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Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
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Author:  JCT [ Thu Dec 21, 2017 2:24 am ]
Post subject:  Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
Friday, December 22, 2017 8:00 p.m.
JQH Arena, Springfield, Mo.

Loyola kicks off the 2017-18 conference season with a pre-Christmas Friday night road game against the conference favorites. Loaded with seniors, including the 2017-18 Preseason Player of the Year Alize Johnson, Missouri State was picked as a heavy favorite to win the MVC in the 2017-18 Preseason Poll. The Bears picked up 30 of the 40 first place votes in the poll, even as the MVC was considered to have the most parity in decades.

Coach Paul Lusk’s 2017-18 squad has a lot of talent, so much so that two heralded upperclassmen—seniors-to-be Chris Kendrix and Austin Ruder—left the team last spring as their playing time diminished and they had limited prospects. A plethora of experienced newcomers has bolstered an already talented returning group. The Bears have been very inconsistent in non-conference season despite their 9-3 record. The Bears won their toughest game on an uninspiring non-conference schedule—an 85-80 road win against Western Kentucky—but dropped three much easier games, including two (home against North Dakota State and at Oral Roberts) that should have been gimmes.

The MSU starting five are likely to be Jarred Dixon and Ryan Kreklow at the guard spots, and the trio of Alize Johnson, Jarrid Rhodes, and Obediah Church in the frontcourt. Grad transfer JT Miller recently replaced Ronnie Rousseau III in the starting lineup, but Miller did not play at all in Tuesday’s win over Wright State.

Dixon is a 6’4” junior guard who averages 7.9 points per game and leads the team in assists. Kreklow is a senior shooting guard specializing in threes, but has had trouble finding his stroke this season. He averages 7.2 points per game and leads the team in steals, but is shooting only 32.8% from three and only 33.7% overall.

Six-six small forward Jarrid Rhodes averages 9.2 points and 4.6 boards per game. He leads the team in made threes, shooting at a 40.4% clip. Obediah Church is a 6’7” junior forward who likes to mix it up inside. Church, a Springfield, Ill. native, leads the league in blocks, averages 6.9 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game (2.6 on the offensive boards, ranking third in the MVC), and hits 71% of his shots from the field.

MVC Preseason Player of the Year Alize Johnson is the most talented player in the league. At 6’9”, he plays with the ball handling abilities of a shooting guard. Averaging 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds, he shoots 54.5% on his two-point field goal tries, but his three-point stroke has been off this season compared to last. He’s also a great passer, ranking a close second on the team in assists.

MSU’s bench is among the best in the league, and gets a lot of playing time. JT Miller, a 6’2” graduate transfer guard by way of Howard University, is a sometimes-starter who averages 9.8 points on 52.7% shooting from the field. Juco newcomer Reggie Scurry is a solidly-built 6’5” junior forward averaging 9.4 points; he ranks second on the team in blocks, and shoots 58.1% from the field. Ronnie Rousseau III was the starting point guard at the beginning of the season, but now comes off the bench to play starters’ minutes. The 5’10” senior is a dangerous outside shooter, and averages 6.5 points and 2.2 assists per game. Tanveer Bhullar, a 7’2” grad transfer from New Mexico State gets into most games but averages less than 10 minutes per game, chipping in 3.1 points on average.

If you haven’t noticed, the Bears have a lot of height and length, augmented by very speedy guards. They’re led by upperclassmen, and have very good depth and flexibility from the bench. The result is a team that leads the league in blocks, rebounding margin, and offensive rebounds. Conversely, the Bears struggle a bit with their turnover margin, steals, and outside shooting. Both MSU and Loyola are somewhat turnover prone, but MSU overcomes that with an 8.8 average rebounding margin. Loyola’s strength is shooting percentage, and passing. The Ramblers are first in the league in field goal percentage, and the Bears are fifth; Loyola is second in three-point shooting percentage, the Bears are last. It will be a contrast in styles when these two teams match up.

Loyola is coming off an embarrassing 73-56 loss in Milwaukee, where the injuries to Clayton Custer and Ben Richardson seemed crucial just a few minutes into the game. Uncharacteristically, the Ramblers were ice cold from distance throughout the game, and Loyola’s opponents were lights out. Loyola had a season-low nine assists in the game, and shot under 40% from the field for only the second time this year—both losses—as the Panthers went on a blistering run in the final minutes of the first half to stretch out to a 17-point advantage. Richardson may be getting close to returning for the Ramblers, but freshman Christian Negron was injured before the UWM game and his status is also indefinate.

