What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/30/2026

Lets Have a Season! Team Power Rankings 199-100 for 2026 College Basketball Season--Busting Brackets

189. Indiana State Sycamores- Last Season Ranking: 170

Conference: Missouri Valley

Head Coach: Matthew Graves (3rd season)

Player to know: Karmoni Gregory

It's hard to fathom a Sycamores team that dominated the Valley for so long becoming one of the league's worst teams. Year 3 under coach Graves may have the special sauce, though. It is the best roster he's had, and there are finally shooters. Indiana State is still a long way from the NCAA Tournament, but they should be much improved in the Valley in 2026-2027.

186. Southern Illinois Salukis- Last Season Ranking: 136

Conference: Missouri Valley

Head Coach: Scott Nagy (3rd season)

Player to know: Jalen Haynes

The Salukis are in a transitional rebuild under head coach Scott Nagy; every team going through a new coach has to do that. Southern Illinois is in good hands, though, as their head coach is a program builder and has made the NCAA Tournament multiple times at every stop. In this case, for the Salukis, it's when, not if, but that when, won't be in 2026-2027. The roster is young and likely finishes in the middle of the MVC pack.

166. Bradley Braves- Last Season Ranking: 109

Conference: Missouri Valley

Head Coach: Brian Wardle (12th season)

Player to know: Xander Alarie

The Braves have become a consistent Valley contender every season. Coach Wardle has guided Bradley to only one NCAA Tournament appearance, but his teams are always in the mix because he gets the absolute most out of his roster. The 2026-2027 roster has many players with little Division I experience but an extremely high ceiling. Trust Wardle to finish near the top of the Valley again.

145. Drake Bulldogs- Last Season Ranking: 121

Conference: Missouri Valley

Head Coach: Eric Henderson (2nd season)

Player to know: Owen Larson

Drake had a tough year, and it was the first time the Bulldogs had not had a winning record in 7 years. The defense was terrible, and Drake didn't have nearly enough good players. Coach Henderson hopes year 2 will be much better than the first. There are a lot of question marks on the 2026-2027 roster, but it is hard to see them not improving a little bit. Drake is still a middle-of-the-pack Valley team.

143. Valparaiso Beacons- Last Season Ranking: 283

Conference: Missouri Valley

Head Coach: Roger Powell (4th season)

Player to know: JT Pettigrew

Valpo had a surprising season last year, winning 18 games and finishing in the middle of the Valley. The 2025-2026 season hopefully won't be a one-off, since the Beacons have a good portion of their roster back from last year.   The returners include 3 out of the top 5 scorers from last season. Valpo will be a factor in the Valley this year.

140. Belmont Bruins- Last Season Ranking: 124

Conference: Missouri Valley

Head Coach: Evan Bradds (1st season)

Player to know: Jack Smiley

Belmont was the Missouri Valley regular-season champion last year but lost in the conference tournament and did not make the NCAA Tournament. The icing on the cake for the Bruins was that former coach Casey Alexander left for Kansas State, leaving the program in the hands of Evan Bradds.  Bradds was one of the best Belmont players ever and also coached at Duke. He knows how to win, and the Bruins won't drop off much.

138. Northern Iowa Panthers- Last Season Ranking: 115

Conference: Missouri Valley

Head Coach: Kyle Green (1st season)

Player to know: Greyson Uelman

Ben Jacobson is off to Utah State, and the Panthers hired former assistant coach Kyle Green. Green isn't going to change how the reigning Missouri Valley Conference tournament champions play overall. Northern Iowa will still play smothering defense, and it will likely be one of the best units in the sport. The pace will increase from one of the slowest in the country, but not much. The Panthers will always be relevant in the Valley.

126. Illinois State Redbirds-Last Season Ranking: 132

Conference: Missouri Valley

Head Coach: Ryan Pedon (5th season)

Player to know: Chase Walker

The Redbirds have been trending up over the last couple of seasons and have finished near the top of the Missouri Valley. The NCAA Tournament is the next step in Illinois State's rebuild. The 2026-2027 roster is built to win; it has the stars who have been in the system, and Coach Pedon has filled the rest of the roster with excellent role players, making the Redbirds one of the favorites in the Valley.

