Illinois State (10-11, 2-8) vs Drake (8-13, 3-7)
Redbird Arena; Peoria, Ill.
2:00 CST
The Redbirds were able to pick up their second Valley win on Wednesday against their rival Bradley 79-78 in overtime. Austin Hill was able to sink two free throws with three seconds on the clock to seal the comeback win and put a rare notch in the win column for the Redbirds. ISU-Red will now play host to Drake as they will look to make a run in the second half.
The Bulldogs are coming off a heartbreaking loss to Missouri State 70-73, but have shown some signs of promise over the last few weeks. It seems like this Drake team either has it all clicking or they seem lost. I have a feeling they will be clicking tonight.
Missouri State (17-4, 9-1) vs UNI (16-6, 7-3)
JQH Arena; Springfield, MO
7:00 CST ESPNU
The Bears are all alone in first place, but have had a few close calls while on top. Most recently, the Bears were able to escape Drake 73-70 to push their record to 9-1 in the Valley.
They will have their hands full if the Panthers play anywhere close to how they played against Creighton on Wednesday night. Kwadzo Ahelegbe dropped 26 point on the Jays on their way to a 71-66 victory. This game could be a good one to watch, and if you have ESPNU, I would recommend tuning in.