Premium ContentMouse over Home then click on Premium Content for information.

World-Herald staff writer Steven Pivovar ranks the Missouri Valley men's basketball teams (with rankings from RealTimeRPI.com). Published Wednesday, Feb. 1.

* * *

1. Creighton (20-2, 10-1, 14th)
This week: Illinois State, at Northern Iowa. Center Gregory Echenique has averaged 10.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots during a 10-game winning streak.

2. Wichita State (18-4, 9-2, 31st)
This week: at Missouri State, Indiana State. A triple-overtime loss to Drake cost the Shockers a chance for their best league record after 11 games in 29 seasons.

3. Drake (13-9, 6-5, 97th)
This week: at Indiana State, Missouri State. Give Ben Simons the league’s ironman award for playing 92 out of a possible 95 minutes against the Valley’s best two teams.

4. Missouri State (13-10, 6-5, 79th)
This week: Wichita State, at Drake. The loss of center Caleb Patterson to an ankle injury puts added pressure on the Bears’ young front line.

5. Illinois State (14-8, 6-5, 118th)
This week: at Creighton, Bradley. Wednesday’s game at CU is a big challenge for a team that has lost its last three road games and is 2-5 this season away from home.

6. Evansville (10-11, 5-6, 162nd)
This week: at Bradley, at Southern Illinois. Allowing teams to shoot 48.6 percent from the field against them has the Purple Aces ranked 328th out of 338 Division I teams.

7. Northern Iowa (15-9, 5-7, 57th)
This week: Creighton. Four losses in the past five games have UNI in jeopardy of falling into the play-in round at the conference tournament for the first time since 2003.

8. Indiana State (13-9, 4-7, 113th)
This week: Drake, at Wichita State. A tough week could determine whether the Sycamores are on a second-half surge or headed for a play-in game in St. Louis.

9. Southern Illinois (7-16, 4-8, 232nd)
This week: Evansville, at Illinois State. Once the league’s benchmark for defensive excellence, the Salukis are allowing almost 74 points a game in conference action.

10. Bradley (6-17, 1-10, 198th)
This week: Evansville, at Illinois State. January hasn’t been kind to BU — the past two seasons it’s compiled a 1-18 record in the month.

« Sports - Bluejays Today

Share