Recapping this summer's mid-major roster construction--Basket Under Review

The big man exodus

By my count, power conference teams added 65 bigs or combo forwards from mid-major teams this offseason. I don't have a historical database on this, but I'd imagine it is nearing the most ever.

Last season, teams that won the paint and the rebounding battle dominated, prompting programs with substantial resources to invest heavily in frontcourt players to emulate that style. As Evan Miyakawa researched this summer, market demand for bigs was by far the highest relative to value of any position on the floor.

I want to use the Missouri Valley as an example here. These are the advanced stats of the 10 big men with the most D-I experience under their belts coming into last season, sorted by PER (Valparaiso didn't have any bigs with D-I experience).

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196: Belmont University Men's Basketball Head Coach Evan Bradds--Full Court Network

Evansville completes exhibition slate with 73-41 win over Wabash--gopurpleaces.com

Sycamores must take care of ball against Charlotte--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
SEASON PREVIEW: New Indiana State edition bigger, with more potential, Graves believes--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Indiana State set to open 2026-27 season against Charlotte--gosycamores.com

Murray State Banking on Defense and Toughness--Valley Hoops Insider

Racers Top Coach and Player of the Year Watchlists--Valley Hoops Insider
Murray State's Rechelle Turner named to Mid-Major Coach of the Year preseason watch list--WPSD Local 6
Murray State women's basketball ranked No. 6 in preseason Mid-Major Top 25--WPSD Local 6
Sharnecce Currie-Jelks stands alone among mid-majors on Lisa Leslie Award watch list--WPSD Local 6

CHALLENGED: UNI will learn a ton from exhibition win over Upper Iowa--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
Panther men’s basketball rallies to top Upper Iowa in preseason exhibition--unipanthers.com

Salukis try to unleash hell on opponents--Southern Illinoisan

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/29/2026

Men’s college basketball predictions for 2026-27: Final Four, national champion and more--The Athletic

What is the most interesting mid-major team in the country?

Murray State

Coach Ryan Miller managed to hold onto Roman Domon, a French wing who won Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year last season. He’s surrounded Domon with a talented core, and the Racers are poised to be the next scary team to come out of the Valley. — Moore

Belmont

For the first time since 1985, the Bruins won’t be coached by Rick Byrd or Casey Alexander. They kept it in the family, tabbing Evan Bradds to take over for Alexander. Bradds has never been a head coach, but he has a great reputation and the look of a future star. The Bruins lost a lot of talent — as usual — so we don’t know a ton about how they’ll look on the floor. The guess here is they will shoot well (shocking, I know) and find a way to finish in the top four of the MVC. — Light

The Basket Under Review Staff's "My Guys & Teams" for 2026-2027--Basket Under Review

Trilly Donovan

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2026-27: Belmont Bruins

Some might call this a biased pick because of our recently announced content partnership with the school. Well, yes, but also this team could be really good! I really liked what I saw from the Bruins squad in their exhibition against Duke. They move the ball well on offense, force turnovers on defense and everyone on the floor can shoot. Evan Bradds has a bright future ahead of him as a head coach and should find success early on in the Missouri Valley.

Lukas Harkins

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2026-27: Illinois State Redbirds

Both Chase Walker and Johnny Kinziger saw their scoring averages dip as juniors last year, but Illinois State took another step forward under head coach Ryan Pedon. The Redbirds have improved their KenPom finish from the year prior in each of Pedon's four years, and bringing back Walker and Kinziger for their fourth year together offers hope for another leap. The new group around them includes two other familiar faces to the MVC in Bradley transfer Demarion Burch and Missouri State transfer Zaxton King, as well as Malik Messina-Moore and Noah Cleveland. Illinois State made massive strides defensively last season; if its offense can rediscover itself, with a sophomore breakout from Mason Klabo helping, the Redbirds can be dangerous.

Jim Root

My Guys of 2026-2027:

• Jack Smiley (Belmont): A couple of Smiley's standout performances last year (see: torching Murray State on the road) had me on board his hype train. He's a skilled lefty who can score or create, boasting a lethal jumper and a pristine 2.2 A/TO ratio as a freshman. But then he got the Joey Dwyer profile treatment, and I am now the hype train's conductor.

