The Valley
Following Saturday's action, the top five teams in the MVC have created a two-game gap between fifth and sixth place in the conference standings. Murray State sits alone in first at 7-0, followed by Bradley and Belmont tied for second at 5-2. Illinois State and Northern Iowa are tied for fourth at 4-2.

Tuesday's matchup between Bradley and Evansville will feature two of the MVC's top defenses when it comes to protecting the rim and creating turnovers. Bradley leads the MVC in steals and ranks 28th nationally in turnovers forced per game, while Evansville is tied for third in the MVC in blocked shots per game. Both teams are fueled by two of the league's top all-around players: Jaquan Johnson, who ranks tied for first nationally with 57 total steals, and Connor Turnbull, who ranks 21st in the country in blocks.

The Bradley Braves
Bradley is coming off a 2-0 week after sweeping a two-game homestand against Drake and Northern Iowa. The Braves will now leave Carver Arena for two straight road games, beginning with a trip to Evansville. Alex Huibregtse caught fire from beyond the arc over the past week, shooting nearly 62% from three-point range while averaging 14.0 points per game. Bradley's big men also made a strong impact during the homestand, as Timothy van der Knaap, Corey Thomas, and Ahmet Jonovic all delivered big performances. The trio combined to average 28.5 points, 19.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game.

Bradley is now one of just two MVC teams that rank in the top-five in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Braves have continued to attack the paint in recent games, ranking second in the MVC in free-throw attempts, while also generating second-chance opportunities by ranking fifth in offensive rebounds at 10.5 per game.

The Evansville Purple Aces
Evansville is coming off its first Missouri Valley Conference win of the season following a 72-69 victory over Indiana State. The Purple Aces now return home to begin a stretch of three straight games against teams from the state of Illinois (vs. Bradley, at UIC, vs. SIU). Connor Turnbull and AJ Casey continue to lead Evansville, with the duo averaging 23.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. The two had contrasting performances in their previous meeting with Bradley in December. Casey recorded 21 points and six rebounds, while Turnbull was held scoreless in 15 minutes while battling foul trouble (4 PF).

History Says!
History says that a trip to Evansville is no easy task. While Bradley leads the all-time series 41-24, Evansville holds an 18-12 advantage on its home floor. Since 1986, 15 meetings have been decided by five points or fewer, with Bradley narrowly leading that stretch 8-7. Bradley will look to continue its positive trend of defensive success, as the Braves are 10-1 this season when holding opponents to 70 points or fewer.