What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/17/2021

Missouri Valley Conference hires new commissioner from Big 12--Evansville Courier & Press
Three Questions for the New MVC Commish--Eville-Ways
Watch now: MVC names Big 12 executive associate commissioner Jeff Jackson as league's 10th commissioner--The Pantagraph
The DPI Gradebook: Computer-simulated 2021 NCAA Tournament results--Heat Check CBB

First Four
(11) Drake def. (11) Wichita State 75-70: The Shockers overcame a tumultuous offseason to win the AAC regular season title, but a few big plays down the stretch from Joseph Yesufu seal the deal for the Bulldogs.
First Round
(6) USC def. (11) Drake 71-70: Evan Mobley’s shot isn’t falling like it usually does, but the Trojan big man shows why he took home the Pac-12 defensive player of the year honors, making two key blocks on Drake’s final possession, sealing a close victory for USC.
(8) Loyola Chicago def. (9) Georgia Tech 72-64: The last time we saw the Ramblers in the NCAA Tournament, they were making a miraculous Final Four appearance. After leading for the entire game and putting away the ACC Tournament champs, Chicago starts bracing for another run.

Second Round
(8) Loyola Chicago def. (1) Illinois 71-67: The Ramblers’ magic is back! Maybe it’s thanks to Sister Jean being in attendance. It’s hard to say. But the Land of Lincoln belongs to Loyola.
Sweet Sixteen
(8) Loyola Chicago def. (5) Tennessee 66-61: The Volunteers can’t find an answer for Cameron Krutwig on defense, and Tennessee’s somewhat-toothless offense finally catches up with them.

Elite Eight
(2) Houston def. (8) Loyola Chicago 69-63: Sister Jean will not get to cheer on the Ramblers in another Final Four, as the stifling defense of Houston is able to shut down Krutwig, forcing Porter Moser to rely on more unproven assets.

Gabi Haack Named Bradley Scholar-Athlete Of The Week--bradleybraves.com
Welcome To San Antonio!--bradleybraves.com

Drake faces Wichita State in First Four--Associated Press
How to watch the First Four--Mid-Major Madness

11 Drake vs. 11 Wichita State

6:27 p.m., TBS, March Madness Live, Mackey Arena
Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson, Allie LaForce

A mid-major from the Missouri Valley meets a former mid-major from the Missouri Valley. Drake, which started the year 18-0, comes into the game a little banged up. Point guard Roman Penn will miss the remainder of the season with a broken foot, but Shanquan Hemphill and his 14 points per game might be able to go on Thursday. The Bulldogs get a Wichita State team that many felt should not have received an at-large bid. The Shockers are ranked 74th in KenPom but do boast aa win over 2 seed Houston.

Bracket Bits: West Region--Bracketville

Best Storyline: Drake
The Bulldogs rampaged through their season until injuries took a toll, most notably to leading scorer, ShanQuan Hemphill and guard Roman Penn. While Penn is out, it’s possible that Hemphill returns. If he does and can play at a high level, Drake could become this year’s tournament darling. How juicy would a Sweet 16 matchup between the Bulldogs and Iowa be?

2021 NCAA Tournament bracket: West Region analysis of top-seeded Gonzaga, Kansas and more--The Athletic

The region’s most compelling matchup might happen in the First Four, where feel-goods Wichita State and Drake are matched up in an 11-seed game that could just be a ticket to get knocked out by super freshman Evan Mobley and USC.
11. Drake Bulldogs

First opponent: First Four game against No. 11 seed Wichita State (American at-large)
When: 6:27 p.m. ET Thursday, Mackey Arena (TBS)
Record: 25-4 (15-3 Missouri Valley)

How they got here: By winning their first 18 games, one of the last three undefeated Division I teams standing. Three of their four losses since then have come with one or both of Shanquan Hemphill (scoring leader) and Roman Penn (assists leader) out with foot injuries.The Bulldogs went 6-2 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games, with an important regular-season win over Loyola Chicago before losing to the Ramblers in the MVC title game, meaning they had to sweat Sunday. They survived bid-stealing Georgetown and Oregon State to edge other at-large hopefuls, including Louisville of the mighty ACC. This is the Bulldogs’ first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008.

