MSU @ UE

[shockem]

Go Purple Pimp Dogs! You're always good for one or two mammouth upsets a year. This the one we're counting on.

[PeKaph]

Maybe the most fascinating game that MSU has left on the schedule. This is a game that past MSU teams lose EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Is this team different? We'll find out soon.

[MSUDuo]

Maybe the most fascinating game that MSU has left on the schedule. This is a game that past MSU teams lose EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Is this team different? We'll find out soon.

No kidding. The worst one will always be Ahearn's senior year. We had just beat UE by 50 on ESPNU and a week later we go to their place and lay an egg. I still can't believe that happened.

[valleychamp]

Maybe the most fascinating game that MSU has left on the schedule. This is a game that past MSU teams lose EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Is this team different? We'll find out soon.

No kidding. The worst one will always be Ahearn's senior year. We had just beat UE by 50 on ESPNU and a week later we go to their place and lay an egg. I still can't believe that happened.

The place is a death trap for good MVC teams. UNI and WSU both lost there last year.

I think one of SIU's dominant teams lost there several years ago too.

[WSUbballer]

It seems like that there's so much emphasis on this being a trap game that it may not even be a trap game anymore. MSU gets first dibs to crack this.

[MSUDuo]

It seems like that there's so much emphasis on this being a trap game that it may not even be a trap game anymore. MSU gets first dibs to crack this.

I don't think it will be a trap game because Martin will have the guys focused after losing to UNI. But with ISUb coming to town on Saturday, I don't doubt the guys are looking forward to payback.

[Aargh]

UE is not a trap game this year. UE is a dangerous mid-pack or better Valley team that seems to be improving steadily all season.

While UE is showing every sign of being on an upswing, MSU has shown the first signs of a long season and a short bench. Can the Bears hold on and suck it up once more on the road against a hungry team with some momentum and their eyes on 4th place?

This year, UE is what BU is in most years, and BU is what UE is in most years.

[Ace Dad]

The USATODAY summary said that "..........four of Missouri State's nine Missouri Valley Conference wins had come by three points or fewer."

I think MSU would win 7 out of 10 times, but if they let us hang around

[purple&orange]

Evansville needs to avoid the prolonged scoring lulls that have plagued them in their losses. If they can do this, they have a chance to knock off the Bears. It'll be interesting to see who gets the start in place of Harris after he took the elbow vs SIU on Saturday and how long he may be out in the ultra sensitive era regarding concussions (don't get me wrong, it's a good thing that concussions are being seen as a dangerous thing). For UE it's about a team effort, and the emergence of Denver Holmes as a more consistent scoring threat has helped fuel the run although different guys have stepped up along the way. At times it's not pretty but it's a true team effort of 9-10 guys a night putting forth productive minutes.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, 5-1 in our last MVC games is a nice run, best run since 1999. All that the Aces have done is do what a team that is a mid-level MVC should do over this time. They started 1-4 with a win at home vs Indiana State and road losses at WSU, MSU, and UNI and a very competitive loss at home vs Creighton. Since then UE has held serve at home against teams currently lower than they are in the standings including 2 of 3 on the road.

Now the schedule ramps up again with 4 of the next 5 against teams in that 1-4 stretch. What will happen remains to be seen but I think UE has proven they are a mid level MVC team this season who can beat the bottom half and go on the road and steal a couple. Since that 1-4 stretch the Aces have been more balanced and had a number of guys play well recently and if the fact they'll be getting MSU, WSU, and UNI at home will change anything since going to their places last month.

[Aces1982]

Without Harris playing tonight it is going to take a big effort to pull this one out. It's going to take a big night from Jahr or Jones to pick up the slack. An off shooting night from the Bears wouldn't hurt any either.