What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 11/2/2023

Ranking Every Men’s College Basketball Team, From No. 1 Kansas to No. 362 VMI--Sports Illustrated

76. Drake (1st in Missouri Valley)

111. Northern Iowa (2nd in Missouri Valley)
118. Bradley (3rd in Missouri Valley)

Northern Iowa (No. 111) is coming off its worst season under longtime head coach Ben Jacobson. Star guard Bowen Born’s return should help the Panthers avoid consecutive sub-.500 seasons.

128. Indiana State (4th in Missouri Valley)
135. Belmont (5th in Missouri Valley)

154. Missouri State (6th in Missouri Valley)
168. Murray State (7th in Missouri Valley)

189. Southern Illinois (8th in Missouri Valley)

218. Illinois State (9th in Missouri Valley)

260. UIC (10th in Missouri Valley)

327. Evansville (11th in Missouri Valley)
329. Valparaiso (12th in Missouri Valley)

NCAA Basketball: Power Ranking every team (362-1) for 2023-24 season--Busting Brackets

339. Evansville Purple Aces – Last Season Ranking: 341

Conference: Missouri Valley

It is going to be another long season for the Purple Aces. Kenny Strawbridge Jr. was the lone bright spot for Evansville. He was the go to player on offense and was most nights a volume shooter but he is experienced in college basketball and did average 14 points per game a season ago. He is going to need to do that and then some this year for Evansville.

317. Valparaiso Beacons – Last Season Ranking: 244

Conference: Missouri Valley

Heading into the 2023-2024 season the Valparaiso team is going to be under new leadership. Roger Powell Jr. comes to Valparaiso after a very successful run as one of the top assistants at Gonzaga.. The wins might be minimal, but it is a foundation year. Sherman Weatherspoon IV is an incoming freshman with a lot of potential. He has played at some of the best high school programs in the country and put up huge numbers. He is a true freshman, so it is going to take a while to get him up to speed but he does have the ability to be a star and to carry the Beacons.

247. Illinois-Chicago Flames – Last Season Ranking: 274

Conference: Missouri Valley

The Flames have a revamped roster with more college basketball experience. He also has a lot of players who have a very high ceiling. Coach Yaklich is known for his player development, and he has a team that he can build up into a contender in the Valley but likely not this year. They are still a bottom tier team in the league. Toby Okani is a player who should make a huge jump. Okani can do everything well, he shoots a high percentage from the floor, can be a dominant rebounder, and is a good passer. He is a talented guy and should lead this team in most categories.

187. Southern Illinois Salukis – Last Season Ranking: 123

Conference: Missouri Valley

Southern Illinois is going to be lacking a little in talent this year and will finish near the middle of the pack in the Valley. Xavier Johnson enters his final year of college basketball, and this will likely be his best year yet. He has offensive upside for the Salukis as he is an efficient scorer and doesn’t take bad shots. Johnson is going to take over the lead guard duties this year and is going to have a huge role on the defensive end. If he does take the next step in his development for Coach Mullins, he will lead the team in scoring.

180. Illinois State Redbirds – Last Season Ranking: 217

Conference: Missouri Valley

They enter the season with 4 out of 5 starters returning and a key bench piece. Illinois State bolstered this lineup with transfers who are going to displace some starters and help the overall depth for Illinois State. Coach Pedon is well on his way to making this roster competitive in the Valley. They are not a tournament team this year, but they are going to be much improved. Hopefully the Redbirds can celebrate a winning record this year. Myles Foster is a transfer from Monmouth, and he is exactly the type of player that coach Pedon loves. He is a wing with a ton of upside. Foster shoots a high percentage from the floor, crashes the glass, and can play multiple positions. He doesn’t shoot threes much but his ability to get into the paint and get fouled is something that coach Pedon is going to love. Foster is not a good free throw shooter and that needs to improve for him to reach his max potential. All in all, the forward is a player the Redbirds are going to love.

143. Missouri State Bears – Last Season Ranking: 110

Conference: Missouri Valley

This year hopefully the team can avoid all the key injuries they had last year. If they can stay healthy who knows what can happen. The Valley is too good, and the Bears are going to struggle to get out of the middle of the league even with a healthy roster. Donovan Clay was rewarded for his efforts on the floor last year with a second team all-conference selection. He was also rewarded with a first team all defense as well.

142. Belmont Bruins – Last Season Ranking: 120

Conference: Missouri Valley

They may not be as talented as they were last year, but they do have enough scoring to beat almost anyone they play in the league. Cade Tyson was the Missouri Valley Freshman of the year, and he ran away with the award. The sophomore forward was one of the best three point shooters in the conference and also one of the best free throw shooters. He led the entire league in scoring for a freshman and started almost every game for Belmont. The forward had some huge moments his first year as a Bruin and he is going to be the player who turns into a star for Belmont. He is going to be in the mix for Missouri Valley Player of the Year.