The Ramblers have won only one conference opener since joining the MVC, and have won only two of the past 10 conference openers dating back to the Horizon League. The Ramblers split with MSU last year, and hold a 6-3 advantage all-time with Missouri State.

Loyola game notes: http://www.loyolaramblers.com/documents ... df?id=4768

MSU game notes: http://missouristate_ftp.sidearmsports. ... s%2014.pdf

TV/Streaming video: NBC Sports Chicago / ESPN 3 (http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/3232399/ ... basketball)

Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/missouristate/mbball/media/

Vegas odds: MSU by 5.5
Author:  25yearstreak [ Thu Dec 21, 2017 7:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
Saw Christian at the Long Island Nets game as he was leaving. He did not have his crutches and looked very mobile.
On Saturday against Milwaukee he got hurt in the pregame shootout. It was a badly sprained ankle as he stepped on somebody's foot.
So my guess is he might see limited action against Missouri State (my speculation),
Also saw Custer and Richardson. Richardson is close to returning and I know they are being very cautious which is good.
Still, the MSU game will be quite a challenge.
Author:  BigJoe1963 [ Thu Dec 21, 2017 7:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
On the road against the league favorite is going to be tough. It would be really nice to get that first win and hold the early edge in a tie-breaker over a potential first place team. However, I am struggling to see how Loyola gets the win here with their injuries.
Author:  ahunte1 [ Thu Dec 21, 2017 8:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
We have to defend a lot better than we did in Milwaukee, that's for sure.

Game is also on NBCSports Chicago and Fox Sports Midwest, so if you have blackout issues with the ESPN stream you can try one of those.
Author:  01grad [ Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
MSU was the preseason conference favorite, but I doubt they would be if that vote was taken now.

Good hearing that about Negron, that it was an ankle sprain. I was thinking worst case that he reinjured the knee
Author:  JCT [ Thu Dec 21, 2017 11:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
ahunte1 wrote:
Game is also on NBCSports Chicago and Fox Sports Midwest, so if you have blackout issues with the ESPN stream you can try one of those.


Thanks, I spaced out on that. I'll make the change in the preview, becuase most people will watch it on cable.
Author:  Dansen [ Thu Dec 21, 2017 1:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
Something I found interesting on the Missouri State forum, somebody there pays for KenPom scouting reports and I attached ours. Pretty interesting to look at our season so far.

https://s3media.247sports.com/Uploads/A ... 974169.JPG

Also, most of the people on their board think they are going to win. I would say 60% chance they win with our current injuries, 40% we win. I think Marques having a good game is a key, as well as the combination of Jackson, Ingram, and Avery I see guarding Alize Johnson
Author:  Ramblerguy [ Thu Dec 21, 2017 5:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
i think we can win this game.
MSU lost 8 of last 10 conference games last year. We got better, they got better......
Pre season picks mean nothing, show your game on the floor.
Their non conference schedule was nothing special.
Ramblers should have mindset of being good enough to win this game, not the mindset of
we are playing a ROAD game and these guys are good.
I think the Ramblers are VERY good and should play to win, not hoping for the best.
Play every possession from the tip, this first game is just as important as the last one.
Our Seniors should know that by now........
That said, I can't wait to see this one tomorrow.
GO Ramblers YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!
Author:  ahunte1 [ Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
JCT wrote:
ahunte1 wrote:
Game is also on NBCSports Chicago and Fox Sports Midwest, so if you have blackout issues with the ESPN stream you can try one of those.


Thanks, I spaced out on that. I'll make the change in the preview, becuase most people will watch it on cable.


Point of clarification (and I didn't realize this): Valley games that are on NBC Sports Chicago are also on Fox Sports Midwest, FS KC, and FS Indiana. They are also streaming on the Fox Sports GO App. If you are outside those areas (i.e. IL, IN, MO, IA) you can watch via ESPN3. In those four states, you'll probably find the ESPN3 stream blacked out.
Author:  ahunte1 [ Fri Dec 22, 2017 9:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Missouri State Preview and Game Thread -- 12-22-2017
Ramblerguy wrote:
Play every possession from the tip, this first game is just as important as the last one.
Our Seniors should know that by now........


I truly don't think there's a team in the league that can beat us if we play our best. We will lose if we are cold shooting which can happen or if we don't come out knowing the game plan and playing with intensity.

I want to see us play hard every possession like you said. No lazy turnovers, no sloppy defense leaving shooters open. Play the right way and we will win.
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