What's Up In The Missouri Valley 6/30/2022

2022-23 Men’s College Basketball Conference Challenges and Neutral-Site Games--Blogging The Bracket

Indy Classic (Indianapolis)

Illinois State vs. Ball State (Ball State Release)
Davidson vs. Purdue

Orange Bowl Basketball Classic (Sunrise, Fla.)

St. John’s vs. Florida State (Jon Rothstein via Twitter)
TBA vs. UCF

Chicago

Dayton vs. Wyoming (Jon Rothstein via Twitter)
NC State vs. Vanderbilt
Northern Iowa vs. Towson

Murray State begins search for next Director of Athletics--WPSD Local 6

Transfers, consistency, confidence: How the Evansville women's basketball is rebuilding--Evansville Courier & Press
Caleb Poston named Director of Operations for Aces Women's Basketball--gopurpleaces.com

The 2022 Nassau Championship - Bracket Reveal--The Bracketeer

2022 Matchups

The 2022 Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship will include San Jose State, Missouri State, North Texas, Ball State, UNC Wilmington, Vermont, Long Beach State, and Oakland. They will spend Thanksgiving Week in the Bahamas in what is being announced as the largest College Basketball Event in 2022 featuring 20 schools in total. Baha Mar is also hosting an eight-team Women’s event (Pink Flamingo Championship) and the four-team Bahamas Championship featuring Oklahoma State, UCF, Santa Clara, and DePaul. The 2022 Tournament is set for Friday through Sunday, November 25-27.

MISSOURI STATE vs. UNC WILMINGTON (APPROX 2:30PM ET) - Missouri State is coming off of a season where they finished Top 70 in KenPom and competed all year for the MVC title. The Bears under Dana Ford will have a new look in 22-23 as 10 newcomers are joining the team after a flurry of activity that included Isaih Mosley transferring to Mizzou and Assistant Coach Corey Gipson leaving to take the Northwestern State coaching job. Don’t fear Bears fans, Coach Ford has reloaded the roster with vets like Bryan Trimble, Jr., Kendle Moore, and Matthew Lee, plus Donovan Clay returns. UNC Wilmington was one of the best stories of the 2021-22 season by winning a surplus of games where they trailed in CAA play. The Seahawks finished a remarkable 15-3 in the league and one game away from the NCAA Tournament. They used the momentum to win the CBI Championship. Shykeim Phillips, Trazarien White, and Jamahri Harvey are all back to lead UNCW even further. This could certainly be the best of the Quarterfinal games on the 25th.

BRACKET

2022 Nassau Championship Schedule and Bracket

Bears Slated to Play in Nassau Championship Event--missouristatebears.com

SIU Women's Basketball | Salukis hire Mike Geary as assistant--Southern Illinoisan

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 6/29/2022

'Let's run it back': Why Anna Newman is returning to the Purple Aces for a fifth year--Evansville Courier & Press

Illinois State's basketball team to play Ball State on Dec. 17 in Indianapolis--The Pantagraph
Redbirds to Battle Ball State in Inaugural Indy Classic in December--goredbirds.com
Pedon Rounds Out Staff with Chief of Staff, GA’s--goredbirds.com

MVC Notebook | UNI's Green finds good landing spot--Southern Illinoisan

Mason commits to SIU women's basketball--Southern Illinoisan
Women's Basketball Adds Mike Geary to Coaching Staff--siusalukis.com

What's up In The Missouri Valley 6/25/2022

Murray State names Matt Kelly interim Athletics Director--WPSD Local 6

Basketball Revival in Evansville--valley hoops insider
'This is the part that's exciting:' Evansville men's basketball begins summer practice--Evansville Courier & Press
NIL talk, 5-star prospect offer: Takeaways from Evansville's first basketball practice--Evansville Courier & Press

Kayla Jackson Joins UE Women's Basketball Staff--gopurpleaces.com

De Pere basketball star Johnny Kinziger commits to Illinois State--Green Bay Press Gazette
Illinois State's basketball team to meet LSU in Cayman Islands Classic first-round game on Nov. 21--The Pantagraph
Watch now: Wisconsin high school point guard John Kinziger commits to Illinois State--The Pantagraph
Redbirds To Open Cayman Islands Classic Against LSU--goredbirds.com

