Primarily a collection of news links about all 12 Missouri Valley League teams on a daily basis, culled from online newspapers, school athletic websites, the conference website, and school newspapers, plus some other content from time to time.
Clear-cut favorite in the MVC. Drake boasts reigning MVC Freshman of
the Year and preseason favorite for league MOP, Tucker DeVries.
DeVries averaged 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds last season on a 25-win
team. The program did the previously unthinkable by earning an
at-large bid two years ago, then came up one win short last season
from getting the automatic qualifier. DeVries and Roman Penn will be
the best 1-2 in the Valley — a league that lost Loyola Chicago but
brings aboard Belmont and Murray State. Probably a net positive
overall. Looking forward to seeing what this league becomes in the
next few years.
Along with Belmont and Murray State, the Flames are joining the Missouri Valley Conference this season.
It's looking like UIC, which spent the last 28 years in the Horizon League, will have its hands full in the new league.
The Flames lost their top four
scorers off last year's team that went 14-16 under second-year coach
Luke Yaklich. Guards Damaria Franklin and Kevin Johnson will be
especially missed after combining to average 30.9 points, 9.9 rebounds
and 7.4 assists per game.
Yaklich will look to returnees
Jace Carter and Filip Skobalj for production and leadership. Top
newcomers include Idaho transfer Tre Anderson and freshmen Christian
Jones, Steven Clay and 6-foot-10 Cameron Fens.
Toledo is one of my favorite teams to watch going into 2022. They were
26-8 last year and are returning four of their top five scorers. Three of
those scorers were in double digits (15ppg, 15ppg, and 12.7ppg) so they
are returning a HEAP of points and 69.8% returning possession
minutes.
A huge factor that a lot of people probably don’t pay attention to in
Toledo is that their starters are relied on HEAVILY! Last year their
6th man only averaged 12.5 minutes/game. That 5th starting piece
is projected to be a transfer in from Ball State, Tyler Cochran, a senior
guard who orchestrated 11.6 points/game and had 5.6 rebounds/game in 2021.
He also shot 37.1% from 3-point range so he is also a new perimeter
threat.
The opening spread that releases will be something to watch because it’s
going to be in the double-digit range and I’m looking for a line around
Toledo -13.
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