What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 12/31/2022

Handing out the Hardware: All-conference players of 2022 (Part 2 of 2)--Hoops HD

MVC
G: Ben Sheppard (Belmont)
G: Bowen Born (Northern Iowa)
G: Tucker DeVries (Drake)
F: Marcus Domask (Southern Illinois)
F: Ben Krikke (Valparaiso)
POYSF: Bowen Born (Northern Iowa)

New Years Wishes For the Valley--Valley Hoops Insider

Men's Basketball Travels to Southern Illinois Sunday--belmontbruins.com

Madison Bartley leads women’s basketball to first MVC victory--Belmont Vision
Women's Hoops Defeats Valparaiso 74-60 for First MVC Win--belmontbruins.com

Bradley basketball puts its extended home win streak on the line against new MVC foe--Peoria Journal Star
'Attack mode': How Bradley Braves proved UIC Flames were no match--Peoria Journal Star
'Room to grow': Bradley Braves welcome 7-foot-1 center from Serbia--Peoria Journal Star
Meet Bradley's newest Brave: Ahmet Jonovic--bradleybraves.com
Bradley wins its 15th straight at home--bradleybraves.com

Third quarter collapse sours Braves’ return home--Bradley Scout
Women's Basketball falls to Northern Iowa--bradleybraves.com

Former Drake men's basketball guard Ayo Akinwole appreciates coaching opportunity with Bulldogs--Des Moines Register

Bair, Miller post double-doubles in Drake women's loss at Illinois State--Des Moines Register
Miller, Bair Post Double-Doubles in MVC-Opening Loss at Illinois State--godrakebulldogs.com

UE men host Murray State in Blackout game Sunday--gopurpleaces.com

Clark leads Aces again as Evansville battles, but falls to Missouri State--gopurpleaces.com

Nik Stadelman brings energy to Illinois State teammates ahead of game against UNI--The Pantagraph
Bowen Born leads UNI with 25 points as Panthers beat turnover-prone Illinois State--The Pantagraph
ISU men's basketball unable to stop Born, Panthers in 66-60 New Year's Eve loss--The Vidette
Redbirds Cap 2022 with Loss to UNI--goredbirds.com

Illinois State women use offensive prowess to upend explosive Drake--The Pantagraph
ISU women's basketball holds off Drake 87-76 to open MVC play--The Vidette
Redbirds Open MVC Play with Win over Drake--goredbirds.com
Redbirds Ring In New Year Against UNI Sunday--goredbirds.com

Sophomore's performance fuels ISU's start through MVC 'gauntlet'--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Sycamores ring in 2023 at Valpo Sunday--gosycamores.com

ISU women resume MVC play vs. SIU on New Year's Eve--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Salukis overtake Sycamores for Missouri Valley Conference win--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Salukis squeak past Sycamores behind fourth quarter comeback--gosycamores.com

Bears, Bulldogs Set to Square Off on New Year's Day--missouristatebears.com

Thomas, Lady Bears Ace Road Test at Evansville--missouristatebears.com

SIU outlasts Racer men--Murray Ledger & Times
New Year's Day Special - Racers At Evansville--goracers.com

Racer women start Valley play with win over UIC--Murray Ledger & Times
Racers Open MVC Era With Win Over UIC--goracers.com
Racers Open 2023 With Valpo At The Bank--goracers.com

College Men’s Basketball: Born leads UNI to road win over Redbirds--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
Panthers stumble against Bears, 79-67--Northern Iowan
UNI men's basketball: Defense stops shine in win over Redbirds--unipanthers.com

College women's basketball: Northern Iowa rolls past Bradley in MVC opener--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
Huge second half propels Panthers past Braves, 83-64--Northern Iowan
UNI women's basketball wins final game of 2022 over Bradley--unipanthers.com
UNI women's basketball to ring in 2023 at Illinois State--unipanthers.com

SIU Men's Basketball | 3 Things to Watch--Southern Illinoisan

The Southern Illinoisan's top sports stories of 2022--Southern Illinoisan

4. STEIN LEAVES ON TOP

Cindy Stein announced on July 2, 2021 that she would retire at the end of the 2021-22 season. Few in Carbondale and particularly the Valley anticipated that Stein’s last year would be the best year of her nine years at SIU.

Despite returning a veteran roster, the Salukis were picked eighth in preseason. But they took the league lead in January and answered every challenge from the league’s traditional powers, going 15-3 for the program’s first MVC title in 15 years.

SIU’s super seniors – league Player of the Year Abby Brockmeyer, 2,000-point scorer Makenzie Silvey and inside force Gabby Walker – led the way. Stein’s ability to get her team to totally buy into a game plan that emphasized feeding the big three and playing with toughness brought it all together.

While the Salukis fell two wins shy of an NCAA berth and then went one and done in the WNIT, Stein and her players still delivered a surprise title to end a good run at SIU.