Watch now: Former Illinois State basketball player Katrina Beck joins coaching staff--The Pantagraph
Watch now: Kristen Gillespie writes her own history as Illinois State women's basketball coach--The Pantagraph

2022 NBA Draft Recap: 7 former mid-major players drafted in 1st round--Mid-Major Madness

Round One:

19. Traded to Memphis Grizzlies - Jake LaRavia (Wake Forest, Indiana State)

A former Missouri Valley Conference standout, Jake LaRavia was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves before a subsequent trade sent him to Memphis. After being selected as a MVC All-Freshman for the Sycamores, LaRavia would see a huge uptick in production under head coach Steve Forbes averaging 14.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 3.7 APG as a 2021-22 All-ACC honoree.

TODD AARON GOLDEN: Scenes from the night Jake LaRavia's dream came true--Terre Haute Tribune Star

Portal Report: Missouri State Rebuilds With Eight Transfers--The Portal Report

AJ Green agrees to 2-way contract with NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks--Cedar Rapids Gazette
AJ Green signs with Milwaukee Bucks--unipanthers.com

The Thing About Katy: West Marshall do-it-all forward commits to UNI--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier

SIU Women's Basketball | Salukis add 6-5 Taylor to roster--Southern Illinoisan
Women's Basketball Adds 6-5 Transfer Forward Promise Taylor--siusalukis.com

Pitts finds her new "why"--The Victory Bell
Miller Joins Valpo Strength & Conditioning; Smith, Price Added to Football Coaching Staff--valpoathletics.com

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 6/21/2022

Paradise Jam Bracket--belmont.prestosports.com
Jackson speaks about quest to replace Saal--Murray Ledger & Times

Get to know the Evansville men's basketball newcomers as summer practices start--Evansville Courier & Press

Katrina Beck Returns to Illinois State as Assistant Coach--goredbirds.com

Do you know who is on the Missouri State men's basketball roster? Take our quiz.--Springfield News-Leader

State of the Program: Women's Basketball--The Victory Bell

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 6/19/2022

Paige Bradford Commits to the Flames--uicflames.com
Athletics Director Kevin Saal leaving Murray State for Wichita State--WPSD Local 6
Jackson: Finding an interim, starting search to replace Saal comes first--Murray Ledger & Times

How the Evansville men's basketball coaching staff is connecting past with present--Evansville Courier & Press

Watch now: 'Bonding' begins as Illinois State basketball players get to know each other, coaches' expectations--The Pantagraph

ISU YEAR IN REVIEW: A quiet, down-the-middle year for the Sycamores--Terre Haute Tribune Star

Continuity — worth its weight in gold for ISU women's basketball--Terre Haute Tribune Star

Calip Signs with Swiss Basketball League--missouristatebears.com

NCAA Basketball: 10 most unappreciated head coaches in 2022--Busting Brackets
UNI adds guard from Turkey to 2022 recruiting class--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
UNI non-conference home schedule announced, UNI slated for loaded tourney in 2023--Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
Ege Peksari signed to Panther men's basketball roster--unipanthers.com
UNI men's basketball announces 2022-23 home non-conference slate--unipanthers.com

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 6/13/2022

Will UIC basketball be able to compete in the Valley? Coach Luke Yaklich answers--The Athletic

Marta Gomez Signs with @UIC_WBB--uicflames.com

Here is the first recruiting class for Bradley's new women's basketball coach--Peoria Journal Star

Happy Birthday!: HoopsHD interviews former Evansville star Colt Ryan--Hoops HD

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 6/10/2022

Ryan Kapustka Named Director of Basketball Operations--uicflames.com

Gatens leaves Drake to return to Hawkeyes as assistant coach--Associated Press

More iron on-hand for ISU basketball to sharpen with--Terre Haute Tribune Star
ISU newcomers McCauley, Gibson have dual perpsectives on Schertz--Terre Haute Tribune Star

Valpo Welcomes Vijay Blackmon as Men’s Basketball Strength & Conditioning Coach--valpoathletics.com