What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 11/17/2020

2020-21 32×32: Missouri Valley Preview--CBB Central
Division I college basketball rankings: Teams 69-200 out of 357 as the 2020-21 season approaches--CBS Sports

81. Loyola Chicago: Cameron Krutwig is 20-or-so good games away from finishing off one of the best careers in the history of the program. Check this stat via the MVC: "Last year, he (Krutwig) became the first player in the storied history of the MVC to finish a season ranked in the top five in the league in scoring (5th- 15.1), rebounding (2nd- 8.1), assists (3rd- 4.2) and field goal percentage (3rd- .563)." Porter Moser has five starters back on a team nearly as dangerous as the one that made the 2018 Final Four.

126. Bradley: Reigning MVC tourney champs. (Yep, some league tournaments wrapped before the coronavirus canceled college hoops.) If Bradley can win the auto bid in the Valley it would be the first time in school history it won the league three straight years.
130. Indiana State: It's not often a team's key player is named "Key," but meet Sycamore Tyreke Key, one of the five best guys in the Missouri Valley. ISU has four starters back, so they're the Valley's automatic-bid dark horse.
131. Drake: Darian DeVries is off to a wonderful start with his first head-coaching gig. He's won 44 games in two seasons at maybe the hardest job in the Valley. Roman Penn is arguably the best point guard in the conference.
148. Missouri State: Dana Ford has a lot of new faces on this roster, but I trust his coaching acumen and am slotting the Bears higher than they probably deserve to be. Gaige Prim will be MSU's star.
161. Valparaiso: Outplayed their talent a season ago, so I won't sell Valpo short in the grand scheme of things; I even had it higher in my initial rankings. Eleven scholarship players return, highlighted by leading scorer/sophomore Donovan Clay.
170. Illinois State: Dan Muller's run the gamut in his near-decade with ISU. No NCAA Tournament showings yet, and now the Redbirds will try to play spoiler in a bolstered MVC. Keith Fisher III and DJ Horne lead the way.
184. Southern Illinois: Marcus Domask, Lance Jones and Trent Brown provide the three-pronged attack for the Salukis, who are a year away from returning to the top third of the Missouri Valley.

Missouri Valley Media Day Review and Response--Hoops HD
College basketball experts predict: Who is the NCAA Tournament’s Cinderella?--The Athletic

Which mid- or low-major team do you think will win at least two games in the NCAA Tournament?

Winner: Richmond (5 votes)

Runner-up: Loyola-Chicago (3 votes)

Also receiving votes: Northern Iowa (2 votes). Austin Peay, BYU, Dayton, Saint Louis, San Diego State and Western Kentucky (1 vote each)

What the voters had to say
Loyola-Chicago. Cameron Krutwig is awesome and Porter Moser returns his entire rotation plus gets back Cooper Kaifes, who shot 45.6 percent from 3 as a freshman and then took a medical redshirt last year. The Missouri Valley will be dangerous. Northern Iowa is another MVC team that could make a run. — CJ Moore
Does Gonzaga qualify? Seriously, though, Loyola-Chicago grades out to a respectable 47th in KenPom. It’s still early, way too early, but the Ramblers are a squad to keep an eye on. — Matthew Gutierrez

Loyola-Chicago. It’s either the Ramblers or fellow Valley contender Northern Iowa, and I like the depth of experience and production Moser has to work with. Some of the players are still around from the Final Four run. — Brian Hamilton

Northern Iowa. Ben Jacobson builds a Sweet 16 contender every 4-5 years, and he has the players to do it again this year. The Panthers are the clear favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference and are built to reach the second weekend with elite scorer A.J. Green and post Austin Phyfe. — Scott Dochterman

Northern Iowa. The Panthers were upset in the quarterfinals of the MVC tournament after winning the conference during the regular season, but they return three starters including Green, a 6-foot-4 junior who was the player of the year last season and averaged 19.7 ppg. — Seth Davis

Northern Iowa, Saint Louis top the latest mid-major top 10--The Athletic

1. Northern Iowa

Previous: 1
The rationale: I’m apparently much higher on the Panthers than others. UNI receive a solitary vote in the AP poll and garnered just four votes from the coaches. KenPom has Ben Jacobson’s team at No. 77 to start the year. Ouch.

