What's Up In The Missouri Valley: October 2024

Thursday, October 31, 2024

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/31/2024

A New Preseason NIT Projection--NIT Bracketology

The other big change? Home games for Seattle (!), UAB, Louisiana Tech, San Francisco, and Bradley – These all come through being the projected second best team in a top 12 KenPom conference. (There are no automatic bids for projected conference champs with 125 rating or higher because I don't project top seeds losing in a conference tournament until it happens.)

Projected NIT Bracket:

1. N.C. State (ACC 2)
8. Saint Joseph's
4. Bradley (MVC 1)
5. Colorado St.
3. Louisiana Tech (CUSA 1)
6. Georgia Tech
2. South Carolina
7. Washington St.

Look at the lineup and locals shine: 5 takeaways from Bradley basketball's big exhibition win--Peoria Journal Star

Aces women’s basketball picks up exhibition win over Franklin--gopurpleaces.com

Setting expectations for Missouri State basketball in 2024-25--Springfield News-Leader

Murray State women's basketball beats Bethel in lone exhibition game--WPSD Local 6
And … they’re off!; Racer women open with exhibition win over Bethel--Murray Ledger & Times
Episode 156: It's the 'Ride Home' after Murray State's exhibition win over Bethel--Racer Basketball
Racers Handle Wildcats in First Exhibition of the Season--goracers.com

Tytan Anderson named to Bracketeer.org Preseason All-American watchlist--unipanthers.com

Five takeaways from Valparaiso's exhibition win--The Victory Bell

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/30/2024

Women's Hoops Ranked 15th in Preseason Mid-Major Top 25® Poll--belmontbruins.com

College basketball predictions: Our picks for Final Four, national champ, flops and more--The Athletic

Most interesting mid-major team in the country
Bradley. Brian Wardle is building the Braves back into the upper tier of the Missouri Valley Conference, and Bradley has the pieces to win both the conference regular-season and tournament titles. Preseason MVC Player of the Year Duke Deen stands only 5-8, but he’s one of the most prolific mid-major scorers as both a driver and 3-point shooter. Flanked by combo guard Zek Montgomery and forward Darius Hannah, Bradley might develop into one of those scary 12 seeds come tournament time. — Dochterman

17 things we learned from 2024 Missouri State basketball exhibition under Cuonzo Martin--Springfield News-Leader
Four Bears in Double Figures to Cinch Exhibition Win--missouristatebears.com

Racer women hit floor in exhibition tonight against Bethel--Murray Ledger & Times
Racers ready for lone exhibition game--Racer Basketball
Murray State grabs votes in Mid Major poll--Racer Basketball

‘You don’t want to miss it’: New brand of Saluki basketball set to begin--The Daily Egyptian

Women’s Basketball Defeats Roosevelt in Exhibition Match-Up Tuesday Night--uicflames.com

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/29/2024

Mid-Major Top 25--Valley Hoops Insider

MVC & OVC Teams Make Appearances

(St. Louis, MO) – College Insider has released its season-opening poll of mid-major basketball programs. Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley Conference teams make many appearances. Two from the Missouri Valley rank in the top ten.

Valley favorite Bradley begins the season fourth in the mid-major top 25 poll and Northern Iowa is seventh.

Three other MVC teams are in the ‘receiving votes’ category. Murray State (Tied 41st), Drake (Tied 46th) and Indiana State (Tied 52nd) have been so honored.

UE women's basketball to host Franklin College in exhibition game--gopurpleaces.com

5 big questions we have about Missouri State basketball heading into 2024-25 season--Springfield News-Leader

Men's Basketball Hosts Tuesday Exhibition vs. SBU--missouristatebears.com

Episode 155: Recapping a busy news day in the Murray State basketball programs--Racer Basketball
Racers receive votes in Mid Major poll--Racer Basketball

CollegeInsider.com ranks UNI men’s basketball seventh in mid-major preseason poll--unipanthers.com

UNI ranked 12th in Collegeinsider.com Women’s Mid-Major Preseason Poll--unipanthers.com

Season Preview: It’s Time for Hoops as Men’s Basketball Hosts Exhibition on Wednesday to Unofficially Tip Off 2024-25 Campaign--valpoathletics.com

Monday, October 28, 2024

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/28/2024

2024-25 Missouri Valley Conference preview--The Next

Dinnebier Makes More National Noise on Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Watch List--godrakebulldogs.com

Illinois State women overcome persistent Illinois Wesleyan--The Pantagraph
Birds Win Dress Rehersal Over Illinois Wesleyan, 101-86--goredbirds.com

Missouri State hoops guard Chase Martin transfers to play for dad--Springfield News-Leader

Preview | Salukis Host North Park in Free Scrimmage Tuesday at Banterra Center--siusalukis.com

Sunday, October 27, 2024

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/27/2024

It's Bradley: Manual star point guard chooses to stay home, play basketball for the Braves--Peoria Journal Star

Bulldogs Put on a Show in Charity Exhibition Victory--godrakebulldogs.com

Aces earn 86-60 exhibition win over Tiffin--gopurpleaces.com

Landon Wolf shines in debut, more observations from Illinois State's exhibition win--The Pantagraph
Redbirds Victorious in Exhibition Test Against Lewis--goredbirds.com

DuVall ranked as one of Indiana's best--Racer Basketball

Saturday, October 26, 2024

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/26/2024

Which Valley Teams have True Title Hopes?--Valley Hoops Insider

Redbirds Open Season with Exhibition Against Lewis--goredbirds.com

Illinois State, Illinois Wesleyan women meet again in basketball exhibition--The Pantagraph
Birds Host Illinois Wesleyan Sunday for Exhibition--goredbirds.com

2024 MoState Basketball Media Day--missouristatebears.com

SIU coaches offer thoughts on hoops season--Southern Illinoisan

Friday, October 25, 2024

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/25/2024

The Trio of Talented Belmont Basketball Freshmen--Belmont Vision

What are the best- and worst-case scenarios for Evansville basketball in 2024-25 season?--Evansville Courier & Press
Men’s basketball faces Tiffin in exhibition game on Saturday--gopurpleaces.com

Kinziger, Banks build off each other as Illinois State basketball preps for exhibition--The Pantagraph

3 things to know about Missouri State women's basketball after media day--Springfield News-Leader

Thursday, October 24, 2024

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/24/2024

Missouri Valley Conference Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2024-25--Busting Brackets

Previewing Missouri State basketball non-conference opponents--Springfield News-Leader
What we learned from Missouri State basketball media day--Springfield News-Leader

SIU coaches offer thoughts on hoops season--Southern Illinoisan

Dais’Ja Trotter Inks Professional Contract to Play in Morocco--uicflames.com

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/23/2024

The Other Top 25: Memphis begins year in top spot--Mid-Major Madness

The Other Top 25: 2024-25 Preseason

Ranking Team (First Place Votes) Points

15 Bradley 53

Others Receiving Votes:

UNLV 13; Charleston 12; South Florida 11; East Tennessee St. 10; Vermont 9; UC Irvine 9; Louisiana Tech 9; Milwaukee 9; Drake 8; George Mason 7; Yale 3; Chattanooga 3; Florida Atlantic 2; Western Kentucky 2; Northern Iowa 2; Little Rock 1

15. Bradley

Bradley was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference for the first time since the 1999-00 season. The Braves finished third in the league last year behind Drake and Indiana State.

Duke Deen, the preseason player of the year, amassed 13.9 points, 3.9 assists per game last season. Darius Hannah contributed 11.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 2023-24. Zek Montgomery posted 9.6 points and 4.1 boards at Rhode Island last year.