What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/28/2026

Belmont Deconstruction then Rebuilding--Valley Hoops Insider

Former Bradley basketball player reflects on transfer portal, NIL and his career--Peoria Journal Star

Bradley Braves women's basketball coach departs for Boston College: 'Forever indebted'--Peoria Journal Star
Illinois State commit named 2026 Gatorade girls basketball player of the year in Illinois--Peoria Journal Star
Bradley women’s basketball coach Kate Popovec-Goss departs for Boston College after four years with the program--The Bradley Scout
Kate Popovec-Goss Accepts Head Coaching Position at Boston College--bradleybraves.com

Recapping the Drake men's basketball 2025-26 season under Eric Henderson--Des Moines Register

Robyn Scherr resigns as Evansville women's basketball coach after 5 seasons--Evansville Courier & Press
Robyn Scherr resigns as UE head women’s basketball coach--gopurpleaces.com

Doneelah Washington keys late rally as Illinois State moves past Abilene Christian in WNIT--The Pantagraph
Illinois State's win over Wake Forest carries over into another NIT victory--The Pantagraph
Fayta’s dime, Washington’s finish push Redbirds to Great Eight--The Vidette
Redbirds Advance To WNIT Great 8 With 59-55 Win Over Abilene Christian--The Vidette

SIU's Aligbe to enter transfer portal--Southern Illinoisan

UIC commit Dikembe Shaw scores 7 of his 24 points in last 36 seconds as Crown Point falls short in state final--Chicago Tribune

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/27/2026

Men's Basketball Loses More Staff, 3-Star Recruit to Kansas State--Belmont Vision

Bradley basketball reserve forward becomes fourth to leave for NCAA transfer portal--Peoria Journal Star

‘We’re Back’ – Valpo Men’s Basketball Student-Athletes Announce Plans to Return for 2026-27--valpoathletics.com

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/26/2026

BREAKING: Sam Orme to Enter Transfer Portal--Belmont Vision

Final Four for Illinois State--Valley Hoops Insider
SEMIFINALS BOUND: Illinois State knocks off favored Dayton to advance in NIT--The Pantagraph
Still Dancing: Redbirds reach first NIT Final Four in program history--The Vidette
Redbirds Advance to NIT Semifinals, Hold off Dayton 61-55--goredbirds.com

Illinois State women tangle with Abilene Christian for second straight year in WNIT--The Pantagraph

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/25/2026

Bradley Braves reserve guard says he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal--Peoria Journal Star

Drake basketball teams fall short in MVC tournaments--The Times-Delphic

Illinois State vs. Dayton Prediction Odds, Key Player to Watch for NIT Quarterfinal--Sports Illustrated

SIU's Steffe to test out transfer portal--Southern Illinoisan

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/24/2026

Bradley Braves 7-foot-1 reserve center intends to enter transfer portal--Peoria Journal Star

Kings' Rookie Continues Remarkable Journey in Recent G League Win--Sports Illustrated

The NIT is the mid-major tournament we all wanted--Mid-Major Madness

The Wake Forest Bracket: Illinois State vs. Dayton

With the Flyers giving up their home arena to the NCAA for its use in the First Four, Dayton has been unable to have a home-court advantage for now its second year in a row for the first two games of the NIT, but now, with UD Arena ready to host its fans once again, and with Dayton on the brink of a trip to Hinkle Fieldhouse, the time is now for the Flyers to take their first postseason home-court advantage. What looked to be a lost season headed into the conference tournament with zero at-large hopes, has now given Anthony Grant’s team life after barely losing in the A10 finale. Two blowouts down into the postseason, and they face an opponent coming off a huge win against a power-conference opponent.

Illinois State has looks streaky all season, with stints of true greatness peaking through the cracks of a poor-at-times offense that has never found a true identity. The Redbirds have found success across the board in their past two games with Chase Walker finally becoming the leader that they always needed him to be. This matchup with the Flyers may be their toughest one yet, and it won’t just take another hot shooting night to send the Flyers crashing down.

NIT QUARTERFINALS--Staring at the Floorboards

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• Dayton vs. Illinois State...

Illinois State travels to Dayton for NIT quarterfinals--The Pantagraph
Kinziger’s moment, Pence’s 23 fuel Redbirds as they turn toward Dayton showdown--The Vidette
Redbirds to Battle Flyers in NIT Quarterfinal--goredbirds.com

Redbirds And Wildcats To Square Off Again In WNIT--goredbirds.com

'Smart, humble' Jayson Kent trying to impact games on NBA level with Blazers--Terre Haute Tribune-Star

Saunders named to WBCA Thirty Under 30--gosycamores.com

Ryan Miller earns contract extension following first year at Murray State--WPSD Local 6

Murray State extends new contract to Rechelle Turner--WPSD Local 6

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/23/2026

Belmont basketball retains Brian Ayers, longest standing NCAA assistant at one school--Nashville Tennessean
BREAKING: Brigham Rogers to Enter Transfer Portal--Belmont Vision
Brian Ayers to Remain on Men's Basketball Coaching Staff--belmontbruins.com

Bradley Braves player intends to enter NCAA transfer portal--Peoria Journal Star

National Invitation Tournament: Illinois State Edges Wake Forest and heads to Dayton. --Busting Brackets
Wake Forest Falls in Back-and-Forth Battle in Second Round of the NIT--Sports Illustrated
Johnny Kinziger's 3 propels Illinois State to NIT triumph over Wake Forest--The Pantagraph
Pence and Kinziger Lead Illinois State to NIT Quarterfinals--goredbirds.com

Illinois State women roll past cold-shooting Texas-Rio Grande Valley in WNIT--The Pantagraph
Redbirds lasso Vaqueros in WNIT opener, advance with 27-point victory--The Vidette
Five Redbirds Score In Double Figures In 81-52 Win Over UTRGV--goredbirds.com

Murray State women's basketball reflects on historic season--WPSD Local 6
NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship - Chapel Hill Regional; Racers fall in board game; Maryland uses rebounding edge to end late rally for Murray State--Murray Ledger and Times

UNI’s historic season comes to an end versus St. John’s--Northern Iowan

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/21/2026

3/21/26 NIT NOTES--Staring at the Floorboards

Subscriber Content

• Illinois State vs. Wake Forest...

Illinois State men travel to Wake Forest for second round of NIT--The Pantagraph
Illinois State Mourns the Loss of Hall of Famer Roger Powell--goredbirds.com

Illinois State women open WNIT play at home against Rio Grande Valley--The Pantagraph

UNI Makes its Triumphant Return Tonight, 10 Years Later--Mid-Major Madness
NCAA TOURNAMENT: St. John's overpowers Northern Iowa--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
End of the Campbell Era--Valley Hoops Insider
UNI men’s basketball falls to No. 9 St. John’s in NCAA first round game--unipanthers.com