For the second time this season, four Valley teams rank in the RPI’s Top 100, led by Missouri State, with a season-best rank of 46. Illinois State (84), Wichita State (88) and Creighton (100) also represent the MVC among the nation’s top teams in the RPI. Four league teams also were in the RPI’s top 100 on Dec. 19 (BU, CU, ILS and MSU).

GARRISON NOW THIRD BEST ALL-TIME
Missouri State’s Casey Garrison tallied 13 points in the Lady Bears’ win over Wichita State, passing former Illinois State star Kristi Cirone for third all-time in MVC history in career scoring, now sitting at 2,150 in her career. Former Lady Bear Jackie Stiles is the league’s and NCAA’s all-time scoring leader with 3,393 points, while Drake’s Wanda Ford sits in second place with 2,636 points.

30 ROCK
Missouri State sophomore Karly Buer made her first 13 free throws in the Lady Bear’s win over Wichita State before seeing her consecutive makes streak snapped at 30, the third-best all-time at Missouri State and 11th best in the MVC. Her 15 (of 16) makes in the game trail only games of 17 and 16 makes by Jackie Stiles for the Lady Bears’ record.

TOP-THREE TEAM HIGHLIGHTS
Missouri State (16-6, 9-3 MVC)
 • Winners of 12 of last 15 games
 • Currently on a six-game winning streak
 • 12 double-digit victories (most in MVC)
 • Season-best RPI of 46 in latest CBN rankings (Feb. 13)
 • Only MVC team with top-70 RPI rank each week
 • 9-1 home record (one of 40 DI teams with one or fewer losses)
 • Four wins against top-100 teams (most in MVC)
 • Seven road/neutral wins
 • No. 12 in CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll
 • 14-1 this season when scoring at least 70 points
 • 13-1 when shooting 40 percent or better
 • +8.5 scoring margin (best in MVC)

Wichita State (15-8, 9-3 MVC)
 • Winners of 12 of last 15 games
 • Allowing just 59.3 ppg
 • Eight road/neutral wins (most in MVC)
 • Second-highest road win total (7) since joining MVC
 • Earned program’s second-best ever RPI of 67 on Jan. 16
 • 10 double-digit victories (T-3rd in MVC)
 • No. 21 in CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll
 • Lead league with .441 FG %
 • Lead league with .388 FG % Defense

Illinois State (14-9, 9-3 MVC)
 • Winners of six of last seven games
 • Have won 23-straight regular-season MVC home games (third best all-time in league history)
 • 10 double-digit victories (T-3rd in MVC)
 • No. 1 in nation in three-point FG % (40.5)

STREAK FOR THE CASH
Missouri State is currently riding a six-game hot streak, its best of the season, with just three weeks remaining in the conference season.  Below is a list of the longest winning streaks of the season.

2011-12 Longest Winning Streaks
Wichita State - 10 (D9 – J21)
Missouri State - 6 (J21 – present)
Bradley - 5 (N30 – D21)
Drake - 4 (D1 – D18)
Indiana State - 4 (D30 – J12)
Creighton - 3, twice (J12 – J20; J27 – F2)
Illinois State - 3, three times (N26 – D2; J20 – J27; F3 – present)
UNI - 3, three times (N25 – D1; D31 – J7; J29 – F4)

VALLEY HOME WINNING STREAKS
Illinois State currently holds the longest active home winning streak in Valley contests at 23, dating back to Jan. 21, 2010.  The Redbirds were a perfect 9-0 at home in league play last season, and have won their seven home contests so far in 2011-12.  Below is a look at the longest home Valley winning streaks of all-time (minimum of 10 consecutive wins):

Valley Home Winning Streaks
66 – Missouri St. (Mar. 3, 1989 – Jan. 20, 1997)
28 – Creighton (Feb. 2, 2001 – Feb. 13, 2004)
23 – Illinois State (Jan. 21, 2010 – Present)
20 – Missouri State (Feb. 15, 2003 – Mar. 3, 2005)
20 – Illinois State (Jan. 30 1988 – Feb. 28, 1990)
20 – Illinois State (Feb. 4, 1985 – Jan. 1, 1988)
19 – Drake (Feb. 3, 1996 – Jan. 17, 1998)
18 – Southern Illinois (Jan. 21, 1995 – Jan. 5, 1997)
15 – Missouri State (Feb. 18, 2000 – Jan. 31, 2002)
14 – Missouri State (Jan. 9, 1999 – Feb. 5, 2000)
12 – Wichita State (Feb. 25, 1999 – Jan. 18, 2001)

STREAK OF A DIFFERENT SORT
Illinois State’s 82-63 victory over Bradley last weekend, was its 14th consecutive win over the Braves, marking the Valley’s longest active winning streak against a conference opponent.

