Northern Iowa, Wichita St in winner-take-league matchup

The Missouri Valley Conference’s most famous player has been watching Northern Iowa and Wichita State for most of the season. He watched them beat his alma mater, Indiana State. He watched both teams climb the polls, their regular seasons culminating with a showdown for the regular-season conference championship today ( 11 a.m., ESPN). “I’ve followed both teams…they’re both really good,” Larry Bird told The AP. The 10th-ranked Panthers (27-2, 16-1) ended Wichita State’s MVC winning streak with a victory at home on Jan. 31. Now they travel to the Roundhouse in Wichita, Kansas, where the No. 11 Shockers (26-3, 16-1) have won 31 consecutive games. – AP