What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/31/2022

101 Things Defining the Men’s College Basketball Offseason--Sports Illustrated

The 10 big story lines of 2022–23:

100. The backdrop of realignment. Conference realignment’s impact on the 2022–23 season will be relatively limited at the highest levels of the sport: The most notable movement comes with Loyola Chicago heading to the Atlantic 10 and Murray State, Belmont and UIC joining the Missouri Valley.

NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Alaska of last decade--Busting Brackets
Truth vs. 'big rumors': Which colleges are recruiting this Metamora basketball star?--Peoria Journal Star

Watch now: St. Joseph-Ogden basketball standout Ty Pence commits to Illinois State--The Pantagraph
Ty Pence latest to commit to ISU men's basketball program for 2023-24 season--The Vidette

ISU's Kent finds the home he wanted all along--Terre Haute Tribune Star

Portal Report: Murray State Is Racing Through the Portal--The Portal Report
Racers wrap up summer workouts--WPSD Local 6
Racers To Meet Texas A&M In Myrtle Beach Invitational--goracers.com

Can the UIC Flames 'heat up' in the Valley?--Southern Illinoisan

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/25/2022

Pedon, coaching staff double down on regional recruiting--The Vidette

MVC Notebook | Kupec packed a lot of work into 10 months--Southern Illinoisan

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/24/2022

Watch now: Get to know the numerous transfers who will impact MVC basketball race--The Pantagraph

Men's Basketball Earns NABC Academic Awards--belmontbruins.com
J.J. Mann Signs Deal in Germany--belmontbruins.com

Region natives Roman Penn and D.J. Wilkins ready to help Drake in run for MVC crown--NWI Times

Watch now: Illinois State's Liam McChesney proud to represent native Canada in tournament before rejoining Redbirds--The Pantagraph

ISU's Martin wants his game to do the talking--Terre Haute Tribune Star

With Racers, MVC gain top teams, fan base--Southern Illinoisan

SIU Men's Basketball | Mullins' approach to portal was intentional--Southern Illinoisan

SIU Women's Basketball | Promise Taylor: A name, a metaphor--Southern Illinoisan
Four Additions Round out Women's Basketball Staff--siusalukis.com

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/18/2022

First day of class for MVC newbies--Terre Haute Tribune Star
MVC Men's Basketball | Valley hopes for multiple NCAA Tournament bids--Southern Illinoisan
MVC Notebook | 20-game Valley schedule forces adjustments--Southern Illinoisan

Belmont men’s basketball prepares for MVC debut--Belmont Vision

Sports mailbag: Bradley basketball, prep awards, Rivermen sellouts and soccer support--Peoria Journal Star

Evansville's David Ragland talks team hopes during Missouri Valley Conference roundtable--Evansville Courier & Press
Sammy Dowd named UE men’s basketball graduate assistant--gopurpleaces.com

Aces add Irene Hernanz Pacios to talented 2022-23 squad--gopurpleaces.com

Watch now: Two MVC basketball games before Christmas forcing teams to be ready early--The Pantagraph

#125 Indiana State Men's Basketball 2022-2023 Preview--College Sports Madness
The buck stopped here: Truman State transfers McKnight, Miller working to make their mark--Terre Haute Tribune Star

What Missouri State basketball coach Dana Ford said about overhauled roster, recruiting approach--Springfield news-leader

Murray State continuing growth during summer--WPSD Local 6
Prohm: ‘We just need to be Murray State’ in The Valley--Murray Ledger & Times

UNI men’s basketball notes: MVC ‘very comfortable’ with 12 teams after realignment--Cedar Rapids Gazette
Jacobson sees big things for former Panthers in NBA Summer League--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
Pieces in place on the court for Panthers in coming season--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
Jacobson gives update on returning big man’s status ahead of 2022-23 basketball season--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier

SIU Men's Basketball | Rupert: 'It can happen to anybody'--Southern Illinoisan

Valparaiso men's basketball, Matt Lottich seek continuity in 2022-23--NWI Times
The Way Back--The Victory Bell