Longest Winning Streaks vs. MVC Opponent (From 1983-84)
27 - Southern Illinois over Bradley (1983-95)
25 - Missouri State over UNI (1989-00)
21 - Illinois State over UNI (1984-94)*
20 - UNI over Wichita State (2000-09)
20 - Drake over Southern Illinois (1997-05)
19 - Drake over Bradley (1996-04)
19 - Missouri State over Southern Illinois (1997-06)
19 - Missouri State over Wichita State (1988-97)
18 - Creighton over Bradley (1997-05)
17 - Drake over UNI (1987-95)
17 - Southern Illinois over UNI (1984-92)
16 - Missouri State over Bradley (1992-97)
14 - Illinois State over Bradley (2006-Present)
11 - Creighton over Wichita State (2007-2011)
*ILS won 22-straight in the series; SIU won 17-straight over MSU from 77-89

WILDCARD WEEKEND SELECTIONS
The Valley has selected its final two regular-season women’s basketball games for television as part of the league’s Wildcard Weekend. 

On Friday, February 24, Creighton (7-6 MVC) will visit UNI (8-5 MVC) at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in a 8:30 p.m. contest.

On Sunday, February 26, Wichita State (9-3 MVC) and Indiana State (6-6 MVC) will close Wildcard Weekend’s televised action, as the Sycamores play host to the Shockers at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Ind., in a 2:05 p.m. contest.

20-SOMETHING
Drake’s Rachael Hackbarth currently leads the league in scoring at 19.8 points per game, one season after former Bulldog Kristin Turk led the league in scoring at 20.0 ppg.

Just three times in Valley history has the league featured two teammates that averaged 20.0 points or more in back-to-back seasons, including – 

Missouri State’s Kari Koch (20.2 ppg in 2005-06) and Jenni Lingor (20.0 ppg in 2004-05);
Drake’s Wanda Ford (30.6 ppg in 1985-86) and Julie Fitzpatrick (23.1 ppg in 1984-85); and
Drake’s Wanda Ford (24.2 ppg in 1984-85) and Lorri Bauman (28.2 ppg in 1983-84). 

Should Hackbarth break the 20.0 ppg barrier at season’s end, she and Turk will become the fourth pair of teammates to average better than 20 points a game in back-to-back seasons.

RARE AIR
Drake’s Rachael Hackbarth currently leads the league in both scoring (19.8) and rebounding (11.1), a feat that has only been accomplished three times before in league history.

If Hackbarth finishes the season at the top of both categories, she will join Southern Illinois’ Amy Rakers (20.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg in 1989-90) and former Bulldog Wanda Ford (30.6 ppg, 16.9 rpg in 1985-86 and 24.2 ppg, 17.8 rpg in 1984-85).

THE RPI REPORT
For the ninth straight week, the Missouri Valley Conference holds steady at the No. 10 position in the latest (Feb. 13) Collegiate Basketball News RPI Report.  As a league, The Valley hangs onto the 10th-best strength of schedule, matching its best rank of the season.

FOUR LEAGUE TEAMS NOW IN TOP 100
For the second time this season, four Valley teams rank in the RPI’s Top 100, led by Missouri State, with a season-best rank of 46. Illinois State (84), Wichita State (88) and Creighton (100) also represent the MVC among the nation’s top teams in the RPI. Four league teams also were in the RPI’s top 100 on Dec. 19 (BU, CU, ILS and MSU).

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
Since 2002, home teams have won at least 55 (.611) of the 90 league contests in all but two seasons (2003-04 and 2006-07).  The most wins by home teams in league play came in 2008 (61-29 at home in conference play).  The league was 57-33 (.633) at home in league play last year, and has compiled a 41-22 (.651) mark so far in 2011-12.