So am I just nuts? Quite possibly. But I see Northern Iowa in the same way many view its bigger in-state neighbor, Iowa. Both have terrific offenses (the Panthers were No. 23 in adjusted offensive efficiency last season) and mediocre defenses. (UNI was 108th on that end.) Both have a potentially transcendent player – Luka Garza for the Hawkeyes and A.J. Green for Northern Iowa. Green, a 6-foot-4 point guard, was the Missouri Valley player of the year last season after averaging 19 points and shooting 39 percent on 3s. He should be even better as a junior, and he’s flanked by a rising star in junior big man Austin Phyfe and one of the best shooters in the country in Trae Berhow (42 percent on 3s last season).

Jacobson’s pack-line defense will take a hit with the loss of Valley defensive player of the year Isaiah Brown. But this team only lost six games last season, all of them away from home, and deserves a little more preseason respect than it has received.
5. Loyola Chicago

Previous: 4
The rationale: On Monday the Ramblers announced they were pausing all team activities because of positive COVID-19 tests within the program. There’s no word on when exactly the team will return to action, and it had yet to even release a nonconference schedule.

That could make things tough for Porter Moser to get this club up to speed quickly, but all of the pieces are in place. Everything revolves around senior Cameron Krutwig, a sweet-passing center who started on the 2018 Final Four team. Krutwig will be surrounded by talent this year, including the return of sharpshooter Cooper Kaifes from injury and Oakland transfer point guard Braden Norris. Keith Clemons and Tate Hall are both back to provide scoring and shooting as well. Loyola Chicago could start five seniors, two of them fifth-year guys.

The battle between the Ramblers and Northern Iowa should be even more intense than it was last year, when they split a pair of overtime games. Let’s just hope this pause doesn’t take some of the steam out of Loyola’s engine.

Valley’s Top Seven D1 Transfers--Valley Hoops Insider
Leaving a Legacy – Seniors Rewriting School History--Valley Hoops Insider
Recruiting Roundup: Recapping the Early Signing Period--Off The Inbound

Bradley

Signee: Connor Hickman — Bloomington, Indiana

Bio: Hickman, a 6-foot-3 guard, played an integral role in Bloomington South High School’s 26-0 season in 2019, averaging 15 points per game to help lead the Panthers to a No. 1 ranking in the state of Indiana.

Coach Brian Wardle’s Thoughts (via bradleybraves.com): “Connor has championship DNA and talent that will be a very good fit within our university and program. He is an all-around guard that has tremendous feel for the game and can make a lot of winning plays.”
Loyola

Signees: Ben Schwieger — Aurora, Illinois; Ty Johnson — Chicago, Illinois

Bios: A former volleyball player, Schwieger went from averaging 3.2 points per game as a sophomore to 16.4 points per game as a junior at Waubonsie Valley High School. Johnson, a DePaul Prep graduate, was a second team all-city and honorable mention all-state nominee as he averaged 22 points per game as a junior. Both players were named to the Chicago Sun-Times All-Area Team this summer.

Coach Porter Moser on Ben Schwieger (via loyolaramblers.com): “Ben is incredibly versatile and has a coveted combination of length, skill and athleticism. His improvement has skyrocketed and he possesses a tremendous upside. Like Ty, Ben is a high-character and competitive individual who loved our culture at Loyola and wanted to stay home and represent Chicago.”