Rocco Miller

My Guys of 2026-2027:

• Trevon Payton (Bradley): Payton will take the leap from Arkansas-Pine Bluff to Bradley, which is no small task. But with him, he brings one of the most effective FG% known to college basketball for a player 6-5 and under and returning from last year. This bodes well when combining forces with the great Brian Wardle. Wardle has one fewer player to worry about when it comes to taking great shots, a hallmark of Braves basketball.

In Layman's Terms Podcast | Rocco Miller--belmontbruins.com

'They have to listen': How an exhibition loss might help Bradley Braves basketball get message--Peoria Journal Star
Five takeaways from Bradley’s exhibition vs. SIUE--The Bradley Scout

A healthy Owen Larson key for Drake basketball | Hines--Des Moines Register

Drake Women Defeat Ranked Division II Bulldog Foe in Exhibition Contest--godrakebulldogs.com

SIU MEN'S BB: Salukis try to break the cycle--Southern Illinoisan

ESPN 4 Star Recruit commits to Valpo--The Valpo Vault
Men's Basketball to Tip Off 2026-27 Season on Monday--valpoathletics.com

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/28/2026

Five Missouri Valley Conference storylines for the 2026-27 season--Mid-Major Madness
The Men’s Other Top 25: Saint Louis starts at the top--Mid-Major Madness

Men’s Other Top 25 Full Rankings

Ranking	Team (First-Place Votes)	Points
17	Murray St.	46
21	Belmont	29

Others receiving votes: Illinois Chicago 22; Liberty 20; UNC Wilmington 19; Yale 19; Furman 18; Tulsa 17; Illinois St. 16; UC Irvine 16; UNLV 12; Charlotte 8; Wyoming 7; South Alabama 7; Vermont 6; North Texas 4; Charleston 3; Montana St. 2; San Diego 2; LIU 2; UMBC 2; Utah Valley 1; Siena 1

Drake WBB's Brooklin Dailey blocked for her QB brother Jaxon Dailey--Des Moines Register

College Basketball 2026-27 season Team Rankings: Sorting out the sport's middle tier--Busting Brackets

264. Evansville Purple Aces- Last Season Ranking: 248

Conference: Missouri Valley

Head Coach: David Ragland (5th season)

Player to know: AJ Casey

Evansville is going through a never-ending rebuild, largely because the Aces haven't been able to get anyone on campus who can put the ball in the hole. Coach Ragland likes to play slow, but the offense he runs is inefficient; teams still win with a low-scoring offense. The problem was the complete lack of defense. Evansville is young and doesn't have much to fix the defense. Another year at the bottom of the Valley.

A look at Evansville men’s basketball entering Year 5 under David Ragland--Evansville Courier & Press
Men’s basketball set for final exhibition--gopurpleaces.com

SEASON PREVIEW: Indiana State women better defensively, coach Mitchell believes--Terre Haute Tribune-Star

Murray State men's basketball shifts focus to season opener against Tennessee State--WPSD Local 6

The Women’s Other Top 25: Fairfield is unanimous No. 1--Mid-Major Madness

Murray State followed at No. 7. The Racers won the Missouri Valley with a 19-1 conference and 31-4 overall record. They have their top four scorers back: Halli Poock (22.5 ppg, 4.3 apg), Sharnecce Currie-Jelks (17.4 ppg, 11.7 rpg), Haven Ford (17 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.7 apg) and Keslyn Secrist (13 ppg, 6.4 rpg).

Women’s Other Top 25 Full Ranking

Ranking	Team	Points
7	Murray St.	33

Murray State women turn attention to next weeks season opener--WPSD Local 6
Three Murray State players named to Becky Hammon Award watch list--WPSD Local 6

UNI men’s basketball ready for new era--Northern Iowan

UNI’s Women’s basketball embraces young team--Northern Iowan

How to Watch Illinois Basketball vs UIC Exhibition Game--Sports Illustrated
Live Game Thread, Updates for Illinois Basketball vs. UIC Exhibition--Sports Illustrated

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/27/2026

The Ultimate 2026–27 Men’s College Basketball Rankings, From Worst to First--Sports Illustrated 

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.

Where each MVC Basketball head coach ranks nationally for 2026-27 season--Busting Brackets
Matt Norlander's Top 100 And 1 college basketball teams: CBS Sports' preseason rankings for 2026-27--CBS Sports

82. Murray State

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.

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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.

