SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Evander Kane scored 41 seconds into overtime and the San Jose Sharks ended a disappointing homestand on a high note by beating the St. Louis Blues 3-2 Monday night. The Sharks had lost five of their first six games on their longest homestand of the season before rallying to beat…
By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL It was the match-up of the year in the Missouri Valley Conference. The top two seeds met on Sunday afternoon in the Arch Madness Championship Game to determine who gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Emotions were high, stakes were high, and the rubber game of the season…
By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL No. 2 seed Drake took on No. 3 Missouri State in the second game of Arch Madness Semifinal Saturday. The winner advancing to Championship Sunday for a date with No. 1 seed Loyola with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line. On the bubble for an at-large bid…
By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL We know The Valley is certainly in contention to be a two-bid league for the NCAA Tournament, but going into this weekend, there was an outside shot for getting three bids. A lot had to happen, though. Loyola wasn’t having any of that. They’re the top-seed, the No. 1 defensive team…
By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL After the unfortunate cancellation between Northern Iowa and Drake, Missouri State and Valparaiso was the third (and final) game of the night on Quarterfinal Friday. The trendy “dark horse” pick entering this tournament seemed to be the Missouri State Bears, and that might have been easy to say because they are…
By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL The second game of Arch Madness Quarterfinal Friday set up an all Indiana matchup between fourth seeded Indiana State and fifth seeded Evansville. It definitely felt like an in-state battle the way these two teams were competing on Friday afternoon. As a four vs five game should be, the contest was…
By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL It was starting to look like a tough match up for the Southern Illinois Salukis going in to start the Arch Madness Quarterfinal Friday. Already without Marcus Domask, they had to do without Lance Jones, who suffered an ankle injury in Thursday night’s 73-63 win over Bradley. Oh, and the Salukis…
By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL Northern Iowa was in unfamiliar territory to start this year’s Arch Madness – playing on a Thursday night of the MVC Tournament, taking on 10 seeded Illinois State. It has been a trying season for Ben Jacobson and the Panthers as they lost last year’s MVC Player of the Year AJ…
By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL The opening of Arch Madness this year had a completely different feel. There were limited fans in the stands, players and coaches social distancing on the bench, and other COVID protocols in place. Though it is still conference tournament basketball in St. Louis, and this league deserves credit for that for…
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Dru Smith scored the game-winner, banking a baseline drive reverse layup off the glass with 0.7 seconds on the clock and Missouri held on to defeat Florida 72-70 on Wednesday night for the Tigers’ first-ever win in Gainesville. Florida had been 4-0 against Missouri at home, and had made up a…