What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 12/5/2023

The Other Top 25: Indiana State elevates to No. 9--Mid-Major Madness

The Indiana State Sycamores jumped to ninth in the first Other Top 25 of the month of December. They were in the receiving votes category a week ago.

Indiana State is 7-1 on the season and has won its last six contests. Its lone loss came at Alabama back on Nov. 10.

The Sycamores have won the Ball Dawgs Classic with victories over Rice, Pepperdine and Toledo.

Over the last seven days, Indiana State opened Missouri Valley Conference play with a pair of wins. It routed Southern Illinois 77-48 in the opener. Then in a highly anticipated showdown, the Sycamores earned an 85-77 victory over Bradley. They jumped out to a 19-point halftime lead over the Braves as five players scored in double figures.

The Sycamores are averaging 87.1 points per game, which ranks 16^th in the country. They are eighth among mid-majors. They have eclipsed the 80-point plateau in six of their eight games. Four players are averaging at least 13.5 points per game.

Indiana State sits fourth among all schools by hitting 53% of their shots. It is tied for third in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.5%.

The Sycamores were one of five teams to enter the rankings along with UNC Wilmington, Appalachian State, Saint Joseph’s and Tulane.

The top five saw subtle changes. Florida Atlantic remained No. 1 and received four of the five first-place votes. Colorado State, who received the other vote for the top spot, was elevated from No. 3 to No. 2. San Diego State slid down to three.

Memphis moved back a spot from No. 4 to No. 5. James Madison and Liberty were tied for fifth a week ago. The Dukes raised a spot to No. 4, while the Flames dropped to 11.

The Other Top 25: Dec. 4, 2023

Rank Team (First Place Votes) Points Previous

9 Indiana St. 77 RV

10 Drake 70 15

19 Bradley 33 9

Others Receiving Votes:

George Mason 18; Yale 9; San Francisco 8; Evansville 8; UC Irvine 6; McNeese St. 4; Weber St. 3; Western Carolina 1; Cornell 1

Rank	Team (First Place Votes)	Points	Previous
9	Indiana St.	77	RV
10	Drake	70	15
19	Bradley	33	9

News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Tuesday, Dec 5th--Hoops HD

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-BRADLEY AT AKRON. This is a really good under the radar match-up between a Bradley team that got off to a fantastic start, but is coming off two straight losses and looking to rebound. Akron is just 4-3 and has lost some tough games that they could have won, but I still think they are in position to have a really good year, and a win today would be big for the Zips as well. Both teams have limited opportunities at big wins in conference, so this is the kind of match-up you like to see between two really good UTR teams.
-INDIANA STATE AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS. This is another high quality Under the Radar match-up. Indiana State is 7-1 on the year, and is coming off a fantastic win at Bradley. Northern Illinois is a respectable 5-2 and is coming off a loss to Northwestern. This is just Northern Illinois’s third home game and they managed wins in the first two.
-EVANSVILLE AT BYU. This is, perhaps, a buy game, and Evansville likely is overmatched, but they are also off to a surprising 7-1 start and have been one of the bigger early surprises in all of college basketball. Still, BYU is ranked in the top 15, they’ve earned the ranking, and they should get it done at home tonight.
-OKLAHOMA STATE AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. The Salukis blasted Saint Louis over the weekend, are 5-2 overall, are unbeaten at home, and have another winnable game tonight.

Locked On Women’s Basketball: Who can conquer The Valley in 2023-24?--The Next
MVC/OVC Fourth Week Standouts--Valley Hoops Insider

Fourth Week Standouts – Missouri Valley

Darnell Brodie is the second Drake Bulldog to claim a ‘Player of the Week’ award. Tucker DeVries claimed the first week honor. Brodie tied his career high of 21 points in a Bulldog win over Valparaiso and then added twelve more points during a win over Missouri State. The sixth-year senior leads the Valley and is sixth nationally in field goal percentage (.7018) and is averaging a career-best 13.9 points per game.

Isaiah Swope is one of the top three-point shooters nationally and in the Valley. The Indiana State guard scored 22 and 18 points in the Sycamores’ opening two MVC games and is this week’s ‘Newcomer of the Week’. Swope is making a league best and tied for fourth nationally 3.75 three-pointers per game. His 18.75 points-per-game average is third in the Valley.

Evansville’s Chuck Bailey III is the first repeat winner of a Valley weekly award. The rookie claimed his second ‘Freshman of the Week’ award by throwing in 27 points during the Purple Aces’ loss at Missouri State and followed up with six more during UE’s victory over Northern Iowa.

Seven Valley teams in Top 100 of NCAA NET--Racer Basketball

Women's Basketball Beats In-State Rival--Belmont Vision
Kilyn McGuff Selected as MVC Player of the Week--belmontbruins.com

Bradley WBB prepares to host Eastern Illinois--bradleybraves.com

Bracketology: Takeaways from first NET rankings of 2023-24 season--Heat Check CBB

7. Other specific rankings of note
No. 56 Drake Bulldogs

Drake felt like a dark-horse at-large contender coming into this season. And while the Bulldogs have not wowed anyone in their 7-1 start — they even lost to Stephen F. Austin by 24 — they are still held in relatively high regard by the NET. A No. 56 start keeps them in the conversation before the thick of the MVC schedule, especially with a neutral-site matchup with Nevada (No. 21) looming.

Brodie Garners MVC Player of the Week Status--godrakebulldogs.com

What channel is Evansville basketball vs. BYU on? Here's how to watch--Evansville Courier & Press
Bailey named MVC Freshman of the Week as Aces head to BYU--gopurpleaces.com

Mailbag 12.4.23--Burner Ball

Which mid or low major coach has seen his #SearchSZN stock rise most thus far this season and why is it Josh Schertz? – @CurryHicksSage

Josh Schertz is awesome. The Indiana State head coach is a great talent evaluator and knows how to recruit to fit his scheme. The result? The Sycamores are 7-1 after winning 23 games last season. I would love to see Schertz get a chance at a high major next season (looking at you, DePaul). Athletic directors please do yourselves a favor and hire guys that have won at any level. Winning is a skill and not everyone has it. Go with the guy with a proven track record instead of some flashy name retread that flamed out at his last job.

12/5/23 TUESDAY NEWS AND NOTES--Staring at the Floorboards

Subscriber Content

Indiana State was in this very position last year after an early 2-0 Valley start, and suffered a serious swoon in three OOC games following, which included a shocking home loss to Northern Illinois....

Sycamores approaching pole position in the Valley--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Indiana State Basketball Continues to Win--Indiana Statesman