129. Murray State Racers – Last Season Ranking: 131

Conference: Missouri Valley

The Missouri Valley is crowded at the top and it is hard for new teams to win enough to find themselves at the top. Rob Perry enters his last year of College Basketball and has already had a decorated career. In his first three seasons in college Perry was the star at Stetson. He scored over 1,000 points in 74 games at Stetson. In his first season as a Racer, Perry took over the offense. The guard had numerous 20-point games and tied his career high with 30 points in a double overtime win. Perry is going to have a big year as the leader of the Racers. Murray State has surrounded him with more talent this year.

113. Indiana State Sycamores – Last Season Ranking: 137

Conference: Missouri Valley

The Sycamores are going to be in the mix for the top 4 teams in the Valley this year, but will they be able to close the deal? Either way they should make another post season tournament. Isaiah Swope is a transfer from Southern Indiana. The junior guard led the Screaming Eagles in scoring with 15.6 points per game. Coach Schertz got a first hand look at what his new guard is capable of. Swope had a career high of 28 points against Indiana State last season. The point guard is going to step in and be a starter from day 1 for the Sycamores. I expect big things from Swope in coach Schertz offense.

106. Northern Iowa Panthers – Last Season Ranking: 128

Conference: Missouri Valley

Coach Jacobson has all his contributors back from last year including the bench. The Panthers could finish near the top of the Valley but are likely a middle of the pack team. Bowen Born had a huge breakout season last year. He led the Panthers in points and finished tenth overall in points for a season. His 17.9 points per game was the fourth best in the Missouri Valley. The point guard also averaged 2.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game. He has been voted by many publications as a preseason all conference player. Born is the one player who is going to scare coaches more than any other player in this league because of his ability to score, pass, and shoot from deep

94. Bradley Braves – Last Season Ranking: 136

Conference: Missouri Valley

They lost some talent but have enough of it coming back to confidently say Bradley is going to win 20 games and they are going to be at or near the top of the Missouri Valley again. Malevy Leons was one of the big men who the offense ran through for Bradley last year. The big man averaged 11 points per game along with 6 rebounds and over 1 assist. He also blocked over a shot a game. Getting him back into the fold gives coach Wardle a security blanket on the offensive end. Leons shot 56% from inside the arc and 35% from deep. He is also a 78% free throw shooter. Bradley is going to be just fine in the Valley this year.

77. Drake Bulldogs – Last Season Ranking: 112

Conference: Missouri Valley

After a 27-8 regular season the Bulldogs got better in the transfer portal. The point guard is very important in coach DeVries offense and Drake was able to secure one who is going to thrive in this offense. Drake also has their dominant big man back and have a ton of depth. They are going to win finish in the top of the Valley again and make a deep run into March. Tucker DeVries is the best player in the Missouri Valley and the second-best player is not particularly close. DeVries is already one of the best players in Drake history. He is the third player in school history to score over 500 points in back-to-back seasons and only the fourth player in school history to score over 600 points in a season. The forward is going to win the player of the year in the Missouri Valley this year.

Preseason Other Top 25: Final Four participants lead the pack to start--Mid-Major Madness

9. Drake

The Bulldogs were the class of the Missouri Valley as they won the tournament title last year and reached the NCAA Tournament for the second in three years last season and finished 27-8

Missouri Valley Player of the Year Tucker DeVries is back for another go-around with his father Darian. The junior posted a team-best 18.6 points per game last season.

Darnell Brodie has the potential to be a breakout star. The Newark, N.J., native averaged a career-high 9.1 points to go along with 7.3 rebounds in 2023.

T-19. Northern Iowa

After a sub-.500 season in the MVC last year, the Panthers are ready to compete for a title once again. They were picked second in the preseason poll.

Bowen Born received preseason first team recognition. He led the team in scoring with 17.9 points per game last season. Tytan Anderson, who was on the MVC Most Improved Team, recorded 12.6 points and a league-best 8.5 rebounds per game.

Preseason Other Top 25

Ranking Team (First Place Votes) Points

9 Drake 68

T-19 Northern Iowa 29

Others Receiving Votes:
James Madison – 15; Princeton – 15; UNC Asheville – 14; Youngstown St. – 14; Vermont – 13; Santa Clara – 12; Belmont – 11; North Texas – 10; UNLV – 10; Utah St. – 9; Bradley – 9; Northern Kentucky – 8; Ohio – 8; San Francisco – 7; Southern Miss – 7; Eastern Kentucky – 6; South Dakota St. – 6; Colgate – 5; Wright St. – 5; Drexel – 4; Stephen F. Austin – 4; Middle Tennessee – 3; Indiana St. – 2

Ranking	Team (First Place Votes)	Points
9	Drake	68
T-19	Northern Iowa	29

Under the Radar: Preseason Special--Hoops HD

Chad and the panel preview the 22 Under the Radar conferences and discuss who they think the standout teams in each league will be. The Missouri Valley looks to be particularly strong with Drake and Northern Iowa looking like potential top 50 teams.