MVC Men's Basketball Coaches Teleconference (July 14, 2022)--The Missouri Valley

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/13/2022

Watch now: Colton Sandage, Seneca Knight trying to make most of one-and-done season with Illinois State--The Pantagraph

Brugmann Joins Bears Strength and Conditioning Staff--missouristatebears.com
Cook Inks Professional Deal with French League Squad--missouristatebears.com

Doughty picks Valparaiso--The Victory Bell

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/12/2022

MVC Notebook | UIC coach knows plenty about Valley; SIU volleyball starts season at home--Southern Illinoisan

Ben Davis' Zane Doughty is a raw prospect. He thinks Valparaiso will get best out of him.--Indy Star

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/9/2022

Belmont makes remarkable rise to MVC--Southern Illinoisan

How North graduate Cameron Gehlhausen landed on the Evansville men's basketball team--Evansville Courier & Press

Watch now: Scott Gillespie promoted to associate head coach of ISU women's basketball--The Pantagraph
Scott Gillespie Promoted to Associate Head Coach--goredbirds.com

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/7/2022

Missouri Valley Basketball: Ranking incoming 2022 recruiting classes--Busting Brackets

SIU Men's Basketball | Jones, Salukis want to make some noise--Southern Illinoisan

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/6/2022

Belmont officially departs OVC, joins Missouri Valley Conference--Belmont Vision
New Era--belmont.prestosports.com

Everything we know about the University of Evansville men's basketball schedule--Evansville Courier & Press

Watch now: Paige Robinson, newcomers to play key roles for Illinois State women's basketball--The Pantagraph

COLLEGE ROUNDUP: LaRavia scores 13 in NBA Summer League debut--Terre Haute Tribune Star

Texas Tech, Wichita State among men’s college basketball transfer portal losers--The Athletic

Steve Prohm returns to Murray State with a roster that’ll look very different from the one last season. (William Purnell / USA Today)

Brian Hamilton: Murray State

A program that wins on autopilot shouldn’t fret too much about losing a chunk of talent to the portal under normal circumstances. These are not normal circumstances. Murray State joins the Missouri Valley Conference for the 2022-23 season, leveling up in competition and navigating an unfamiliar landscape … after the top half of its roster was effectively lopped off with departures. Tevin Brown, the Racers’ second-leading scorer, turned pro and went undrafted. But that sort of thing happens. What usually doesn’t happen is losing two other starters and a sixth man, all to the same program, in a calculated mass exodus. That’s how K.J. Williams (18 points per game), Justice Hill (13.4 ppg) and Trae Hannibal (9.2 ppg in 21.9 minutes per night) became LSU Tigers.

We can’t totally cast Matt McMahon as a villain here; the LSU roster situation was as grim as imaginable after his arrival. In order to field anything resembling a competitive team or merely survive Year 1 of the rebuild in Baton Rouge — in order to have enough players to play, even — it makes sense that McMahon re-recruited the top talent he left behind. Tough business, this college basketball. Murray State has been reminded of this the hard way.

And speaking of hard ways: The Racers make their MVC debut with one — one! — scholarship player returning from 2021-22. The confluence of realignment and a roster evisceration couldn’t be worse. I’d bet on the program steadying itself eventually. There’s too much winning infrastructure here, and Steve Prohm know how to maximize it, having done it before. But for now? It’s multiple bitter pills to swallow in Murray.

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/5/2022

Monumental Day in the Valleys--Valley Hoops Insider

Schertz Adds Brett Putz as Special Assistant--gosycamores.com

Who is on Beth Cunningham's first Missouri State Lady Bears roster so far?--Springfield News-Leader

It’s Official – The Racers are Missouri Valley Conference Members--goracers.com

NBA Draft 2022: Examining best undrafted free agents who could make an early impact--Heat Check CBB

AJ Green, Northern Iowa

Guard | Signed with the Milwaukee Bucks (Two-Way)

AJ Green had collegiate eligibility remaining, with most pundits believing a transfer to either Iowa State or Duke was in the cards this offseason. Yet, the Northern Iowa product chose to spurn another year in college in favor of the NBA Draft process. He played well at the G League Elite Camp in May but was unable to turn it into a draft selection. Nonetheless, he has already found a spot with the Milwaukee Bucks on a two-way contract.

