NFL Tickets
TV Schedule: Saturday, Feb. 13, 12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Stadium: Charles Koch Arena
In previous years, this would be the biggest game of the MVC season. However, the Northern Iowa Panthers have done some disappointing this season and have a 7-6 conference record to prove it. Meanwhile, the Wichita State Shockers sit atop the conference standings at 12-1.
This season has been a bit up and down for both teams.
Wichita State was 2-4 at one point, but it now holds an 18-6 record, which means it is back to being one of the best mid-majors in college basketball.
Northern Iowa knocked off the North Carolina Tar Heels and Iowa State Cyclones, which are two teams that have the goods to win a championship in 2015-16. That said, the Panthers are just 15-11 entering this contest.
Both teams are rather stingy on the defensive side of the ball, and here’s all the proof you need for that one: Northern Iowa is allowing 65.5 PPG and Wichita State is giving up 60.7 PPG.
Of course, the Shockers have one of the best backcourts in the country thanks to Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet. With those two players on the squad, Wichita State, once again, could make some serious noise in the upcoming dance.
As for Northern Iowa, it needs a miracle to get into the dance at this point, despite the fact that it has two monster wins on the season. Of course, knocking off the Shockers would be a great start.
Something tells me that isn’t going to happen. Maybe it is the home-court advantage thing that the Shockers have going for them.
However, just to make things interesting, the Panthers have won five games in a row, and Wichita State’s winning streak is only at one.
PREDICTION: Panthers 53, Shockers 60
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