Primarily a collection of news links about all 11 Missouri Valley League teams on a daily basis, culled from online newspapers, school athletic websites, the conference website, and school newspapers, plus some other content from time to time.
Plenty of mid-major coaches are willing to concede that keeping a top talent
their whole careers is unrealistic. The goal for many is to keep a promising
freshman for their sophomore year, help them solidify themselves as
high-major priorities, and then help them move up after Year 2 or 3.
Valparaiso (No. 156) was thrilled to do that with a pair of studs in JT
Pettigrew and Rakim Chaney, who could help the Beacons climb the Valley
standings.
Northern Iowa (No. 144) was a top-25 defense nationally per KenPom last
year; they might look a lot different stylistically on that end this season
with new head coach Kyle Green, whose pressure defenses helped Iowa State to
elite defenses in recent years.
Belmont (No. 115) led the nation in shooting last year at 41%. While HC
Casey Alexander departs and so do a few key shooters, Jack Smiley (44%) and
Eoin Dillon (47%) seem primed to keep the Bruins at the top of the shooting
charts.
UIC (No. 97) went on a thrilling run to the MVC title
game in 2026 and kept rising sophomores Andy Johnson and Rashund Washington
Jr. Rob Ehsan is building something at a job many thought was close to
impossible to win at.
Another enormous retention win: Murray State (No. 81) keeping star French
wing Roman Domon. Domon would’ve had his choice of dozens of high-major
suitors, but is back for a second year with the Racers instead.
I recently learned
Murray State
is in the vicinity of $9 million-plus for its 2026-27 roster. Good lord!
This is a Missouri Valley program, folks. What an amazing fundraising effort
by Ryan Miller in what is such an intense mid-major community in Murray,
Kentucky. The Racers are triple-lapping the Valley when it comes to
basketball bucks, so they are the easy pick here and figure to have an
outside shot at an at-large bid if a stumble comes in the MVC tourney. Among
a litany of quality options, French wing
Roman Domon
(14.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg) could blast out of the gates.
91. UIC
Rob Ehsan's going to be a trendy coaching carousel candidate if he can get
UIC
to 19-plus wins in two straight seasons for the first time since 2003 and
2004. The Flames bring back nearly 60% of their minutes and may have the
starting five all feature guys who wore these threads a year ago. There are
fewer than 10 mid-majors in the country who can claim that kind of vital
retention. This team is draped in wings, making UIC a modern malleable
mid-major menace.
11:30 a.m. ET, Sioux Falls, S.D., Field of 68 YouTube
The Field of 68 Marathon is in two locations, and this tips off the action at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Mitchell, S.D., native Ryan Miller begins his second season at the helm of the Racers back in his home state, just like he did a year ago. His first campaign in Murray definitely had some positives, with 20 wins and a 12-8 mark in the Missouri Valley. Plus, Roman Domon is a stud.
Tennessee State also has a second-year head coach in Nolan Smith. The Tigers are coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1994 after winning the OVC title. Smith has a dozen newcomers, including a pair of former McDonald’s All-Americans.
Brian Ayers represents a different kind of valuable assistant coach. Rather than building his reputation through frequent moves between prominent programs, he has spent much of his career contributing to Belmont's sustained success. Ayers previously coached Evan Bradds during his playing career and remains on the Bruins' staff as the former Belmont star begins his first season as head coach. That relationship creates an interesting dynamic, with an experienced assistant helping a younger head coach navigate the responsibilities of leading a Division I program.
Belmont has established one of the most consistent winning traditions in mid-major basketball, and Ayers has been part of the program through important stages of that development. His familiarity with the university's expectations, recruiting philosophy and basketball culture provides continuity during a significant coaching transition. The Bruins are attempting to maintain their success while adjusting to Bradds' leadership and the challenges of the Missouri Valley Conference. Ayers' experience could prove especially valuable when Belmont encounters the inevitable difficulties associated with a new coaching staff.
1. Drake's 1968-69 team nearly changed college basketball history
The 1968-69 Drake Bulldogs produced one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college basketball history, emerging as a national contender only two years after finishing last in the Missouri Valley Conference. Under head coach Maury John, the Bulldogs developed into an outstanding team that finished 26-5 and advanced to the Final Four. Their greatest achievement nearly came against one of the most dominant programs the sport has ever seen. Drake faced UCLA in the national semifinals, challenging a Bruins team led by Lew Alcindor that was pursuing its third consecutive national championship. The Bulldogs pushed UCLA throughout the contest before suffering an 85-82 defeat, finishing just three points away from one of college basketball's greatest upsets.
Drake responded to that disappointment by defeating North Carolina 104-84 in the national third-place game, providing a remarkable conclusion to an extraordinary season. Willie McCarter scored 28 points and distributed 10 assists in the victory, while Willie Wise and Dolph Pulliam also played significant roles throughout the team's historic campaign. Their accomplishments helped establish a standard that remains important to Drake basketball decades later. Although the Bulldogs never captured the national championship, their performance against UCLA demonstrated that they belonged among the nation's elite. The fact that Drake came so close to defeating Alcindor's Bruins makes the season even more fascinating in retrospect.
Kentucky entered its November 2019 matchup against Evansville ranked No. 1 nationally and playing at Rupp Arena, one of college basketball's most intimidating home environments. The Wildcats were considered overwhelming favorites against a Missouri Valley Conference opponent that had little national recognition. Evansville, however, refused to follow the expected script and produced a stunning 67-64 victory. The result immediately became one of the biggest regular-season upsets in recent college basketball history.
The Purple Aces received 18 points from K.J. Riley and 17 from Sam Cunliffe, whose late free throws helped secure the victory. Evansville also had an unusual connection to Kentucky because its head coach, Walter McCarty, had played on the Wildcats' 1996 national championship team. The Purple Aces were approximately 25-point underdogs entering the contest, making the result especially remarkable. Their victory demonstrated how quickly national championship expectations can collide with the unpredictability of a single basketball game.
Finally, Murray State is lapping the field in the Missouri Valley in terms of spending. They spent big money to retain French star G/F Roman Domon, who averaged 14.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game as a 6-foot-9 freshman last season. He is expected to be a frontrunner for MVC Player of the Year. The Racers brought in a few more Europeans this offseason in Talis Soulhac and Mark Padgen, both expected to be notable contributors. Brayden Shorter is back, and Kaden Magwood comes in from Auburn. Murray also added GW transfer Christian Jones and Belmont transfer Brigham Rogers. Ryan Miller’s squad, if reading between the lines of Norlander’s follow-up, could be spending upwards of $8 million.
Murray State has been to 16 NCAA Tournaments since 1988, but none since 2022. Ryan Miller was hired to change that, and he's been aggressive in his first two offseasons...[Subscriber Content]
