The following “Starting Five” points offer a quick look inside GLVC men’s basketball action this week:
GLVC SPORTS NETWORK (GLVCSN): All GLVC home games are available for free on GLVCSN.com, the GLVCSN iOS and Android mobile apps, and GLVCSN OTT apps on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV.
#GLVCmbb Starting Five – Dec. 5: http://glvcsports.com/news/2018/12/5/mens-basketball-glvcmbb-starting-five-dec-5.aspx
[1 // back to non-conference action]
Sixteen GLVC men’s basketball non-conference games spanning four days are on the docket this week, which included six contests on Tuesday, with Missouri-St. Louis and William Jewell finding the win column. UMSL recorded a season-high 19 steals in a 90-47 win over visiting Lindenwood Belleville. The Tritons took advantage of the miscues, outscoring their guests 34-13 in points off turnovers. William Jewell jumped out to an early lead versus Baker and never looked back. The Cardinal offense was firing on all cylinders to earn Jewell its third win of the season by a final score of 94-58. Elsewhere, Indianapolis, Missouri S&T and Truman State were also in action, while the Lewis and Indiana Northwest matchup was canceled. For a complete look at this week’s action, click here.
[2 // five teams pick up conference wins in first week of league play]
Illinois Springfield and Truman State are both off to 2-0 starts in GLVC action, while Bellarmine, Drury and Lewis all picked up a win in their respective league openers last week. While it’s just one week in, the Prairie Stars sit atop the men’s GLVC Point Rating System (PRS) standings at 4.75, thanks in large part to winning at UMSL, a team currently at .500 in GLVC action. Rockhurst, which went 1-1 on the week, ranks second in PRS at 4.25, based on its win at .500 Quincy and a loss at unbeaten Truman State. The ratings will be fluid throughout the year as those opponent records fluctuate. Bellarmine’s Adam Eberhard poured in 30 points in the win at Southern Indiana, William Jewell’s Byron Harp had 29 in the Cardinals’ loss at Quincy, and Peyton Allen recorded 28 for UIS in the win at Maryville. For a look back at last week’s action, click here.
[3 // bellarmine remains unanimous number one, uindy falls to 25th in nabc top 25 poll]
For the third consecutive week, Bellarmine was unanimously selected as the top-ranked team in the NABC/Division II poll as the top six spots from the second poll remained unchanged, it was announced Tuesday by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Bellarmine knocked off Lindenwood 74-60 in a midweek home matchup and then topped Southern Indiana 92-80 in its GLVC opener on Saturday. The Knights were followed by Northwest Missouri State, Indiana (Pa.), Saint Anselm and Southern Nazarene to complete the top five. Despite an 84-71 setback in its league opener at Lewis last Saturday, Indianapolis remained in the poll at No. 25 after earning its first ranking (No. 19) in three years last week.
[4 // bellarmine’s eberhard garners weekly conference honor]
Bellarmine senior forward Adam Eberhard was named Monday as GLVC Player of the Week. Eberhard averaged 20.5 points on 12-of-17 shooting (.706) with 8.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game in two wins last week. He notched his first double-double of the season with 11 points and career-high 10 assists against Lindenwood and followed it by tying his career high with 30 points in a GLVC road win at Southern Indiana.
[5 // among the nation’s best]
In the recent statistical report published by the NCAA, several GLVC teams and individuals rank among the nation’s top 10 in select categories. Drury and UMSL are first (191) and second (173) in total assists, and the Panthers are second in assists per game (21.2). Bellarmine is first in field-goal percentage (56.9) and William Jewell (338) is second in three-point field goal attempts. UMSL is fourth in total steals (86), Drury is eighth in assist-turnover ratio (1.63) and William Jewell (80.6) is ninth in free-throw percentage. In total rebounds, William Jewell (386) and UMSL (378) are sixth and seventh. Individually, William Jewell’s Keith Hayes is first in the country in field goals made (83) and attempts (188) and third in total points (219), while teammate Byron Harp follows closely behind in fourth (210). Harp is also second in free throws made (70) and fourth in free throw attempts (80). William Jewell’s Eysan Wiley is second with 95 total rebounds, third with 29 blocks, and eighth with four double-doubles. Bellarmine’s Ben Weyer is fifth in three-point field goal percentage (55.6), while UMSL’s Shane Wissink is third overall in total steals (25) and teammate Johnathan Matthews is ninth in free-throw percentage (95.0).
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF THE GLVC
Throughout the 2018-19 academic year, the Great Lakes Valley Conference will celebrate its 40th anniversary by recognizing 40 teams that made a significant impact both on campus and at the Conference level. A number of men’s basketball programs have already been recognized and are featured below. For a complete list of the GLVC’s 40thanniversary campaign, click here.
- Week 10: 1987 Kentucky Wesleyan
- Week 13: 1990 Kentucky Wesleyan
- Week 14: 1995 Southern Indiana
- Week 15: 1999 Kentucky Wesleyan