The Missouri Valley Conference race is heating up as Loyola, seeking a third straight regular-season title, fell into a first-place tie with Northern Iowa, which beat the Ramblers in overtime Sunday.
Bradley, a surprise winner of the conference tournament last season, has won four of six to sit one game out of first in a three-way tie with Drake and Southern Illinois. The Salukis also are surging with three straight victories, including upending Northern Iowa.
Loyola, Bradley and SIU are also on the rise in our latest power rankings of the state’s 13 Division I teams. Records are through Monday with last week’s ranking in parentheses.
Illinois 15-5, 7-2 Big Ten (1)
A six-game winning streak has given the Illini their best conference start since 2005 and pushed them up to No. 19 in the Associated Press poll. Illinois is 3-2 in Big Ten road games; the rest of the conference is a combined 12-46.
Loyola 14-7, 6-2 Missouri Valley (3)
The Ramblers get a chance at payback when they host Northern Iowa on Feb. 15.
Bradley 14-7, 5-3 Missouri Valley (4)
The Braves had only six scholarship players and seven overall available Saturday in a loss to Indiana State.
DePaul 13-7, 1-6 Big East (2)
Can the Blue Demons get back on track? They failed to build on their upset of Butler, losing consecutive home games to Creighton and St. John’s by a combined 28 points. They’ve lost six of seven since a 12-1 start and visit Seton Hall and Marquette this week.
Southern Illinois 11-10, 5-3 Missouri Valley (6)
The Salukis’ third straight win was their first victory at Illinois State since 2006, ending a 12-game skid at Redbird Arena.
Northern Illinois 11-9, 4-3 Mid-American (8)
After consecutive wins over Kent State and Western Michigan, the Huskies are only a half-game back in the MAC West.
UIC 9-13, 4-5 Horizon (7)
The Flames won three in a row before a one-point loss at Detroit.
Northwestern 6-13, 1-8 Big Ten (5)
Ohio State had lost seven of 10 before arriving in Evanston on Sunday, but the Buckeyes were able to handle the reeling Wildcats. Things don’t get easier with a trip Wednesday to Michigan State.
Eastern Illinois 11-9, 4-4 Ohio Valley (10)
Junior guard George Dixon is shooting 58% during the Panthers’ four-game winning streak.
Illinois State 6-14, 1-7 Missouri Valley (9)
A loss Wednesday to last-place Evansville would hand the struggling Redbirds their first eight-game losing streak in nine years.
SIU-Edwardsville 5-16, 2-6 Ohio Valley (11)
The Cougars shot 54% and still lost to Tennessee-Martin, their sixth defeat in seven games.
Western Illinois 5-13, 2-6 Summit (12)
The Leathernecks have lost three in a row.
Chicago State 4-18, 0-7 Western Athletic (13)
The Cougars have the most turnovers of any Division I team with 390 in 22 games.
