What's Up In The Missouri Valley 12/25/2025

Under the Radar Christmas Eve Edition!! – Week 8--Hoops HD

Tonight’s feature conference is the Missouri Valley, which is hands down looking like the strongest UTR conference. Belmont is off to a great start with just one loss and appears to have a path to landing inside the bubble. Northern Iowa (who barely lost at Saint Mary’s), Murray State, and Illinois State have also looked really strong.

Pre-Christmas Players of the Week--Valley Hoops Insider

Big Wins and Big Performances

(St. Louis, MO) – Before conference season hits full stride this week here are the Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley Conference pre-Christmas players of the week. Bradley’s Jaquan Johnson , Tennessee Martin’s Matas Deniusas and Murray State’s Roman Domon are the players repeating previously earned honors.

Pre-Christmas Players of the Week

Johnson is emerging as a dominating force in the Missouri Valley Conference. The sophomore guard led the Braves to a 2-0 week in league play and scored 40 points in the two Bradley victories. The league’s leader in steals also collected eight assists and eight steals. Johnson earns his second ‘Player of the Week’ honor and leads the conference with an 18.5 points-per-game scoring average.

(See our feature on Jaquan Johnson)

Newcomers Making a Mark

The Missouri Valley’s leading rebounder, Fred King is the MVC ‘Newcomer of the Week’. King sparked Murray State to a pair of league wins by averaging 17.5 points and eight rebounds. His 16-point, eleven-rebound double-double was the second of the season for the Creighton transfer.

Pre-Christmas Rookie Repeaters

Murray State’s Roman Domon scored twenty points during the Racers’ win over Valparaiso and nine while defeating Drake. Domon’s second ‘Freshman of the Week’ honor ties him with Valpo’s Rakim Chaney with two such honors.

Braves start MVC play strong and win final non-conference game by one--The Bradley Scout

After Triple Bypass, Indiana State Coach Matthew Graves Feels “Extremely Grateful”--Hoops HQ

Murray State's Ford named MVC Player of the Week--WPSD Local 6
After 2-2 start, Murray State rides seven game winning streak to Christmas break--WPSD Local 6

Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Tuesday, Dec 23rd--Hoops HD

NEWS AND NOTES:

-Northern Iowa hung with Saint Mary’s on the road, and actually had a lead for much of the game, but SMC pulled it out down the stretch 63-58. This would have been a signature road win for UNI and a big statement to the committee had they been able to pull the upset.