What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/29/2026

Thursday, October 29, 2026

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 10/29/2026

Men’s college basketball predictions for 2026-27: Final Four, national champion and more--The Athletic

What is the most interesting mid-major team in the country?

Murray State

Coach Ryan Miller managed to hold onto Roman Domon, a French wing who won Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year last season. He’s surrounded Domon with a talented core, and the Racers are poised to be the next scary team to come out of the Valley. — Moore

Belmont

For the first time since 1985, the Bruins won’t be coached by Rick Byrd or Casey Alexander. They kept it in the family, tabbing Evan Bradds to take over for Alexander. Bradds has never been a head coach, but he has a great reputation and the look of a future star. The Bruins lost a lot of talent — as usual — so we don’t know a ton about how they’ll look on the floor. The guess here is they will shoot well (shocking, I know) and find a way to finish in the top four of the MVC. — Light

The Basket Under Review Staff's "My Guys & Teams" for 2026-2027--Basket Under Review

Trilly Donovan

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2026-27: Belmont Bruins

Some might call this a biased pick because of our recently announced content partnership with the school. Well, yes, but also this team could be really good! I really liked what I saw from the Bruins squad in their exhibition against Duke. They move the ball well on offense, force turnovers on defense and everyone on the floor can shoot. Evan Bradds has a bright future ahead of him as a head coach and should find success early on in the Missouri Valley.

Lukas Harkins

My Favorite Mid-Major Team of 2026-27: Illinois State Redbirds

Both Chase Walker and Johnny Kinziger saw their scoring averages dip as juniors last year, but Illinois State took another step forward under head coach Ryan Pedon. The Redbirds have improved their KenPom finish from the year prior in each of Pedon's four years, and bringing back Walker and Kinziger for their fourth year together offers hope for another leap. The new group around them includes two other familiar faces to the MVC in Bradley transfer Demarion Burch and Missouri State transfer Zaxton King, as well as Malik Messina-Moore and Noah Cleveland. Illinois State made massive strides defensively last season; if its offense can rediscover itself, with a sophomore breakout from Mason Klabo helping, the Redbirds can be dangerous.

Jim Root

My Guys of 2026-2027:

Jack Smiley (Belmont): A couple of Smiley's standout performances last year (see: torching Murray State on the road) had me on board his hype train. He's a skilled lefty who can score or create, boasting a lethal jumper and a pristine 2.2 A/TO ratio as a freshman. But then he got the Joey Dwyer profile treatment, and I am now the hype train's conductor.

Rocco Miller

My Guys of 2026-2027:

Trevon Payton (Bradley): Payton will take the leap from Arkansas-Pine Bluff to Bradley, which is no small task. But with him, he brings one of the most effective FG% known to college basketball for a player 6-5 and under and returning from last year. This bodes well when combining forces with the great Brian Wardle. Wardle has one fewer player to worry about when it comes to taking great shots, a hallmark of Braves basketball.