Green’s calling card is his elite 3-point shooting ability. He has always been one of the best shooters for his age group dating back to being a top 100 recruit out of high school. That continued throughout college. Elite free-throw shooting also backs up his reputation in this department: 

Green won the Missouri Valley’s Player of the Year award as a sophomore while averaging 19.7 points per game. After missing almost all of 2020-21 with an injury, he returned this past season to once again win the award. He is simply hardwired to score, especially from beyond the arc. Green attempted over 7.5 3-pointers per game – hitting over 38 percent – during his last two seasons.

The Bucks recently tested this route of securing an experienced shooting threat from a non-power conference when it selected Sam Merrill in the 2020 draft. That did not quite work out, but the system fit makes sense. Milwaukee wants to space the floor the best it can around Giannis Antetokounmpo. Green boasts an elite skill with his flamethrowing shooting ability. If his athleticism and defense can hold up at the next level, he could land as a reserve. Green will also be nearly three years younger at the start of this season than Merrill was for his rookie year.

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/3/2022

Watch now: Illinois State basketball team gains 'big' commitment from Chase Walker of Ohio--The Pantagraph

With USC, UCLA moving to Big Ten, how will wave of conference realignment impact Missouri State?--Springfield News-Leader

Murray State picks up commitment from 2023 forward John McCrear--WPSD Local 6
Murray State to face new challenges in MVC--WPSD Local 6

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 7/1/2022

Conference realignment tracker: Ranking top moves for the upcoming 2022-2023 college basketball season--CBS Sports

Getty Images

Future conference realignment took center stage in college sports this week, when news broke Thursday that USC and UCLA will be on their way to the Big Ten in 2024. The move marks the latest shakeup in a series of changes sparked last year by the announcement that Texas and Oklahoma will transition from the Big 12 to the SEC in the coming years.

While looming additions to the Big Ten and SEC are seismic changes and will have a particularly striking impact on college football, they will change the basketball dynamics of those leagues as well. But before we look ahead to theoretical weeknight basketball matchups between USC and Rutgers involving five-hour cross-country flights, there are plenty of other conference moves going on that will have an impact on college basketball even sooner.

With more than 350 Division I basketball programs all vying for the same national title from 32 conferences — versus just 10 leagues in the FBS level of college football — the changes can be difficult to track. As we flip the page from 2021-22 hoops season to the 2022-23 campaign, you may notice some teams in new leagues, most of which became official Friday with July being the start of the 2022-23 athletic calendar.

To simplify things, here is a rundown of the most impactful conference changes in Division I college basketball for the 2022-23 season.

3. MVC gets a shakeup

While the departure of a banner program in Loyola Chicago for the Atlantic 10 is a tough blow for the Missouri Valley, it rebounded nicely. With Belmont and Murray State on the way in from the OVC, the league is gaining a pair of strong basketball programs with a great coaching lineage and a track record of competitive play in early round NCAA Tournament games. Also joining the MVC is Illinois-Chicago from the Horizon League. While the Flames haven't been to the Big Dance since 2004 and have never won an NCAA Tournament game, their addition gets the Missouri Valley to an even 12 members.

Former Indiana assistant Tom Ostrom to join Drake men's basketball coaching staff--Des Moines Register
Men's Basketball Adds Tom Ostrom to Coaching Staff--godrakebulldogs.com

Murray State officially joins Missouri Valley Conference--WPSD Local 6

Women's Basketball Adds Jaidynn Mason to Recruiting Class--siusalukis.com

UIC officially welcomed to Missouri Valley Conference--UIC News
UIC Officially Welcomed to Missouri Valley Conference--uicflames.com