What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/19/2024

The Other Top 25: Conference champions see big spikes in ranking--Mid-Major Madness

The Other Top 25: March 18, 2024

Rank Team (First Place Votes) Points Previous

7 Drake 72 T-8

14 Indiana St. 46 10

Rank	Team (First Place Votes)	Points	Previous
7	Drake	72	T-8
14	Indiana St.	46	10

HOOPS IN THE HEARTLAND: MVC officials weigh options on tournament's future--The Quad-City Times
MVC women active in transfer portal today--Racer Basketball

College basketball transfer portal 2024: Ranking top 10 impact players looking to move to a new school--CBSSports

4. Malik Dia
Old school: Belmont
Dia shined as a dynamic frontcourt player in his sophomore season at Belmont after playing sparingly during his freshman season at Vanderbilt. He averaged 16.9 points and 5.8 boards for the Bruins while shooting 34.1% from 3-point range. He's 6-foot-9 and has surprising athleticism for a player with such a big frame. His game needs refining, but Dia's upside is clear.
5. Ja'Kobi Gillespie
Old school: Belmont
Belmont was at its best with Gillespie on the floor; he averaged 17.2 points, 4.2 assists and 2.2 steals for the Bruins. The 6-foot guard is on the smaller side but shot a ridiculous 66% inside the arc and a solid 38.7% beyond it. With two seasons of eligibility remaining, he's worth a shot for a high-major team in need of an on-ball guard.

Hoops in the Heartland: Women's Basketball Recap--Belmont Vision
Belmont women's basketball to play Ball State in new WBIT tournament--Hattiesburg American
Women's Basketball Earns At-Large Bid to Inaugural WBIT--belmontbruins.com

Bradley coach and player react to hosting first-round NIT game against Loyola Chicago--Peoria Journal Star
Bradley vs Loyola Chicago in March Madness: Prediction for 2024 NIT opener--Peoria Journal Star
'A special person': How Bradley Braves forward made uniforms and wore his own well--Peoria Journal Star
Game Preview: Bradley vs Loyola--bradleybraves.com

2024 NCAA Tournament key stats, betting trends and facts for all 68 men’s teams--The Athletic

EAST

No. 7 Washington State vs. No. 10 Drake

Washington State Cougars (24-9, 14-6 Pac-12)

The last time the Cougars made the NCAA Tournament, Virginia coach Tony Bennett was in charge. The Cougars made the Sweet 16 in 2008. Even Klay Thompson didn’t go to the tourney with Wazzu. This year’s team not only ended that drought, but matched the school record for conference wins in a season.

Drake Bulldogs (28-6, 16-4 Missouri Valley)

Drake enters the tournament having won 10 of its last 11 games, but the Bulldogs are also on a roll in close games. The Bulldogs have won their last seven games by single digits. Drake is 4-2 in its opening games at NCAA Tournaments.

Which NCAA Tournament coaches could be on the move with a big run? 10 to keep an eye on--The Athletic

Darian DeVries, Drake
DeVries and his very talented son Tucker could become one of the heartwarming stories of the tournament. Everyone loves a father-son combo. The older DeVries has been a name that’s been floated for bigger jobs for a few years now, and it’d be smart for someone to pry DeVries away now because it’s possible his son could follow him and help jumpstart the next program. Tucker, who is one of the best wings in the country — and that’s not just at the mid-major level — still has one year of eligibility remaining. DeVries has won 73.5 percent of his games in six seasons at Drake and has the Bulldogs playing in their third NCAA Tournament in four seasons. He was a longtime assistant at Creighton under Dana Altman and Greg McDermott, so he knows what it takes to win at the high-major level. With his son and veteran big man Darnell Brodie, he has a team equipped to go on a run.

Donovan Dent, Tucker DeVries and 4 more mid-major standouts to watch this week--The Athletic

