What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/8/2024

Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Preview: bracket, schedule and predictions-- Mid-Major Madness
College basketball Championship Week: Title games we need to see, players who will be heard from, sleepers to watch, and more--SB Nation

8 Teams For The Bubble Boys To Pull For

6. Indiana State (Missouri Valley)

Josh Schertz’s team has had a dream season and currently sits at No. 30 in the NET Rankings. They do own a Quadrant I victory, and would have a legitimate shot at still hearing their name called on Selection Sunday if they were to take an understandable loss during Arch Madness.

7. Drake (Missouri Valley)

The Bulldogs are much more of an outside shot for an at-large, but there’s a chance. Darian DeVries’ squad is actually 3-1 in Quadrant I opportunities, a mark that includes a neutral court blowout of NCAA tournament lock Nevada.
20 Players Who Will Be Heard From

1. Robbie Avila, SO, C, Indiana State (Missouri Valley)

At some point over the last few weeks, the word about Robbie Avila seems to have gotten out.

Maybe it’s the nicknames — Cream Abdul Jabbar, Larry Nerd, Steph Blurry — or maybe it’s just the combination of that look with that game, but a large chunk of the sports world now appears aware just how big Avila has the potential to get (especially on social media) in the weeks ahead.

He is inevitable pic.twitter.com/4Uk7z4VyQf https://t.co/NccNb1ZG0k
— Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) March 3, 2024

Averaging 17.6 points and 3.9 assists per game, Avila has been the driving force behind Indiana State’s first Missouri Valley regular season title since 2000. Now he’ll try to get the Sycamores into the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011.

11. Tucker DeVries, JR, G, Drake (Missouri Valley)

The reigning Missouri Valley Player of the Year, DeVries has been even better as a junior, averaging 21.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, all up by a solid amount from last season. He also heads into Arch Madness on an absolute heater. He was named the Lou Henson National Player of the Week after averaging 34 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 4.0 steals last week in a pair of Drake victories.

Allow me to use this space to apologize to Xavier Johnson of Southern Illinois, who actually leads the Valley in scoring at 22.0 ppg. Three players from one conference was just too much glory. Consider this your acknowledgement that you will, in fact, be heard from this week.
5 Title Games You Absolutely Want To Happen

2. Indiana State vs. Drake (Missouri Valley)

Arch Madness Sunday always delivers. This year it has a chance to really deliver.

Both of these teams are fully capable of winning multiple games in the NCAA tournament. They both have undeniable star power in Robbie Avila (Indiana State) and Tucker DeVries (Drake). They’re both led by rising stars in the head coaching world. And they, like Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s, split their regular season meetings.

We don’t want this matchup. We need this matchup.

Champ Week 2024: Intrigue rankings for all 32 conference tournaments--Heat Check CBB

7. Missouri Valley

As the top event outside the traditional multi-bid leagues, Arch Madness may be a bittersweet event. It likely will be the last time fans get to watch Drake’s Tucker DeVries and/or Indiana State’s Robbie Avila play meaningful basketball this season. Barring a dark horse run, this will also be the final time we see Xavier Johnson in a college uniform. After four seasons as a role player for George Mason and Southern Illinois, Johnson has exploded as one of the nation’s leading scorers. However, Drake and Indiana State are the teams to watch, as either has the potential to pull off a huge upset in the NCAA Tournament. The MVC tournament is consistently one of the best mid-major tournaments every season. It only adds to the intrigue that the Valley looks destined to be a one-bid league this year.

MISSOURI VALLEY TOURNAMENT PREVIEW--Staring at the Floorboards
BenFred: This nationally relevant edition of Arch Madness underscores MVC's evolution--St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Arch Madness Begins!--Valley Hoops Insider
Arch Madness Session One Blowouts--Valley Hoops Insider
No Chalk & the Clock is Ticking--Valley Hoops Insider
MVC NOTEBOOK: Bears, Bruins each win by 25 points--Terre Haute Tribune-Star