Moser on Ty Johnson: “Ty is a dynamic guard who can score at all three levels. He is an ultra-competitive athlete and he’s got great length and ability to change speeds, which makes him hard to guard. I love what Ty is about as a person and that he wanted to represent his city. We have had a ton of success with Chicago guys who have wanted to stay home and Ty is another in that long line of players.”
Southern Illinois

Signees: Troy D’Amico — Chicago, Illinois; Scottie Ebube — Mundelein, Illinois; Foster Wonders — Iron Mountain, Michigan

Bios: D’Amico, Southern Illinois’ highest-rated in-state signee since Kevin Dillard in 2008, was rated No. 6 by the City/Suburban Hoops report this year and averaged 15.6 points per game as a junior at Niles Notre Dame. Ebube, another top-10 player in Illinois, was an all-state selection after averaging a double-double as a junior. A sharpshooting guard, Wonders averaged 27.4 points per game as a junior and is rated as a three-star recruit by 247sports.

Coach Bryan Mullins on Troy D’Amico: “I can’t wait to start coaching Troy. He has that chip on his shoulder, and he plays with that every single time he’s on the court. When you look at Troy, you see productivity. He has an impact in so many different areas of the game. Every single year, he has continued to get better. He wanted to be a Saluki. He’s extremely excited to get down here, and he’s going to have an unbelievable career.”

Mullins on Scottie Ebube: “Scottie is an outstanding person. He comes from a great family, and his best basketball is in front of him. He comes from a great high school program with a great high school coach. He has toughness and physicality. He never makes excuses on the court, and he wants to win. He has won every single year in high school and his AAU program. I think he has a chance to be a really good player in this league. He’s one of those post guys who knows how to score. He’s very productive. He can make and maintain contact. He can duck in. As he continues to develop his body, the sky is the limit for him.”

Mullins on Foster Wonders: “Foster and I really connected. He lives all the way up in Iron Mountain, Michigan. For him and his mom to come all the way here for an unofficial visit, driving 10 hours, that showed the level of interest they had in our program. Over the last year and a half, getting to know their family, I’m extremely excited to welcome them to the program. Foster is someone I want representing this program on and off the court every single day. His work ethic and maturity, for a high school kid, are exceptional, and his best basketball is ahead of him. He continues to put the work in every single day. He will make a big impact as soon as he steps on campus.”

Guard Connor Hickman becomes Bradley’s first 2021-22 signee--Peoria Journal Star
How to watch the Bradley basketball Red-White scrimmage--Peoria Journal Star
Dutch Dynamite: after redshirt season, Mast looks to continue BU’s international movement--Bradley Scout
Mapping the men’s side of the Valley entering 2021--Bradley Scout
No shortage of motivation for Childs entering senior season--Bradley Scout
The more things change, the more they stay the same for Bradley men’s basketball--Bradley Scout
Men’s Basketball Announces 2020-21 Non-Conference Schedule--bradleybraves.com
Carver Arena to Remain Home Court in 2020-21--bradleybraves.com
Bradley Basketball Signs Connor Hickman to NLI--bradleybraves.com
Braves Tip Off 2020-21 Season with Red-White Scrimmage--bradleybraves.com

Then and now: Gorski’s BU playing career shapes coaching experience--Bradley Scout
Koenig embraces role of ‘The General’--Bradley Scout
Deep Valley: Preseason MVC women’s basketball rankings--Bradley Scout
Trending upwards: High expectations are nothing new for Gabi Haack--Bradley Scout
Back to work: Bradley women’s basketball excited for season ahead--Bradley Scout
Five Sign With Bradley Women’s Basketball--bradleybraves.com
White Squad Claims 51-36 Victory In Red-White Scrimmage--bradleybraves.com
Lasha Petree Named To Naismith Player Of The Year Watch List--bradleybraves.com

Drake basketball inks top Iowa prospect Tucker DeVries, Illinois standout on signing day--Des Moines Register
DeVries And Enright Sign With Drake Men’s Basketball--godrakebulldogs.com

Signing Day: Drake women sign five, including three Iowa stars--Des Moines Register
Women’s Basketball Signs Five High School Standouts for 2021-22 Season--godrakebulldogs.com

Complete college basketball rankings begin with teams 357-201 ahead of 2020-21 season--CBS Sports

241. Evansville: Todd Lickliter was hired after Walter McCarty's tenure ended in a mess. We're coming up on a year since the Aces shocked the sport with a win at No. 1 Kentucky. Now Evansville is projected to be the worst team in the MVC.