Tucker DeVries
6-7 junior wing | No. 10 Drake
First matchup: vs. No. 7 Washington State in East Region Thursday (about 10:05 p.m., truTV)
Who is Tucker DeVries? He appears on this list for the second year in a row. The 6-foot-7 wing was a top-100 recruit nationally who decided to attend Drake to play for his father, Bulldogs coach Darian DeVries. That decision has paid off, as the younger DeVries has won back-to-back Missouri Valley Player of the Year awards. This season, he upped his scoring average to 21.8 points while also chipping in 3.6 assists per game.
DeVries is a basketball savant who keys everything Drake does. He moves incredibly well off the ball, running off high-end off-ball sets his father honed from years of working under Dana Altman and Greg McDermott. But this year, he expanded his offensive game far beyond that skill, operating in far more ball-screen actions this season and initiating Drake’s sets throughout most of the season. Surrounded by a number of high-end shooters such as Kevin Overton, Atin Wright and Conor Enright, DeVries would run off dribble-handoffs where he had his momentum going, as well as early drag screens to get him loose. Then, Drake would counter off those early actions with quick flare screens to free him up off the ball as soon as he got rid of it.
DeVries is a lethal option who is a constant threat to score across all three levels, so defenses must stay committed to stopping him at all times. Last year, in the first round, Miami did just that, forcing him into a disastrous 1-of-13 showing. It was the worst game of his Drake career, and he compounded his struggles by pressing as Miami defenders largely stayed in his hip as he came off screening actions. That won’t happen this year, though. With his increased ability to get his own shot — DeVries took 187 shots off the bounce this year and made 46 percent of his nearly three pull-up 3-point attempts per game, per Synergy — DeVries is a much more well-rounded offensive player than he was last season. Throw in his improved passing, and Washington State has its hands full in a big way with a guy I consider to be a legitimate NBA Draft prospect.
What does the matchup look like? Washington State is excellent defensive team with the size to cause DeVries matchup problems. The Cougars have a number of different longer options they can use to guard him. (In yet another example of awards incompetence, not a single Washington State player received an All-Defense vote in the Pac-12 this season despite the team having the second-best defense in the league.)
My guess is senior Andrej Jakimovski, a North Macedonian native who also flies off screens and shoots at volume, will get the DeVries assignment to start. Jakimovski is a really sharp, reliable defender who knows exactly what he’s supposed to do at all times out there. It’ll be harder for Drake to trick him with the variety of different looks it uses to free DeVries. Off the bench, Kymany Hounisou can bring length to the table to try to cut off DeVries’ angles, and even Jaylen Wells, Washington State’s third-leading scorer, could take minutes matching up with Drake’s star. All of these guys are somewhere between 6-7 and 6-8 and can move, replicating the size DeVries will give them. That’s what makes this matchup for DeVries so fascinating. There are precious few teams that possess as many well-sized, athletic options to try to slow him down.
Washington State also does a solid job of closing out and contesting at the 3-point line as a team, limiting the number of open 3s opponents shoot. My guess is Kyle Smith and company will plan to stay attached to DeVries at all times, close out hard on him and try to make him more of a midrange shooter. DeVries can score that way, but two points are fewer than 3, and DeVries is less dangerous from the midrange than he is from behind the arc. If that happens, Drake can counter by throwing DeVries on the block occasionally to allow him to create easier mismatch chances. But based on size, only Cougar guards Myles Rice and Isaiah Watts (both 6-3) would represent a mismatch in a switch.
I initially assumed I would like Drake in this game, but the more I look at it, the more I think this is a strong matchup for the Cougars. For Drake to pull the upset, DeVries will need to be great.

6 March Madness Cinderellas who can bust your bracket in men’s NCAA tournament--SBNation

6. Drake

A 10-seed doesn’t really fit the “Cinderella” moniker ... unless it’s a team (especially a mid-major) making a run to a regional final or beyond. Drake can without question be that team.

While everyone was focused on Indiana State for the last month, the Bulldogs might be poised to be the Missouri Valley team everyone winds up remembering from this season.

They have a bon-a-fide star in Tucker DeVries (coach Darian DeVries’ son), who has been the MVC Player of the Year each of the last two seasons. He is absolutely good enough to have one of those Wally Szczerbiak two-week runs that everyone remembers forever.

The Bulldogs are in the nation’s top 40 in pretty much every offensive stat that matters, they’re solid defensively, they’re one of the best rebounding teams in the country, and perhaps most importantly, they seem to have a favorable draw.

They would probably need someone else to take care of UConn for them in the top half of the South Region, but that happened, Drake could be this year’s Florida Atlantic.

