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.
Despite all of these factors going against mid-major programs, we’ve
had some incredible stories developing over the last couple of weeks.
Some players, key players to be exact, are sticking to their oaths and
staying with their coaches to build something at their programs. We
aren’t just talking about programs like Utah State who have
significantly more resources than the average team. Programs like UIC,
Vermont, Valparaiso, Evansville, Austin Peay, Illinois State, and many
more have been able to retain at least one of their key players for next
season despite the fact there is no doubt they would have made more
money else where.
Let’s dive into who’s sticking with their team for next season.
Missouri Valley
Photo: Valpo Athletics
The
Missouri Valley as a whole is doing a great job of retaining talent.
I’ll state the fact that if you are a Bradley fan reading this…I’m
sorry.
Illinois State announced that both Johnny Kinziger and Chase Walker
would both be returning to the Redbirds next season. Walker averaged
13.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 54.5% overall
and 29% from three-point. Kinziger averaged 11.5 points, 2.5 rebounds,
3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 40% overall and 33% from
three-point.
The Redbirds went on a run to the NIT
Semifinals and while they ultimately lost Ty’Reek Coleman to the portal,
retaining their top two players in both Walker and Kinziger is going to
position them well to be one of the top favorites in the Missouri
Valley entering next season.
The UIC Flames fired off a series of posts announcing that players would be returning including the following: Mekhi Lowery, Rashund Washington Jr., Jayce Nathaniel, Andy Johnson, and Ahmad Henderson II.
While they lost their leading scorer Elijah Crawford, they returning
their next four top offensive pieces. Just as a friendly reminder, the
Flames went on a run in Arch Madness to reach the Championship where
they fell to Northern Iowa.
Lowery averaged 8.1 points,
5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 steals. Washington Jr. averaged 8.7
points and five rebounds. Johnson averaged 11.2 points, 3.5 rebounds,
and 1.7 assists. Henderson II averaged 12 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.3
assists. Nathaniel averaged 6.2 points and 4.5 rebounds.
Similar
to UIC, Valparaiso also released several “I’m Back” graphics to
announce the return of some key players. The full list includes: Justus McNair, JT Pettigrew, Rakim Chaney, Sader Servilus, and Carter Hopoi.
The Beacons showed a lot of improvement this season and Roger Powell
has now been able to retain some of their key players to build up for
next sesaon where they are most likely going to be a threat in the
Missouri Valley.
McNair averaged 7.9 points, 1.8 rebounds,
and one assist. Chaney averaged 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists,
and 1.4 steals. Pettigrew averaged 12.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8
assists. Servilus averaged 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds. Hopoi averaged
3.8 points and 1.8 assists.
Evansville had a rough season, but one of their bright spots came from AJ Casey.
Casey previously played on the Miami Hurricanes squad that went to the
Final Four and he’s battled injuries throughout his career. He had his
first full opportunity last year and he took advantage. He averaged 13.5
points, 5.9 rebounds, two assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 51.1%
overall and 33.9% from beyond the arc. He continuously improved
throughout the season and was a large reason why the Aces were able to
compete in conference more strongly over the last month or so of the
season. Many assumed that he’d hit the portal, but instead he announced
that he’ll be returning.
Freshman Bryce Quinet
was another bright spot for the Aces as he averaged 8.7 points, 2.1
rebounds, 2.4 assists, and one steal per game while shooting 40.9%
overall and 30.3% from three-point. He showed a lot of promise as a
freshman, including some strong performances in conference play against
Bradley, SIU, and Valpo. Similarly, I figured he’d hit the portal, but
he elected to return with Casey.
The Aces also retained
redshirt freshman Aaron Gutman and freshman James Dyson-Merwe. They
still have a long way to go to build a roster that can compete in the
Missouri Valley, but being able to retain two strong players in both
Casey and Quinet should at least spark some hope for Evansville fans.
Jaquan Johnson, 5-foot-11 sophomore guard, Bradley to Iowa State
The reigning MVC Defensive Player of the Year is heading to a program
known for its consistent greatness on that end of the floor. Nicknamed
“Bully” for his hard-nosed, physical style, Johnson and Iowa State are a
match made in heaven. The scrappy guard stepped into Bradley’s
starting lineup this season and averaged 16.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.6
assists and 2.5 steals while shooting 38.3 percent from three. He should
assume a prominent role on the Cyclones alongside returning guard
Killyan Toure, helping to fill the massive void left by Tamin Lipsey’s
graduation.
