What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/13/2024

The Other Top 25: Saint Mary’s moves back to No. 1, Nevada is up to second--Mid-Major Madness

Drake jumped past Indiana State and into a tie for eighth following its win in the Missouri Valley Championship game.

UNLV and Samford joined the ranking and replaced Yale and Louisiana Tech,

Here are the full rankings:

The Other Top 25: March 11, 2024

Rank Team (First Place Votes) Points Previous

8 Drake 50 13

10 Indiana St. 48 10

Rank	Team (First Place Votes)	Points	Previous
8	Drake	50	13
10	Indiana St.	48	10

2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Watch: Race for the final No. 1, and a 2-bid Valley--The Athletic

Speaking of conference tournaments, congrats to Morehead State, Longwood, Drake and Stetson for capturing the first four official spots in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. (Teams that have clinched auto bids are signified in green on our seed list below). Of those, Drake was of course the most notable, as we had the Bulldogs as our final at-large team the past two weeks. Indiana State will now wait it out until Selection Sunday, but we believe the Sycamores, who entered Sunday No. 26 in the NET and 34th in Strength of Record, should still get an invite — as long as there are not too many bid thieves. They’ll need lots of terry cloth in Terre Haute for all the sweating these next six days. Please, selection committee: do not rob America of getting to see Robbie Avila (aka “Larry Blurred,” aka “Cream Abdul-Jabbar”) during March Madness.

Bracketology 2024: Who’s Locked Up A Bid? (Updated: 03/12/2024)--Blogging the Bracket

MVC (2 Bids)

Auto Bid Winner (1)

Drake

Bubble (1, 1 IN)

Indiana State

With their 74-70 win over the Sycamores, the Bulldogs clinched their second NCAA appearance in a row and third in four seasons. The first of those trips was as an at-large First Four team in 2021—where Drake defeated former conference rival Wichita State before falling to USC in the First Round. Might Indiana State get the same opportunity in 2024?

Maybe? We are heading for an unprecedented situation in the NET era, as there are currently three teams ranked within the NET Top 30 that are around the Cut Line—Colorado (27), New Mexico (28), and the Trees (29). The highest-ranked team in the NET era to be left out is 2019’s NC State club that was ranked 33rd.

Even though Indiana State is the lowest-ranked of the three, it remains in the field today (at the Buffaloes’ expense). Of course, both of the Sycamores’ rivals still have conference tournament games left to play. So, there’s a decent chance Josh Schertz’s club ends up being passed. But for now, ISU holds on.

NIT Bracketology, March 11--NIT Bracketology

Welcome to Championship Week!

This bracket represents where I think things stand as we enter Championship Week. I am trying to avoid projecting conference tournaments as much as possible at this point. (Things have been wild!)

Indiana State also isn't in this NIT bracket. I took a thorough look at the NCAA bubble tonight and made the Sycamores my last team into the NCAA Tournament. I think there's a good chance the committee sees it that way too. At worst I would hope that ISU would be in the First Four Out and guaranteed some home games in the NIT, but you never know.

The bottom of this bracket is extremely fluid. Three teams: SMU, Bradley and San Francisco, are here basically on the strength of their NET rating. Only one of them (Bradley) is done playing.

Last NCAA Teams In: TCU, Oklahoma, Virginia, Seton Hall, St. John's, Michigan St., Mississippi St., Colorado, Colorado St., Indiana St.

NIT Bracket (automatic bids in bold, bubble teams in italics):

1. Wake Forest (ACC 1)

U. Appalachian St.

4. Mississippi (SEC 2)

U. Memphis

3. UCF (Big 12 2)

U. Florida St.

2. Texas A&M (SEC 1)

U. SMU

1. Villanova (Big East 1)

U. Loyola Chicago

4. Virginia Tech

U. LSU

3. Ohio St. (Big Ten 2)

U. Oregon

2. Providence (Big East 2)

U. Boston College

1. Pittsburgh (ACC 2)

U. Duquesne

4. Butler

U. Indiana

3. Cincinnati (Big 12 1)

U. Syracuse

2. Iowa (Big Ten 1)

U. Bradley

1. New Mexico

U. San Francisco

4. Washington (Pac-12 2)

U. Minnesota

3. Utah (Pac-12 1)

U. UNLV

2. Kansas St.

U. N.C. State

DAILY DIRT – 3/13/24--HoopDirt

It sounds like the search at UIC is also moving along. One name that keeps popping up here is former SIU head coach Bryan Mullins. Despite winning 19 games this year (and knocking off a Top-25 team for the first time in 11-seasons), and winning 23 games last season, SIU made the decision to move on from Mullins. Parker Executive search is running this one. More on this one as I hear it.

Bracketology 2024: The State Of The Bubble On Wednesday, March 13--Blogging the Bracket

Possible Multi-Bid Conferences (3, 1 Lock)

AAC: South Florida (auto bid)
A 10: Richmond (auto bid)
MVC (1): Drake (auto bid)

Things could go either way for these three conferences, and only the Bulldogs have secured their place after winning Arch Madness.

Definite Single-Bid Conferences (21)

Based on what happens in the trio of leagues above, this number could swell to 24.

So, adding the 33 locks (including Drake) to the 5 safe teams and the 21 single-bid reps, 59 of the 68 places in the field are accounted for.

That leaves 9 places at the most up for grabs, and that number could fall to as low as to 7 if USF (or any team other than FAU) wins the American and Richmond (or any team other than Dayton) wins the Atlantic 10 crown.

Plus, there’s also the prospect of a lower seeded team stealing a bid late in power conference—for example, UNLV in the Mountain West or Oregon in the Pac-12.

Where Does That Leave The Bubble?