March Madness’ top-50 players in 2024 men’s NCAA tournament, ranked--SBNation

21. Tucker DeVries, F, Drake

Good luck to whoever has to defend the two-time MVC Player of the Year. DeVries is a 6’7 wing who lights up the scoreboard, 6th in the nation with 21.8 points per game. He’s got NBA scouts salivating with his combination of shooting skills and size that looks not too dissimilar from a young Kyle Korver. When he’s not scoring, he can direct the offense with phenomenal court vision and pinpoint passing. The Bulldogs snuck into the tournament by upsetting MVC favorite Indiana State, and it was behind DeVries’ 27/7/5 performance. DeVries chose to return to Drake rather than enter last year’s NBA draft where he was projected to be a 2nd round pick, and he’s only improved his stock since then. — AW

College Basketball Top 25 Mid-Major Power Ranking--Go Joe Bruin

These two teams could be this years Cinderella teams and make a run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
2
Drake Bulldogs
Missouri Valley Conference
Drake Bulldogs Logo
Team Profile

Conference Tournament Results: They defeated Indiana State in the finals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

Conference Champions for the Regular Season: No, finished in second place in the Missouri Valley conference this season.

Overall Record: 28-6

Record against teams from the Power Five conferences: 0-0

Best Wins: @ Southern Illinois,@ Bradley, Oakland (neutral court), Akron (neutral court), Lipscomb, Missouri State, Nevada (neutral court), Indiana State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Murray State, Belmont, Indiana State (neutral court) and Bradley

Notable Defeats: @ UAB,@ Belmont, @ Missouri State, @ Indiana State, @ Northern Iowa, Stephen F. Austin (neutral court)

NET Ranking: 47

KenPom Ranking: 51

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 56

Barttorvik Ranking: 49

Quadrant 1 Victories: Four

Quadrant 2 Wins: Three

Quadrant 3 Victories: Nine

Postseason Tournament: They will be in the NCAA Tournament and should be a No. 11 seed.

March Madness 2024 East region preview: Win probabilities, Cinderellas, storylines, more--Heat Check CBB

Best first-round game: No. 7 Washington State vs. No. 10 Drake

There’s not much separating the Cougars and Bulldogs going into this one. While Washington State may have the higher seed, Drake has the benefit of playing just two hours away from home in Omaha. That likely cancels out any advantage Wazzu has in the analytics, and it may push the dial in Drake’s favor.

Besides just being a solid game pitting the No. 42 KenPom team (WSU) against No. 51, there are also some heartstrings being pulled here. Drake’s father-son duo of Darian and Tucker DeVries has been building toward a truly special March moment for years now. On the other side, Washington State’s Myles Rice has strung together an incredible freshman season missing last year while battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Whoever comes out of this one might be shopping movie rights in the offseason on top of their NIL deals.

March Madness 2024: Identifying five teams most likely to make a Cinderella run--Heat Check CBB

Drake Bulldogs

Full disclosure — Drake is the only team on this list that I do not have in the Sweet 16 in my bracket. However, it would be foolish of me not to acknowledge that the Bulldogs have what it takes to make me look, well, foolish.

Head coach Darian DeVries’ squad checks in at No. 51 in KenPom’s rankings with a top-40 offense led by his son, Tucker DeVries. The younger DeVries is the two-time reigning Missouri Valley Player of the Year yet continues to be underrated nationally. He can score efficiently from all three levels, knows how to get to the foul line and also creates opportunities for others. Drake’s four Quad 1 victories also boosted it to No. 47 in the NET, a handful of spots above at-large selections South Carolina and Virginia.

There’s also the path. Drake’s first-round opponent, Washington State, is just 3-3 in its last six games. Iowa State, a 2-seed, would be its likely second-round opponent and, while I really like the Cyclones, it’s possible that their offense hits a rut after some inconsistent performances throughout the season. The highest seed remaining on the bottom half of Drake’s region would be Illinois, which is 157th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency since Feb. 1.

It should be noted that Iowa State and Illinois are playing at incredibly high levels right now, having just respectfully won the Big 12 and Big Ten Tournaments, yet neither one is perfect. Drake would need to play its best basketball of the season to make this Cinderella run, but it’s a realistic possibility.

Drake is Dancing in Omaha--Valley Hoops Insider
A look at Darian DeVries' success during his tenure with Drake men's basketball--Des Moines Register

Women’s March Madness bracket prep: Strengths, weaknesses for all 68 teams, outlooks and more--The Athletic

Strengths: Katie Dinnebier was fantastic this season, averaging 18.1 points and 7 assists per game as well as 2.5 steals. Dinnebier was the only player in the country to average at least 18 points, 7 assists and 2 steals in a game.

Weaknesses: Drake turned averaged 17.7 turnovers per game, and it had four starters — Dinnebier, Grace Berg, Anna Miller and Taylor McAulay — who averaged at least 2 per game.

Outlook: Four of Drake’s five losses came against Iowa, Richmond, Creighton and a double-overtime loss against Minnesota. It’ll need some help for Dinnebier — perhaps from Anna Miller? — if it hopes to get to the second weekend.

