MVC Games Week 11

[BCPanther]

Bowen Born will be a game time decision tonight with the calf injury that he's been fighting for a couple weeks that caused him to miss the last 12 minutes in Nashville Saturday. I'm guessing he sits tonight and possibly Saturday to try to get healthy.

Rough year on the injury front in Cedar Falls.

[BEARZ77]

Oh, I don't. Bradley is a great team and 10-0 at home and I don't know one Belmont fan that thinks this will be anything other than a major challenge. Having said that, there is a lot more optimism around this Bruin squad than there was 6 weeks ago. Even as a true freshman Ja'kobi Gillespie is our most talented player and he is beginning to realize it. The light is FINALLY turning on for Evan Brauns. Ben Shepherd is doing Ben Shepherd things consistently (which wasn't the case early in the season).

As crazy as it sounds, if Evan and Ja'Kobi consistently play the way they have in the past two weeks Belmont can actually compete for the MVC title. That's something I couldn't have imagined in December.

Saturdays game with Belmont/ Bradley will tell alot. At some point [ usually] in the MVC race , the top couple teams have to get tough road conference wins. So far the only upper level MVC road game for Belmont was SIU, and they got boat raced in the second half of that one. They lost by 10 at Illinois State as well, but Illinois State is a tough out at home. But who knows this year, no one has been able to establish any real edge in the race; as usual the formula will be win everything [ or almost everything] at home and probably need to go 7-3/6-4 at least on the road.

[tribecalledquest]

Oh, I don't. Bradley is a great team and 10-0 at home and I don't know one Belmont fan that thinks this will be anything other than a major challenge. Having said that, there is a lot more optimism around this Bruin squad than there was 6 weeks ago. Even as a true freshman Ja'kobi Gillespie is our most talented player and he is beginning to realize it. The light is FINALLY turning on for Evan Brauns. Ben Shepherd is doing Ben Shepherd things consistently (which wasn't the case early in the season).

As crazy as it sounds, if Evan and Ja'Kobi consistently play the way they have in the past two weeks Belmont can actually compete for the MVC title. That's something I couldn't have imagined in December.

Tonight's game with Bradley will tell alot. At some point [ usually] in the MVC race , the top couple teams have to get tough road conference wins. So far the only upper level MVC road game for Belmont was SIU, and they got boat raced in the second half of that one. They lost by 10 at Illinois State as well, but Illinois State is a tough out at home. But who knows this year, no one has been able to establish any real edge in the race; as usual the formula will be win everything [ or almost everything] at home and probably need to go 7-3/6-4 at least on the road.

Maybe I have missed one - but the only two road wins of consequence were Indiana State at SIU, and then SIU turned around and won back in Terre Haute to even it out. SIU did win at Murray so they are in a nice place there. Bradley and the Sycs only play once this season so that adds intrigue.

[BEARZ77]

Right now Bradley's roadie at MSU also gives them an advantage as both Drake and Indiana St took losses there.

[BuBrave2006]

Right now Bradley's roadie at MSU also gives them an advantage as both Drake and Indiana St took losses there.

Everyone is forgetting that Bradley won at MSU early in the year. We've struggled on the road, but it's been against all good teams. We still have Valpo, UIC, ISUr and UNI on the road, which are all winnable. We've dominated at home. If we keep winning at home (like everyone else keeps saying, big "if") then we'll be right there.

If we can steal @ISUb tonight (and probably need to beat Belmont at home Saturday to make sure they don't sweep us), then I'd argue we might be the frontrunner the rest of the season with how the schedule shakes out.

But again...thats a big "if."

[MissouriValleyUnite]

Big bounceback win for the Braves in Terre Haute. 18/13 for Rienk Mast. Wardle with the PhD in Sports Psychology wearing a t-shirt of the Drake score in practice.

Belmont/Bradley game on Saturday even bigger.

[squirrel]

Valparaiso mounting midseason momentum.

They beat Evansville and UIC. Let's pump the brakes there.

Won at Missouri State by 18. Won at Indiana State by 11. They were clearly better than Belmont in Nashville but played a garbage final 10 minutes.

[hot nuts]

What a night of Valleyball!

[tribecalledquest]

What a night of Valleyball!

Sure was. What a fun league.

[SalukiWorld]

What a night of Valleyball!

Sure was. What a fun league.

Arch Madness is gonna be great, can't wait