What you need to know: Hemphill (14.1 points, 6.3 rebounds) broke his foot on Feb. 10 and has not returned but could in time for the tournament. Penn (11.2 points, 5.5 assists) broke his foot on Feb. 21 against Evansville and is done for the season. Both were brutal injuries for coach Darian DeVries and arguably the best Drake team since the Bulldogs made a Final Four and two more Elite Eights from 1969 to ’71. Even so, there has been something special about the fight in this team since Hemphill went down. And if he comes back, look out.

Spotlight on: Tremell Murphy, a 6-foot-6 senior forward, has tried to take up the slack. He scored 17 points and played 41 minutes in an overtime win over Loyola after Hemphill went down. He made 16 of 20 shots, scored 40 points and grabbed a dozen rebounds in two MVC tournament games. It’s going to take that much and more for the Bulldogs to get by Wichita State.

First Four picks: Seth Davis makes his selections for the first day of the NCAA Tournament--The Athletic

No. 11 Drake vs. No. 11 Wichita State (-1), 6:27 p.m., TBS: It is remarkable that Drake is in this tournament. The Bulldogs won their first 18 games (albeit against a very weak nonconference schedule), and just as they were getting into the teeth of their conference season they lost their leading scorer, Tank Hempill, and starting point guard, Roman Penn, to foot injuries. The Shockers, of course, went through their own tumult in the off-season, when they lost a bevy of transfers as well as coach Gregg Marshall, but they played well enough not only to make the NCAA Tournament but also get interim coach Isaac Brown named as Marshall’s permanent replacement. Wichita State can be a little hard to watch offensively, but the Shockers still have that “Play Angry” ethos instilled by Marshall. They didn’t have a bad loss all season, fell by one point to Cincinnati in the AAC semifinals, and they have a stellar backcourt tandem in 6-foot senior point guard Alterique Gilbert, a UConn transfer who ranked in the top 10 of the AAC in assists (4.1) and steals (1.5), and 6-2 sophomore guard Tyson Etienne, a bona fide bucket getter who is fourth in the league in scoring (17.0) and 3-point percentage (39.9), and is ninth in free throw percentage (76.1). The pick: Wichita State

NCAA Tournament: How Drake plans to use ShanQuan Hemphill in his return from broken foot--Des Moines Register
Men's Basketball To Begin March Madness In First Four Matchup Against Wichita State--godrakebulldogs.com

Illinois State's Abdou Ndiaye to enter transfer portal, leaving Redbirds with 3 open scholarships--The Pantagraph

Watch now: After landing WNIT spot, Illinois State women happy to still be playing--The Pantagraph

Transfer portal likely to be key in rebuilding program, balancing roster--Phear The Phoenix

Tre Williams | 6’7” C | Indiana State

One program experiencing similar roster turnover this spring due to a coaching change is Indiana State. And one of Indiana State’s top young players this past season was sophomore Tre Williams. He started every game during his two seasons with the Sycamores averaging 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game this past season. At 6’7” 250-pounds, he’s a bit undersized for a center but still was able to lead the Missouri Valley Conference in blocks and finished in the top ten in rebounds per game. Additionally, Williams was named to the MVC’s All-Defensive team this past season.

The sophomore from Reynoldsburg, Ohio was a highly coveted recruit coming out of prep school choosing the Sycamores over offers from a host of other mid-major schools including Ohio University in 2018 where Will Ryan and current Green Bay assistant Jared Swanson were both on Saul Phillips’ staff. He also received scholarship offers from Wright State, Buffalo, and Bowling Green among others and has three seasons of eligibility left.

ISU makes it official: Schertz is the new men's basketball coach--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Indiana State Announces Josh Schertz as Next Men's Basketball Coach--gosycamores.com

March Madness 2021: 10 best potential games we’re looking forward to watching--Fansided

7. Illinois vs. Loyola-Chicago – Round of 32, Midwest Region
A little in-state rivalry could make a second-round matchup between the Fighting Illini and Ramblers incredibly dramatic. Loyola-Chicago profiles as a Top 10 team according to advanced metrics so this could be an incredibly stiff test for Illinois. The battle down low between Cockburn and Cameron Krutwig will also be worth the price of admission.

