What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 11/6/2023

Indiana college basketball preview of NCAA Division I teams--Indianapolis Star

We will have weekly rankings and updates from all the programs, including items you may have missed. Here's what we know heading into this week's openers:
∎ Five Indiana programs had winning records last season (Ball State, Purdue Fort Wayne, Indiana, Indiana State, Purdue. IU and Purdue played in the NCAA tournament, and ISU in the College Basketball Invitational.
∎ Two programs have new head coaches: Micah Shrewsberry at Notre Dame and Roger Powell Jr. at Valparaiso.
∎ Notre Dame, Southern Indiana and Valparaiso have no returning players who averaged at least 5.0 points per game last season.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of this season's roster. Averages are from the 2022-23 season.

Evansville Purple Aces
Coach David Ragland continues the rebuild in his second season with the Purple Aces, who finished 5-27 last season.
KenPom ranking: 332nd, 12th in 12-team Missouri Valley Conference
Newcomers (10): Tanner Cuff (6-7 junior, via Salt Lake Community College); Antonio Holmes (6-2 fifth year from Kentucky Wesleyan); Cam Haffner (6-2 sophomore; 7.5 ppg, 42.7% 3FG at Eastern Illinois); Braylon Jackson (6-5 freshman); Joshua Hughes (6-10 freshman); Tyler Myers (5-10 freshman); Ben Humrichous (6-9 senior, via Huntington); Gui Tesch (6-9 freshman); Dakota Candler (6-5 freshman); Michael Day (6-11 freshman); Weston Aigner (6-3 freshman).
Returners (5): Gage Bobe (6-0 fifth year; 5.6 ppg, 39.3% 3FG); Yacine Toumi (6-10 senior, 10.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg); Kenny Strawbridge (fifth year, 14.4 ppg); Sekou Kalle (6-10 junior, 3.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg); Cameron Gehlhausen (6-5 sophomore, appeared in 2 games).
Key departures: Marvin Coleman (graduation); Antoine Smith (graduation).
Indiana State Sycamores
Coach Josh Schertz hopes to build on last season's 23-13 record that included a College Basketball Invitational appearance, but the Sycamores' top three scorers from last season are gone.
KenPom ranking: 111th, 3rd in 12-team Missouri Valley Conference
Newcomers (9): Isaiah Swope (5-10 junior; 15.6 ppg, 3.5 apg at Southern Indiana); Ryan Conwell (6-4 sophomore; 5.1 ppg at South Florida); Augustinas Kiudulas (6-8 freshman); Eli Shetlar (6-6 freshman); Aaron Gray (6-7 junior; 12.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg at Niagara); Cooper Bean (6-4 freshman); Jaden Daughtry (6-7 freshman); Jake Wolfe (6-5 fifth year; 9.1 ppg, 36.2% 3FG at Morehead State); Derek Vorst (6-10 freshman).
Returners (5): Julian Larry (6-3 junior; 7.0 ppg, 46.4% 3FG); Robbie Avila (6-10 sophomore; 10.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg); Xavier Bledson (6-6 fifth year; 6.4 ppg, 36.2% 3FG); Jayson Kent (6-8 junior; 5.1 ppg); Masen Miller (6-2 junior; 1.4 ppg).
Key departures: Courvoisier McCauley (graduation); Cooper Neese (graduation); Cameron Henry (graduation).
Valparaiso Beacons
Roger Powell Jr. takes over a Beacons squad that went 11-21 last season. He comes from the Gonzaga bench, and he previously was a Valpo assistant.
KenPom ranking: 324th, 11th in 12-team Missouri Valley Conference
Newcomers (10): Jaxon Edwards (6-5 sophomore from Cathedral High School; appeared in 11 games at Murray State); Sherman Weatherspoon IV (6-2 freshman); Ola Ajiboye (6-7 sophomore; 3.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg at Central Michigan); Jahari Williamson (6-1 freshman); Lucas Scroggins (6-9 freshman); Cooper Schwieger (6-9 freshman); Isaiah Stafford (6-2 junior from Crispus Attucks High School; 12.5 ppg at Logan Junior College); Kaspar Sepp (6-7 freshman); Lual Manyang (6-10 redshirt freshman); Luke Carroll (6-4 sophomore from Hamilton Heights High School; played for Lake Land CC).
Returners (3): Jerome Palm (6-10 senior; 1.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg); Connor Barrett (6-6 senior; 4.1 ppg, 35.4% 3FG); Darius DeAveiro (6-0 junior; 1.8 ppg).
Key departures: Ben Krikke (Iowa); Kobe King (graduation); Quinton Green (graduation).

Jackson and the Fruitful Valley--Valley Hoops Insider

Men's Basketball Hosts Georgia State Monday to Open Season--belmontbruins.com

Women's Basketball Begins 2023-24 Campaign at Missouri Monday--belmontbruins.com

COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEASON OPENER!!! News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Monday, Nov 6th--Hoops HD

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-BRADLEY AT UAB. I know this is an odd game to highlight, but both teams, especially UAB, look like potential dark horses in their leagues this year, and this could be one of those early season games that’s ignored and/or overlooked at the time, but then turns out to be important to the metrics as the season plays out.

11/6/23 OPENING NIGHT--Staring at the Floorboards

Subscriber Content
BRADLEY @ UAB

I’m conflicted on this one, as Wardle’s Bradley teams have really struggled to score when they’ve stepped up in competition the last couple of seasons, but UAB’s ability to score in the halfcourt is a major question mark...

Reserve guard leaves Bradley basketball team on day of season-opener--Peoria Journal Star
Game Preview: Bradley at UAB--bradleybraves.com

Kaylen Nelson drops 31 points as Bradley WBB falls to Kansas City--bradleybraves.com