Election Day: Courier & Press sports writers cast votes on local sports ballot--Evansville Courier & Press
Schedule, players and practice: Checking in with the Evansville men's basketball team--Evansville Courier & Press
Maximum of 500 fans will be allowed at University of Evansville basketball games--Evansville Courier & Press
A look at the Purple Aces' three new signees: Blake Sisley, Blaise Beauchamp, Troy Boynton--Evansville Courier & Press
Evansville basketball will open season against Louisville Cardinals--Evansville Courier & Press
A Look At The KenPom Preseason Projections--Eville-Ways
Brandon Crone brings unique perspective to UE basketball program--gopurpleaces.com
Important UE Men’s Basketball Update--gopurpleaces.com
UE men add three student-athletes for 2021--gopurpleaces.com

Vincennes Lincoln's Maycee Lange signs with Evansville women's basketball--Evansville Courier & Press
Women's Basketball signs Vincennes native Maycee Lange--gopurpleaces.com
Buss giving back to the game through coaching--gopurpleaces.com
Women's Basketball reveals non-conference schedule--gopurpleaces.com

Ohio State to open season against Illinois State on Nov. 25--Land-Grant Holy Land
Watch now: Illinois State basketball team getting close to full strength for practice--The Pantagraph
Keith Fisher III decides to opt-out of 2020-21 Illinois State basketball season--The Pantagraph
Watch now: Newcomer Dusan Mahorcic could be vital to Illinois State's frontcourt--The Pantagraph
Illinois State among 8 teams named for Golden Window Classic on Nov. 25-29--The Pantagraph
Opportunities open up in Illinois State's frontcourt without Keith Fisher III--The Pantagraph
Illinois State switches Big Ten locales, to open basketball season Nov. 25 at Ohio State--The Pantagraph
Redbirds lose Keith Fisher III as he opts out of senior season--Vidette Online
Illinois State men’s basketball has opted out of the Golden Window Classic--Vidette Online
Redbird MBB confirms Ohio State matchup, exits Golden Window Classic--Vidette Online
Redbird MBB confirms Ohio State matchup, exits Golden Window Classic--Vidette Online
MBB Preview: An unpredictable season awaits young Redbird core--Vidette Online

Watch now: Illinois State women's basketball back at work after unscheduled break--The Pantagraph
Illinois State women sign three basketball recruits while adding a preferred walk-on--The Pantagraph
Redbird Athletics announces 2021 signing class--Vidette Online
WBB preview: Redbirds look to rise to the prize--Vidette Online
Women’s Basketball Adds Four on National Signing Day--goredbirds.com

Hale, Calderon officially in the ISU fold--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Neese committed to getting back on-track--Terre Haute Tribune Star
New ISU uniforms a hit with Sycamores--Terre Haute Tribune Star
UPDATE: ISU men's basketball pauses activities due to COVID-19 positive test--Terre Haute Tribune Star
ISU men's basketball has no further positive COVID-19 tests--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Ticket Office Moves Back to Hulman Center Following Renovations--gosycamores.com
Sycamores to Face East Carolina to Open 2020-21 as Gulf Coast Showcase Field Revealed--gosycamores.com
Calderon and Hale Sign with Sycamore Basketball--gosycamores.com
Kailex Stephens to Miss 2020-21 Season--gosycamores.com
Indiana State Announces Changes at Hulman Center for Basketball--gosycamores.com