I’m a big fan of elevating assistant coaches, so I commend Northern Iowa for
doing the right thing after Ben Jacobson left for Utah State. Green
previously worked at UNI for two years under Greg McDermott, which was the
first of four stints he had as an assistant there. Prior to rejoining
Jacobson’s staff last year, Green spent five years working for T.J.
Otzelberger at Iowa State, so he knows about building a winning culture.
Northern Iowa is one of the most stable mid-major programs in the country
(Jacobson was the head coach there for 20 years before he left for Utah
State.) This should be a seamless transition.
7. Casey Alexander, Kansas State
This was a solid choice for the Wildcats following their messy divorce from
Jerome Tang. While Tang was hired off of Scott Drew’s bench and had never
been a college head coach before, Alexander brings a long track record of
winning during his 15 years as the head coach at Stetson, Lipscomb and
Belmont. There are plenty of high-rolling donors who are prepared to help
Alexander build his roster.
Here's a look at three freshmen who had standout seasons last year, backed
by the data:
Roman Domon, Murray State
Bradley’s Ahmet Jonovic, left, defends against Murray State’s Roman
Domon in the first half of their MVC college basketball game Sunday,
March 1, 2026 at Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves defeated the Racers
87-78. | MATT DAYHOFF/JOURNAL STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Domon had an incredible freshman season for Murray State, as he
averaged
14.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while
shooting
64%
at the rim (89 attempts), 44.1% on non-rim twos (68 attempts), 36.8% from
beyond the arc (114 attempts), and 76.8% from the free throw line (220
attempts). Additionally, the 6-foot-9 guard had a knack for getting to the
line, recording a very high .812 free-throw rate.
Domon's season wasn't just statistically impressive, it was actually
query-hitting good. He met the
Efficient Tall Freshman query: 41 of the 60 players (68%) who have met the criteria played five-plus
years in the NBA or are currently in the league.
Something to keep in mind , especially in regards to the query, is that
Roman Domon played professional basketball overseas prior to joining college
basketball but was deemed a “freshman” by the NCAA due to keeping his
amateur status and the “delayed enrollment” rule.
It has been
reported
that Domon will be returning to Murray State for his sophomore season.
Fortunately for Iowa State, two of the five players coming on visits are
perfect options to be the Cyclones’ next star player.
The first one is
Jaquan Johnson, a sophomore guard who played for the Bradley Braves. Johnson has been
incredible. He averaged 16.9 points per game in his sophomore year and added
3.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Jaquan Johnson would be ideal Tamin Lipsey replacement
Bradley's Jaquan Johnson celebrates a Belmont turnover late in the
overtime period of their college basketball game Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 at
Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves defeated the Bruins 95-84. | MATT
DAYHOFF/JOURNAL STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
He had three 30+ point games last season, with his best game coming against
the Belmont Bruins in an overtime victory over the conference leaders.
Johnson perfectly fits the mold to be the star player of Iowa State for the
future. He’s a dynamic guard, one who can score with ease. Also, he can
rebound the ball to an extent, as well as dish the ball out like a point
guard.
Sometimes, players move up a level and really slow down, but there is reason
to believe that Johnson won’t slow down and continue at a similar pace with
the Cyclones.
Note: Players from the Mountain West and Atlantic 10 were not considered
for this article
Tyler Lundblade, Belmont
The reigning Missouri Valley Conference player of the year was one of the
top shooters available in the portal. The former walk-on made 40.6% of his
3-pointers despite having a high shooting volume, with 8.8 attempts per game
from beyond the arc. As a graduate transfer, the 6-foot-5 Texas native
didn’t even have to wait for the portal to open before deciding on his next
stop, signing with Rick Barnes and Tennessee on April 2.
Jaquan Johnson, Bradley
Johnson took an enormous leap from his freshman to his sophomore season,
improving his scoring average from 6.6 to 16.9 points per game to help him
earn first-team All-MVC honors. He is only 5-foot-11, which could cause some
problems against bigger, more athletic competition in a major conference,
but his all-around production is impressive, with 3.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists
and 2.6 steals per game. He was named the MVC most improved player and made
the league’s all-defensive team.