Bracket Bits: Midwest Region--Bracketville

The Midwest Region features arguably the nation’s hottest team, Illinois, NET-rated darlings Houston and Loyola-Chicago, and an Oklahoma State team with this year’s potential top pick in the NBA Draft, Cade Cunningham. Then there’s San Diego State, which arrives with its own 14-game winning streak. Story lines come in bunches.
Best opening-round matchup: (8) Loyola-Chicago vs. (9) Georgia Tech
Although Clemson-Rutgers is equally intriguing, it’s hard to look past Sister Jean and the Ramblers taking on a resurgent Georgia Tech team that arose from two early losses to claim an ACC crown.

2021 NCAA Tournament bracket: Midwest Region analysis of top-seeded Illinois, Oklahoma State and more--The Athletic

An old Cinderella in slippers (Loyola Chicago) vs. a new Cinderella in a plastic welder’s mask (Georgia Tech) colliding in the first round, and maybe Ayo Dosunmu vs. Cade Cunningham in the Sweet 16? Yes, please. And does the bottom of this Midwest Region bracket not look exactly like one in which a barely-in Syracuse somehow makes the Elite Eight?
This region, per Ken Pomeroy’s rankings, includes No. 3 Illinois, No. 6 Houston, No. 9 Loyola Chicago, No. 20 San Diego State, No. 27 West Virginia and No. 30 Oklahoma State. All things considered, a pretty reasonable path for the Big Ten tournament champ.
Krutwig knows a thing or two about the tourney. He played on the Ramblers’ 2018 Final Four team. (Jeff Curry / USA Today)

8. Loyola Chicago Ramblers

First-round opponent: No. 9 seed Georgia Tech (ACC champion)
When: 4 p.m. ET Friday, Hinkle Fieldhouse (TBS)
Record: 24-4 (16-2 Missouri Valley)

How they got here: By winning 17 of the last 18 games, the lone loss coming by a point on the road at second-place Drake, and making relatively light work of the Valley tournament to claim the automatic bid. This is the program’s seventh NCAA appearance but first since reaching the Final Four in 2018.

What you need to know: Cameron Krutwig, a 6-foot-9, 255-pound senior center and the conference player of the year, is the only man in program history to rank in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding and assists. Last season he became the only player in Valley history to rank top five in the league in scoring, rebounding, assists and field-goal percentage. He totaled 38 points, 19 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks in the league semifinals and title game – and hung a 22-point triple-double on Vanderbilt as a junior. Oh, and the Ramblers also have the Valley Defensive Player of the Year, 6-4 senior guard Lucas Williamson, who led the league in steals.

Spotlight on: Sister Jean, fairy godmother and unofficial mascot, is 101 years old now, and her favorite team is still really good. Because coach Porter Moser is no one-hit wonder. That 32-6 season and dream run to the national semifinal in 2018 was the start of something, not the end. Moser has won 20-plus games in all three seasons since and looks fully reloaded to crash the party again. Loyola Chicago leads the nation in scoring defense and defensive efficiency and has a top-50 offense to go with it, which is why both KenPom.com and the NET rankings consider these Ramblers a top-10 squad.

2021 NCAA Tournament: Seth Davis picks his entire March Madness bracket--The Athletic

West Region
Midwest Region
• That Loyola Chicago-Georgia Tech game is not for the faint of heart. Those are two old, physical, tough-minded teams. I think the Ramblers are better than the team that reached the 2018 Final Four, although that doesn’t mean this team will go as far. The Yellow Jackets just won an emotional ACC tournament and are powered by 6-9 senior forward Moses Wright, the league’s player of the year. It’s a toss-up, as 8-9 games should be, but I went with the pairing of Loyola against its downstate neighbor, Illinois, in the second round. What can I say, I’m a sucker for a good storyline.

Get to know the Ramblers: Who are the key players for No. 8 seed Loyola in the NCAA Tournament?--Chicago Tribune
Loyola Faces Georgia Tech In NCAA Tournament First Round Game Friday--loyolaramblers.com

Women’s Basketball Invitational Announces Schedule Change--loyolaramblers.com