What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 2/1/2021

The AP voters finally did the right thing on Monday, giving undefeated Drake (16-0) a spot in the Top 25. That came in a week where the Bulldogs won three games, all by single-digits in an impressive display of tenacity.

That effort moved them into the top 10 of The Other Top 25 as well, just five spots behind Loyola University Chicago. The Ramblers are 16th in KenPom and have been dismantling the Valley en route to a 9-1 conference start. Drake and Loyola square off on Feb. 13 and 14 in a pair of must-see games as both teams have a chance to strengthen their at-large arguments.
Here are our full rankings:
The Other Top 25: Week 11

Rank School Record Change Our reasoning

5 Loyola University Chicago 14-3 1 Loyola is up to 16 in KenPom and it's getting kind of funny. Let's see how high the Ramblers can rise simply by bludgeoning opponents in the Valley.
10 Drake 16-0 3 Drake has won close, won big, and everything in between. The Bulldogs FINALLY cracked the AP Poll this week at 25.

Rank	School	Record	Change	Our reasoning
5	Loyola University Chicago	14-3	1	Loyola is up to 16 in KenPom and it's getting kind of funny. Let's see how high the Ramblers can rise simply by bludgeoning opponents in the Valley.
10	Drake	16-0	3	Drake has won close, won big, and everything in between. The Bulldogs FINALLY cracked the AP Poll this week at 25.

Belmont’s Casey Alexander leads group of emerging mid-major coaches--The Athletic

And, hey, one of those lists is coming up right now, as we undertake a mid-major midseason review. Here are nine more coaches who have boosted their stock, in alphabetical order:

Darian DeVries, Drake: Absolutely no one saw a 16-0 start for Drake coming. DeVries won 44 games in his first two seasons with the Bulldogs before this breakout. The Iowa native seems perfectly at home in Des Moines, Iowa, but the 45-year-old former Creighton assistant is on the radar of a lot of power-conference programs.

Dennis Gates, Cleveland State: Gates, a longtime Florida State assistant under Leonard Hamilton, took over a program in turmoil two years ago after the messy dismissal of Dennis Felton’s staff. Following an 11-win first season, the Vikings are leading the Horizon League with a 12-2 conference mark.
Games of the week
(All times ET. AP rankings as of Monday morning. And because this is 2020-21, all games are tentative).
Illinois State at Drake, 7 p.m. Monday, ESPN3. Undefeated watch continues for the Bulldogs in the second game of this back-to-back. Illinois State is 5-11 and 2-8 in the Valley but was a missed free throw away from beating Drake — and a missed layup from sending the game into double OT — on Sunday.
The Mid-Major Top 10
4. Drake (16-0, 7-0 Missouri Valley): There was plenty of drama for the Bulldogs last week as they returned from a coronavirus pause. They trailed by 17 points on Monday at Missouri State in their first game back. Then they ratcheted up the energy in the second half to pull out a 68-61 victory. They completed the impressive road sweep the following night. Then on Sunday, Drake got a big-time scare from Illinois State at home before escaping in overtime. Drake joins Gonzaga and Baylor as the last remaining undefeated teams in Division I; if it can stay that way until the Valentine’s Day weekend series with Loyola Chicago, that would be enormous for the Missouri Valley. LW: 7
7. Loyola Chicago (14-3, 9-1 Missouri Valley): Memo to the selection committee: The Ramblers might lack signature wins. They might have lost to Indiana State. But if this isn’t a tournament team, we’re not sure what is. After completing an impressive road sweep at Bradley, Loyola Chicago blasted Missouri State, 72-46, on the road Sunday. This team is playing as well as anybody in the traditional one-bid leagues. Don’t punish the Ramblers if they don’t claim the Valley autobid. LW: 10

Bradley basketball loses fifth straight in defensive battle at Indiana State--Peoria Journal Star
Braves drop fifth straight in 60-57 loss at Indiana State--Bradley Scout
Braves Fall at Indiana State, 60-57--bradleybraves.com

Gonzaga, Baylor top AP Top 25, Sooners climb, Drake in--College Basketball Talk
News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Sunday, Jan 31st--Hoops HD

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-ILLINOIS STATE AT DRAKE (Missouri Valley). Drake continues to win, and if they win this game they may crack the top 25 tomorrow. Even if they don’t, I think they should be safely inside the bubble at this point. Now, it’ll only take a couple of losses to knock them outside of it, but this is a legit Drake team.

Three teams remain undefeated in college basketball--Zagsblog

No. 1 Gonzaga, No. 2 Baylor and unranked Drake are the three remaining undefeated teams in college basketball after Alabama A&M fell to Prairie View A&M 79-57 on the road Saturday.
Gonzaga and Baylor are both projected as No. 1 seeds in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, while Drake is projected as a No. 9 seed, according to Joe Lunardi’s latest mock bracket released on ESPN Friday.