Drew Scharnowski, Belmont
The 6-foot-9 Scharnowski, the No. 50 player in USA TODAY’s portal rankings,
was a first-team all-MVC selection after averaging 10.7 points, six rebounds
and 2.6 assists per game as a sophomore for a Bruins team that went 26-6. He
was a strong presence down low, too, with 1.3 blocks per game. It’s possible
he follows former Belmont coach Casey Alexander to Kansas State, but the
Wildcats won’t be alone in vying for his services.
Nicknamed “Bully” for his hard-nosed, scrappy style, Johnson stepped
into Bradley’s starting lineup this season and thrived, averaging 16.9
points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.5 steals while shooting 38.3
percent from behind the arc. He was named the MVC Defensive Player of
the Year and became the first Brave since 1990-91 to record at least
three games of 30-plus points.
NORTHERN IOWA SWEEPS CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON AND TOURNAMENT TITLES
Man, another close one!
UNI was dominant in its run through the Missouri Valley Tournament and,
if wasn't dealing with injuries in January, may have cruised through
the regular season as well. Instead, a five-game losing stream in
January sent them from being in the mix of the title race to the No. 6
seed in the tournament.
Trey Campbell - Men's Basketball Campbell
closed out his collegiate basketball career with a strong performance
in March, averaging 15.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game
in the final six games of the season, which included the Panthers' run
to the MVC Tournament title and the program's first NCAA Tournament
appearance since 2016. Named to First Team All-MVC and a member of the
MVC All-Defensive Team at the end of the regular season, as well as the
Doug Elgin Most Outstanding Player of the MVC Tournament, Campbell
scored in double figures in all five of UNI's postseason games,
including 23 points against both Evansville and UIC in the conference
tournament.
UNI’s new head men’s basketball coach Kyle Green | Julia Hansen/Iowa
City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The college basketball coaching carousel continues to move
quickly, especially with the added pressure of the transfer portal
and NIL.
While the biggest hires
tend to get most of the attention, there are several moves this
cycle that could end up being just as important over time.
These are the types of hires that may not make headlines right
away but could lead to steady improvement and long-term success.
Here are five under-the-radar head coaching hires worth paying
attention to.:
Kyle Green offers familiarity and stability at Northern Iowa
Kyle Green is a familiar name for the Northern Iowa Panthers,
having spent multiple stints with the program before returning as
head coach. That familiarity should help maintain continuity while
still allowing for some adjustments.
His recent experience with the Iowa State Cyclones also gives him
exposure to a high-major environment, which could influence
recruiting and style of play moving forward.
Several UE and USI players already announced their
intention, either via their individual social media accounts, agents or
reputable news sources, to enter the transfer portal. Here is the
current list for all four programs, which will be updated throughout the
offseason.
Evansville men's basketball
Joshua Hughes: The 6-10 junior forward averaged 9.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 32 games.
Kaia Berridge: The 6-4 sophomore guard averaged two points in 28 games.
Marlon Barnes Jr.:
The 6-6 redshirt sophomore forward appeared in just three games and
averaged two points. Barnes came to Evansville after a year at
Pittsburgh.
Connor Turnbull:
The 6-10 senior forward averaged 11.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4
blocks in 16 games but was limited by injuries. All-MVC Defensive Player
of the Year in 2025.
Weston Aigner: The 6-3 junior guard saw limited minutes in five games before a season-ending injury.
Leif Moeller: The 6-7 freshman guard averaged 10.8 points, 4.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 32 games during his lone season in Evansville.
Evansville women's basketball
Camryn Runner: The 5-8 sophomore guard led the Purple Aces
with 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Played a major role in
guiding Evansville to the Missouri Valley Conference tournament
championship game. All-MVC Second Team.
Kylee Norkus: The 5-10 sophomore guard averaged 3.6 points and 2.6 assists in 31 games.
Sydney Huber: The 6-0 freshman guard averaged 8.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in 35 games. All-MVC Freshman Team.
Elle Snyder:
In 35 games, Snyder averaged 3.8 points and 5.4 rebounds for
Evansville. Snyder, a 5-9 sophomore guard, spent each of her first two
seasons with the Purple Aces.
Georgia Ferguson: The 6-3 freshman forward averaged 5.1 points and 2.6 rebounds in 35 games.
Georgia Cox: The 6-4 sophomore forward averaged 6.2 points and two rebounds in 35 games.
Logan Luebbers Palmer: The 5-9 sophomore guard averaged 10.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 18 games before an injury ended her season.
BreAunna Ward: The 5-10 freshman guard averaged 6.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in 35 games.
Jelena Savic: The 5-11 freshman guard averaged 5.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 35 games.