McChristine has mixed feelings about ISU's return to court--Terre Haute Tribune Star
ISU women's basketball in quarantine after positive COVID-19 test--Terre Haute Tribune Star

Loyola men’s basketball pauses team activities after positive COVID-19 tests--Chicago Tribune
Men’s Basketball Coach Moser Highest Paid At Loyola, President Rooney Comes In Second--Loyola Phoenix
Positive COVID-19 Tests Halt Men’s Basketball Season--Loyola Phoenix
A Season Of Sacrifice--loyolaramblers.com
Krutwig Named To Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List--loyolaramblers.com
Loyola Garners Votes In Associated Press Preseason Men’s Basketball Poll--loyolaramblers.com
Loyola Men’s Basketball Adds Johnson, Schwieger In Early Signing Period--loyolaramblers.com
Loyola Men’s Basketball Pauses Team Activities--loyolaramblers.com
Porter Moser Donates Local Round Of Golf In Coaches vs. Cancer Auction--loyolaramblers.com

Loyola Women’s Basketball Adds Pair During Early Signing Period--loyolaramblers.com

Missouri State men's basketball (finally) announces 2020-21 non-conference schedule--Springfield News-Leader
Five things we learned about Missouri State basketball during media day--The Standard
Basketball Bears Sign Local Product, Isaac Haney--missouristatebears.com
Non-Conference Slate Full of Home Games for Bears--missouristatebears.com

Single-Game Basketball Tickets on Sale Nov. 19--missouristatebears.com

#25 Missouri State Women's Basketball 2020-2021 Preview--College Sports Madness
MSU Lady Bears add rising guard Sania Copeland to 2022 class--Springfield News-Leader
The No. 24 MSU Lady Bears have 'unfinished business.' What we learned from media day.--Springfield News-Leader
MSU Lady Bears release non-conference schedule. JQH Arena to have limited capacity.--Springfield News-Leader
Five things we learned during Lady Bears media day--The Standard
Lady Bears Ranked 24th in Preseason AP Poll--missouristatebears.com
Franklin Named to Becky Hammon Award Watch List--missouristatebears.com
Lady Bears Snag Three Signing Day Commitments--missouristatebears.com
Lady Bears Finalize Non-Conference Schedule--missouristatebears.com

College basketball 1-357 rankings: Here are the projected best 68 teams for the 2020-21 season--CBS Sports

46. Northern Iowa: The Panthers were the best team in the Valley a season ago and now are the preseason favorites for the first time in 11 years. UNI finished No. 49 at KenPom; a nudge up is only logical. A.J. Green's a top-20 shooter in college hoops, while Austin Phyfe is such a great post-player complement, it makes UNI's actions so tough to consistently defend. Ben Jacobson could find himself in the market for a bigger gig if this team gets to another NCAA Tournament.

NCAA Tournament talk, rankings galore and sleepers in the college hoops mailbag--The Athletic

There are rumors that Saint Louis and Northern Iowa will play in the nonconference season. Will that be the best mid-major game this season and who you got? — Andy T.

How many other mid-major games will be played this season? How many of them have yet to be scheduled? That’s a big call, especially given that I have no idea what everyone else’s schedule is going to be. It would be a fun game, though. I’ll say Saint Louis will win, for one reason, which is the same reason I picked this question, which is to keep the weekly mailbag tradition of Saint Louis-related questions alive. Billikens fans are: Locked. In.

Goodwin & Taylor Land on the Naismith Watch List--Valley Hoops Insider
Panther Men's Basketball Sign Three--unipanthers.com

National Signing Day brings new talent--Northern Iowan

UNI women's basketball expected to feature promising mix of veterans and freshmen--Cedar Rapids Gazette
UNI women's basketball notes: Everything else we learned on media day--Cedar Rapids Gazette
College women's basketball: Newcomers add buzz to UNI team built to win now--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
UNI Women's Basketball Signs Two--unipanthers.com