Fellow freshman Cole Holmstrom chipped in 20 points of his own, including 5-of-10 on threes.

Nate Funk scored 23 points, Anthony Tolliver scored 20, and the Bluejays rallied late for a 77-74 win in their MVC opener over Missouri State in Omaha.

Trailing 70-59 with 4:38 left, Creighton ended the game on an 18-4 run. The Bluejays took the lead for good on a Dane Watts three-pointer with 55 seconds to go, putting Creighton ahead 72-71.

Spencer Laurie hit a three with 2.8 seconds left to bring the margin back to 75-74. Funk hit two free throws and the Bears turned it over on the ensuing inbounds pass.

Blake Ahearn led the Bears with 21 points.

Four games today, and let’s face it — all four are key.

Missouri St. at Creighton (ESPN2, 3pm CT) probably headlines today’s Valley schedule, but Northern Iowa at Wichita St. (FSN MIdwest, 7:30pm CT) isn’t far behind.

Creighton needs a win to put itself back on track after the slow start. Wichita St. could use one as well, as the Shockers are coming off a disappointing pair of losses in Las Vegas last week.

The other two games are Drake at Indiana St. and Evansville at Bradley. Check back later today for coverage.

It’s a slow night on the whole for the Valley, but the state of Indiana is pulsing with electricity.

Indiana St. hosts Purdue and Drake travels to Evansville in a short but exciting Thursday night.

The Sycamores have already upset one highly-regarded in-state rival in Butler, and now get the opportunity to beat Purdue after a lengthy layoff.

But the Boilermakers are underrated this season and are a solid darkhorse candidate in a weaker-than-advertised Big Ten. Indiana St. has the ability to keep this one close, but they don’t have the athletes Purdue does.

Is the best offense a good defense, or is it the other way around?

Tomorrow’s conference opener for Bradley (9-3) and Northern Iowa (9-2) might shed a little light on that age-old question as the MVC’s top scoring offense takes on the second-ranked scoring defense.

The Braves are averaging 81.5 points per game by utilizing a four guard attack that boasts the No. 2 three-point shooting percentage in America.

On the other hand, the Panthers have held seven of 11 opponents to less than 58 points.

Southern Illinois 66 St. Mary’s 61

Randal Falker scored a season-high 23 points lead all scorers in a 66-61 SIU win over St. Mary’s in Moraga, Ca.

St. Mary’s led only twice, capturing a one-point lead twice midway through the second half.

SIU moves to 9-2 on the season and opens MVC play next Friday at Illinois St.

USC 60 Wichita St. 56

Two losses in two nights can be a sobering experience for a previously unbeaten team.

Wichita St. endured just that in a four-point loss to USC in the third place game of the Las Vegas Classic on Saturday.

New Mexico 71 Wichita St. 68

Wichita St. finally drops its first game of the year, even after battling back from a 16-point deficit in the first half to New Mexico from Las Vegas.

The Shockers trailed by 14 at halftime, 33-19. They cut the Lobos’ lead to one, but couldn’t do better the rest of the way.

Kyle Wilson led the Shockers with 21 points.

The absence of P.J. Cousinard was a bit of a surprise, as he didn’t play due to “not feeling well” before the game.

Creighton 68 Valparaiso 43

Nate Funk appears to be out of his funk.

Regarded by many as the Valley’s preseason player of the year, Funk’s been struggling from the field, shooting only 37% overall and 29% from 3-point range.

Thursday night in Honolulu, Funk caught fire as he made 8-of-11 from the floor, including 4-of-5 on threes. He finished with 22 points.

Creighton won 68-43 in the first round of the Outriggers Rainbow Classic in Hawaii. The Jays advance to play Houston Friday.

Indiana St. 92 Wagner 86 OT

Fab Freshmen Economics 101 should be offered at schools across the nation.

Super frosh Greg Oden has appeared in just four games for Ohio St. this season, and already it appears that he is more than capable of carrying the Buckeyes into April.

The impact of Oden and other freshmen who would already be in the NBA if they were a year or two older stretches far beyond the hardwood they’ve actually touched, however.

In fact, it has even been felt in Middle America to impact the Missouri Valley Conference.

Call it a trickle-down effect.