Drake Women's Basketball 2024 NCAA Tournament Capsule--College Sports Madness
Drake women's basketball’s March Madness opponent is Colorado to open 2024 NCAA Tournament--Des Moines Register
Miller Buzzer Beater Lifts Bulldogs to Ninth MVC Tournament Title in Program History--godrakebulldogs.com

The Purple Aces are headed to the postseason. Here's who else made the CBI field--Evansville Courier & Press
Evansville draws Quinnipiac in opening round of Ro CBI--gopurpleaces.com

Harouna Sissoko becomes first ISU men's basketball player to enter transfer portal--The Vidette

Illinois State women get first-round bye in WNIT--The Pantagraph
ISU women's basketball's Lexi Boles enters transfer portal--The Vidette
Redbirds Receive WNIT First Round Bye; Will Play Charleston/USC Upstate Winner--goredbirds.com

March Madness bracket first four out: Why Indiana State, Oklahoma, Pitt, Seton Hall missed 2024 NCAA Tournament--Sporting News

Why Indiana State missed the NCAA tournament

Every March, fans get the chance to fall in love with quirky characters that may not look the part, but are fully capable of balling out. For 2024, that looked like it was going to Indiana State's Robbie Avila, the 6-10, goggles-wearing center from Larry Bird's alma mater who was given the nickname Cream Abdul Jabbar.

That is no longer the case, as Avila's star power was not enough to sway the committee's decision on Indiana State. The Sycamores ran through the Missouri Valley Conference this season, sporting a 17-3 conference mark. The program became ranked for the first time since Bird attended the college back in the 1970s, however, Indiana State lost its chance at an automatic bid after falling to Drake in the conference championship game.
Despite the 28-6 record for Josh Schertz's crew, the Sycamores did not have any significant wins on its resume, losing to Alabama and Michigan State in its two highest-profile games. As a result, the fans lose out on the chance to watch Cream Abdul Jabbar show off his bucket ability.

Biggest March Madness snubs: Indiana State, St. John's headline teams to miss 2024 NCAA Tournament--Sporting News

2024 March Madness snubs

Indiana State

2023-24 record: 28-6 (17-3 in MVC)

2023-24 NET Ranking: 29

Indiana State unfortunately had about the worst week possible without even playing a game. Not only did bubble teams generally play well, with one (New Mexico) guaranteeing itself a bid, but four bid stealers shrunk the bubble far too much for the Sycamores to feel comfortable.

Now, they are the highest-ranked team in the NET to ever be left out of the field.

While Indiana State was just 1-4 against Quad 1 opponents, it's not exactly the Sycamores' fault that they didn't have many prime non-conference opportunities. When you're as talented as Josh Schertz's team is, it's hard to find quality non-conference opponents willing to schedule a game.

Indiana State took care of business elsewhere, for the most part, going 27-2 against Quad 2-4 opponents. It's not easy to win nearly every game against inferior opponents. Didn't this week prove as much? In another year, the committee likely gives Indiana State a chance like it did with Drake in 2021 and Belmont in 2019.

March Madness snubs: Oklahoma, Indiana State and Big East teams lead NCAA Tournament victims--USA TODAY

Indiana State

Since the NET ranking was introduced in 2018, no team ranked in the top 30 ever missed the tournament − until now.

Indiana State won't be dancing despite having a No. 29 NET ranking on Selection Sunday, the highest rank to miss out on the tournament. The Sycamores had solid 28-6 season, but they didn't secure the Missouri Valley Conference automatic bid by losing to Drake in the conference tournament final. What might have hurt Indiana State was its Quad 1 record at 1-4, with the only win being a road victory against Bradley. There was also a home loss to Illinois State and missed opportunities against Alabama and Michigan State that loomed large.

Still, the Sycamores were high in the one thing the selection committee values the most. At-large teams with much worse rankings like South Carolina (51), Northwestern (53) and Virginia (54) got in. A tough break for a team in conference that sends only one team to the tournament.

Did Indiana State Deserve a Spot in the NCAA Tournament?--Stadium
Sadly, It’s the NIT for Indiana State--Valley Hoops Insider
St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports SLU in talks with Schertz about open Billikens job--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Sycamores snubbed from Big Dance; set to host SMU--Indiana Statesman
End of an era?--Indiana Statesman

Glanton named Mark Clinkenbeard Construction ISU Student-Athlete of the Week--gosycamores.com