A half-court, buzzer-beater to complete a comeback. An underdog coming out on top in a double-overtime thriller. A struggling offense bouncing back to win by 35 points.
Just an average opening night for the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC).
Jan. 2 marked the start of MVC play, with all 10 teams in action. The standings opened eyes around the league after non-conference play. Who would’ve thought Drake University would bring an 11-3 record into its first MVC game? Or that Indiana State University would’ve been 8-4 and playing really well? How about Loyola, Illinois State University and Southern Illinois University — the top three in the MVC preseason poll — sitting tied for fourth at 7-6?