The final seven at-large teams in today’s bracket are in the most danger. Two of them play today (bold), while four others play tomorrow (italics). Indiana State is in the most danger of sliding out since its season is finished.

Mississippi State, Seton Hall, TCU, St. John’s, Villanova, Virginia, Indiana State

These teams and the ones below chasing them had better root hard for chalk in the multi-bid league tournaments (if they cannot win the auto bid themselves) and for the American and Atlantic 10 to become one-bid leagues.

2024 NCAA Tournament Bubble Watch: Go time for Wake Forest, St. John’s and more--The Athletic

Indiana State is on at-large watch after losing to Drake in a tightly contested MVC. It was the ideal scenario for the league to get two teams in, and I think Indiana State has legit at-large credentials. But it’s going to be a long week for the Sycamores sweating this one out. Drake was previously on the bubble, but because their automatic bid could be the nail in the coffin for Indiana State in particular, it makes the Bulldogs a potential bid thief.

2024 Hoops in the Heartland capsules--Dispatch Argus
COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Hoops in the Heartland ready for action--The Quad-City Times

Under the Lights: Belmont at Arch Madness--Belmont Vision
Pacers Podcast Features Ben Sheppard--belmontbruins.com

Tuti Jones Tabbed MVC Player of the Week--belmontbruins.com
Tuti Jones and Tessa Miller Named to MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team--belmontbruins.com

'It kills me': Bradley absorbs emotional loss to Drake in MVC tournament semifinals--Peoria Journal Star
Column: Braves should hold heads high despite Arch loss--The Bradley Scout

Bradley WBB to face Murray State in the First Round of MVC Tournament--bradleybraves.com

Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Drake SO G Conor Enright--Hoops HD
NCAA Tournament bids live tracker: Latest on conference championship week, ACC, Big Ten and more--The Athletic

What to know about Missouri Valley champion Drake
(Photo: USA Today)
Drake will return to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season after beating Indiana State 84-80 on Sunday.
Get to know the Bulldogs:
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Record: 28-6, 16-4 MVC
Coach: Darian DeVries (sixth season, 150-54)
Leading scorer: G Tucker DeVries (21.8 points, 6.8 rebounds per game)
Notable results: Defeated Nevada 72-53 on Dec. 9, went 2-1 against Indiana State
Last NCAA Tournament appearance: 2023
All-time NCAA Tournament record: 6-6
Projected seed: 10
Drake is back in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last four seasons, and that’s a treat because we get to watch Tucker DeVries on the biggest stage.
A year ago, DeVries was just 1-of-13 in a loss to eventual Final Four team Miami in a game that Drake led by eight with five minutes left in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Drake brought in 10 new players this season to build around DeVries and sixth-year senior Darnell Brodie. DeVries scored 27 points in the championship game, using his size to get to the mid-range and shoot over Indiana State’s smaller guards.
He’s one of the best scorers in college basketball and an NBA talent playing for his dad at Drake. Brodie is the one Bulldog who has been on all three of the last three NCAA tourney teams.

Drake Men's Basketball 2024 NCAA Tournament Capsule--College Sports Madness

Miller Earns Women's Basketball State Farm Scholar-Athlete of the Year--godrakebulldogs.com

Purple Aces accept invite to 2024 College Basketball Invitational--gopurpleaces.com

UE women's basketball opens Hoops in the Heartland with Illinois State--gopurpleaces.com

Attention immediately shifts to offseason for ISU men's basketball--The Vidette

Maya Wong having best season entering Missouri Valley Conference Tournament--The Pantagraph
Different path, same goal for ISU women's basketball at Hoops in the Heartland--The Vidette
'Birds Head to Moline for Hoops in the Heartland--goredbirds.com
Wilson, Bullman, Dowell land on All-MVC teams--goredbirds.com

Should Indiana State Get an At-Large Bid to the NCAA Tournament?--Stadium
Indiana State begins wait to find out its fate--Mid-Major Madness
Bracketology 2024: Who’s Locked Up A Bid? (Updated: 03/11/2024)--Blogging the Bracket
Bracketology: Wait begins for Indiana State--Bracketville
James Madison wins Sun Belt tournament, NCAA Tournament bid; Samford also in--The Athletic

Impact on the bracket

James Madison likely would not have earned an at-large bid had it lost to Arkansas State — but a 30-win team that beat Michigan State on the road would have had an interesting argument. Appalachian State’s loss in the Sun Belt semifinals assured that this will be just a one-bid league. That’s good news for teams like Indiana State, who are hoping no bid thieves emerge this week.

2024 NCAA Tournament Bubble Watch: Go time for Wake Forest, St. John’s and more--The Athletic

Movement: Indiana State is on at-large watch after losing to Drake in a tightly contested MVC. It was the ideal scenario for the league to get two teams in, and I think Indiana State has legit at-large credentials. But it’s going to be a long week for the Sycamores sweating this one out. Drake was previously on the bubble, but because their automatic bid could be the nail in the coffin for Indiana State in particular, it makes the Bulldogs a potential bid thief.

Louisville coaching candidates: Could Scott Drew or Josh Schertz be targets?--The Athletic
Will Indiana State be in NCAA Tournament? Experts predict if Sycamores will go dancing.--Indianapolis Star
Indiana State Men's Basketball 2024 NCAA Tournament Capsule--College Sports Madness
BLUE AND WHITE: Valley’s top dog falls in the tourney, awaits Selection Show--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Conwell, Avila earn MVC All-Tournament Team; Miller receives Elite 17 award--gosycamores.com

ISU women hope road successes help in MVC tournament--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Glanton, Sawyer play key roles in ISU's season, MVC chances--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Sycamores face Salukis in opening round of Hoops in the Heartland--gosycamores.com