MVC Opening Week--Valley Hoops Insider
The portal rules all: Predicting the men’s MVC--The Bradley Scout

Peak of the women’s MVC is more even than ever--The Bradley Scout

Looking at what’s possible for five Nashville teams--nashvillehoops.blog

Belmont

Ceiling: Cade Tyson fulfils his potential as a first-time all-MVC player, but also Vanderbilt transfer Malik Dia becomes an all-league caliber player, too. Sophomore guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie flawlessly runs the team and fifth-year guard Keishawn Davidson has a career season. The freshmen quickly adapt and provide depth. Even with that, the Bruins would probably be a borderline NCAA at-large possibility. The selection committee just isn’t kind to schools like Belmont anymore. Prediction: 26-5.

Floor: Tyson doesn’t play as well as expected; Dia becomes an inconsistent contributor and Gillespie fails to be a leader. The freshmen are no help. Prediction: 17-14.

Reality: Tyson is an all-league player; the backcourt of Gillespie and Davidson is reliable. Dia takes some time to fit in and depth is gradually accomplished. By March, they could very well be a contender in the MVC Tournament. Prediction: 22-9.

The four freshmen ready to make an impact for men's basketball--Belmont Vision

Coach Brooks Named to Mid-Major Coach of the Year Preseason Watch List--belmontbruins.com
Women's Hoops Ranked 20th in Preseason Mid-Major Top 25®--belmontbruins.com

From Iceland to Peoria, one young prospect's basketball journey to Bradley--Peoria Journal Star
Answering 6 questions from Bradley basketball's exhibition victory over St. Ambrose--Peoria Journal Star
Men’s Basketball Preview: Searching for revenge and a repeat--The Bradley Scout
From JUCO to the first team, it’s Leons’ time to shine--The Bradley Scout
Exhibition Recap: Bradley vs Saint Ambrose--bradleybraves.com

One-on-One: Most impactful freshman for the 2023-24 season--The Bradley Scout
Staff Picks: Who is the most exciting basketball player to watch this season?--The Bradley Scout

Women’s Basketball Preview: Popovec-Goss looks to keep building in year two--The Bradley Scout
Women's Basketball Starts Season with Exhibition--bradleybraves.com

NCAA Basketball: Rauf Report gives bold predictions for all 32 conferences--Heat Check CBB

Missouri Valley

DRAKE WINS EITHER THE REGULAR-SEASON OR TOURNAMENT TITLE

Drake has the best player in the league in Tucker DeVries and the best coach in the league in Darian DeVries. This program has been excellent throughout the DeVries’ tenure, and this roster boasts a plethora of dynamic perimeter scorers with big man Darnell Brodie returning on the interior. I like this team to get back to the NCAA Tournament.

Top 20 college basketball wings for 2023-24: Bryce Hopkins, Terrence Shannon and more--The Athletic

11. Tucker DeVries | 6-7 wing | junior | Drake
Last season’s Missouri Valley Player of the Year, DeVries has a real case as the best shooter in the country. The way he flies off of screening actions and sets cultivated by his father, Drake head coach Darian DeVries, creates an immense amount of pressure on defenses. The numbers look merely above average at 37 percent from 3 on about seven attempts per game, but don’t get it twisted: DeVries has elite range out to about 30 feet, and has to face defensive identities built entirely around stopping him.
But there’s more to DeVries than merely the shooting. He uses the threat of his jumper well to attack off of the bounce, where he’s capable and smart. He can pass and make plays for his teammates, then also is at least positionally smart defensively. DeVries is just one of those guys who has always displayed exceptionally high-level feel for the game, which allows him to create plays even if he’s not the most athletic guy in the world. Look for him to get up over 20 points per game this year, and he should be the clear favorite for the MVC Player of the Year award again.

Get to know the 10 newcomers on the Drake men's basketball roster--Des Moines Register
Drake men’s basketball prepares for start of their new season--The Times Delphic
Drake Trims Truman State in Exhibition Play--godrakebulldogs.com

What’s UConn’s ceiling this season? Answering women’s college basketball preseason questions--The Athletic

9. What mid-major teams will make the most noise this season?
More mid-major programs are making noise every season. Princeton, FGCU and Gonzaga are always in the conversation. South Dakota State, Cleveland State, Middle Tennessee and UNLV have deservedly been in the mix. I also liked what I saw last season in Columbia, Toledo and Drake.

Bulldogs Push Through Early Pressure in Final Tune-Up Contest--godrakebulldogs.com