The 2008-09 conference schedule began Sunday and two games were decided in overtime.  Illinois State became just the second league school since 1983-84 to improve to 12-0 with a 72-69 overtime win at Missouri State.  Creighton (11-2, 1-0) won for the eighth-straight time, while Indiana State outlasted Northern Iowa, 85-84 in 2OT in Cedar Falls.  Evansville (9-2, 1-0) and Bradley (7-5, 1-0) also won.

Evansville 76, Drake 65  |  Recaps: Evansville | Drake
EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Jason Holsinger and Shy Ely each scored 16 points to lead Evansville to a 76-65 win over Drake Sunday.  Nate Gamer added 15 points and Kavon Lacey scored 14 for the Purple Aces (9-2).

Josh Young racked up 24 points for the Bulldogs (9-4), while Josh Parker had 15 and Jonathan Cox had 12. But Drake made less than 35 percent of its field goals and made 7 of 26 attempted three pointers.  Evansville made 50 percent of its field goals and was 3-5 in three pointers.

The score was close for much of the game, but Evansville started to pull away in the second period. The Purple Aces took the lead for good on a Holsinger three pointer with 11 minutes left.  Evansville's 9-2 record marks the team's best start in 14 years, when the team won nine of its first 11 games.

Bradley 79, Southern Illinois 63  |  Recaps: Bradley | Southern Illinois
PEORIA, Ill. -- (AP) Sam Maniscalco scored a career-high 18 points and Theron Wilson added 17 to lead Bradley to a 79-63 victory over Southern Illinois on Sunday in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams.  The Braves (7-5, 1-0 MVC) shot 55 percent from the field, including a 7-for-13 effort from 3-point range and 28-of-32 free throws. The Salukis (5-7, 0-1), meanwhile, were held to just 33.3 percent from the floor.

The Salukis were up 27-26 with five minutes left in the first half, but the Braves rallied for a 15-3 run to take a 41-30 lead into the break.  Kevin Dillard came off the bench to score a game-high 21 points for the Salukis, going 5-of-7 from 3-point range. Southern Illinois' bench outscored its starters, 36-27.  Bryan Mullins was the only other Saluki in double digits with 11 points and six assists.

Indiana State 85, Northern Iowa 84 (2ot)  |  Recaps: Indiana State | UNI
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- (AP) Harry Marshall scored 23 points to lead Indiana State over Northern Iowa in a 85-84 double overtime win on Sunday.  The Sycamores (3-9, 1-0 Missouri Valley) took a 41-24 lead at halftime, but Northern Iowa came back and tied it up at the end of regulation.

Both teams scored eight points in the first overtime to force another overtime and Indiana State outscored the Panthers 12-11 in the second extra period for the win.  Aaron Carter scored 16 for Indiana State and Carl Richard added 15.  Northern Iowa (6-6, 0-1) was led by Kwadzo Ahelegbe, who scored 28 points. Ali Farokhmanesh added 20 for the Panthers.

Illinois State 72, Missouri State 69 (ot)  |  Recaps: Illinois State | Missouri State
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Lloyd Phillips scored 16 points, including 10 in the second half, to lead the unbeaten Illinois State to a 72-69 overtime win over Missouri State.

Illinois State (12-0, 1-0 Missouri Valley) trailed Missouri State (7-5, 0-1) by 10 at halftime and were behind by 15 when Spencer Laurie hit a 3-pointer with 15:31 left in the second half.  But the Bears would only score one field goal in the next 13:17, and the Redbirds went on a 22-2 run to go ahead 50-45.

Missouri State retook the lead, 51-50, on Wade Knapp's basket with 2:14 left.  Phillips scored 5 points to help Illinois State take the lead again, 55-52. But then Missouri State's Will Creekmore hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.  The Redbirds then outscored the Bears 17-14 in the final 5 minutes for the win.  Creekmore led Missouri State with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Creighton 68, Wichita State 56  |  Recaps: Creighton | Wichita State
Omaha, Neb.--Creighton extended its winning streak to eight games with a 68-56 victory against Wichita State on Sunday evening.  Creighton’s Booker Woodfox led the Bluejays with 16 points off of a 67 shooting percentage in front of more than 16,000 at the Qwest Center in Omaha.

WSU junior Clevin Hannah paced the Shocker offense with 17 points and five assists. Freshman Toure’ Murry followed closely with 16 points, including nine points from three-point range in the second half.