Bradley men's basketball to host SIUE in preseason exhibition--bradleybraves.com

Former Ankeny Centennial star Mya Crawford healthy, ready to help Drake--Des Moines Register

Nevaeh Thomas returns in grand fashion to help Illinois State women to exhibition win--The Pantagraph
Illinois State rides 34-point third quarter in exhibition win over SIUE--The Vidette
Third-Quarter Outburst Propels Illinois State To Exhibition Win Over SIUE--goredbirds.com

Indiana State's Graves looks back on exhibition contests--Terre Haute Tribune-Star

The Murray State Racers Could be Special: Season Preview--Bracket Busters
Mid-Major Madness Reacts Survey: Which mid-major game on opening day are you most looking forward to?--Mid-Major Madness

Murray State vs. Tennessee State

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.

Murray State's Domon ready for breakout sophomore season--WPSD Local 6

GET TESTED: Green excited to see UNI in action against Upper Iowa--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
Panther men’s basketball faces Upper Iowa in exhibition--unipanthers.com

YOUNG AND HUNGRY: UNI to lean on trio to lead young roster--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/26/2026

Allie Myers finds peace and playing time after transferring to Drake--Des Moines Register

Evansville Rallies Amid Loss of Teammate--Valley Hoops Insider

The Basket Under Review Podcast: S2E16 - Mid-Major Preview--Basket Under Review

On the latest episode of The Basket Under Review Podcast, Eamonn Brennan and Will Warren preview the mid-majors.

1:41:54 Murray State

News On The Horizon 10/25/2026

MVC’s New Dean Likes His Team – Post SLU Exhibition--Valley Hoops Insider

Illinois State falls in exhibition matchup with Green Bay--The Pantagraph

Redbirds Set To Host SIUE In Lone Exhibition Contest--goredbirds.com

Indiana State men's basketball withstands Rose's hot start to win exhibition--Terre Haute Tribune-Star

Southern Falls 82-75 in Exhibition Finale--siusalukis.com

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/24/2026

2026-27 Missouri Valley Men’s Basketball Conference Preview--Mid-Major Madness

Meet the Valley: 11 Teams to Know--Valley Hoops Insider

Evan Bradds coached in the NBA and at Duke before turning 32, and now Belmont's future is in his hands--Busting Brackets
The coaches behind the coaches: 10 college basketball assistants who deserve more recognition--Busting Brackets

9. Brian Ayers, Belmont

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.

Scout Team: Meet Belmont head coach Evan Bradds--Basket Under Review

How Bradley Braves men's basketball fared in exhibition vs Saint Louis Billikens--Peoria Journal Star

Five takeaways from Bradley women’s basketball’s exhibition against North Central--The Bradley Scout

Five forgotten college basketball seasons that were more remarkable than most fans realize--Busting Brackets

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.

3 takeaways from Drake women's basketball media day--Des Moines Register
Mylea Monahan ready to make long-awaited Drake debut--Des Moines Register

When college basketball shocked the world: 10 regular-season upsets that still seem impossible--Busting Brackets

2. Evansville 67, Kentucky 64 (November 12, 2019)

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.

Aces Open 2026-27 Season with Exhibition Against IU East--gopurpleaces.com

Illinois State falls to Green Bay in second exhibition match--The Vidette
Redbirds Fall in Exhibition Finale--goredbirds.com

Heralded freshman adjusting well for Illinois State women's basketball--The Pantagraph

Engineers expect tall task in 'big, talented' Sycamores on Saturday--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Sycamores close out exhibition season with win over Rose-Hulman--gosycamores.com

Which mid-majors have the most expensive rosters?--Mid-Major Madness

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.

Rauf Report: Five Mid-Majors to Monitor--Basket Under Review

Murray State Racers

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]

Roman Domon leads Murray State's comeback win over FIU to finish exhibition play 3-0--WPSD Local 6
Racer men use foul line to overcome FIU in final preseason game--Murray Ledger and Times
Second Half Effort Pulls Racers Past FIU--goracers.com

Murray State women take lessons from early scrimmages into final preseason test--WPSD Local 6

Salukis charge into 2026-27 season--The Daily Egyptian
Southern Faces Tennessee Tech in Final Tune-up Before Regular Season--siusalukis.com

Saluki Women create chaos in exhibition win--Southern Illinoisan
Salukis Defeat Panthers in Exhibition--siusalukis.com