No. 8 in the RPI
The Conference ranks No. 8 in the RPI.  The MVC hasn’t been as high as No. 8 in a season-ending RPI since 2012-13.  Notably, the MVC joins the ACC, the Big East, the Big 12, the Pac 12 and the SEC as the only leagues this year with all teams 190 or better.  The last time the MVC had seven top-150 teams was also in 2013. 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Clayton Custer, Loyola
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:  Milik Yarbrough, Illinois State

Weekly Notes (PDF) - Click Here

No. 9 in KenPom Ratings
The MVC’s No. 9 conference rating in KenPom is its best since the 2012-13 season (also No. 9).  The last time the league was better than ninth in KenPom’s rankings was in 2008, when the league hit its high-water mark of No. 7 (also achieved in 2005, 2006, and in 2007) 

Ramblers Lead the MVC
At 18-4, Loyola is off to its best start through 22 games since the 1965-66 squad opened with a 20-2 record. In fact, the last two times Loyola has won at least 18 of its first 22 games, it has reached the NCAA Tournament (1963, 1966).  This is also the first time Loyola has been 14 games over .500 since the end of the 1984-85 season, when it was 27-6 following a loss to Georgetown in the NCAA Regional Semifinal.  The Ramblers’ 8-2 start is their best through eight games since joining the MVC.

Home Cooking
The MVC has an 89-21 record in home games (inclusive of non-league and league games).  That ranks third-best in the nation.  The best MVC home win percentage in the past 22 seasons was in 2010 (126-37, .773).

Double-Digit Wins
In the league’s 111 years, the league has had every team reach 10 or more wins 14 times, including this year.  When Indiana State picked up win No. 10 on Jan. 20, it marked the second earliest date in which all league teams reached double-digit wins.  In 110 previous seasons, the MVC has had all teams reach 11 or more wins nine times, but only once before Valentine’s Day.

Close Calls
Indiana State shares the national lead with the most losses of 3 points or less (5), and the Trees are tied for second with the most overtime losses (3), trailing only Florida International (4).

Doubling Up
Alize Johnson of Missouri State has a league-leading 15 double-doubles, and he is tied for fourth in the NCAA.  Notably, Tywhon Pickford has five double-doubles already to lead all MVC freshmen.  Only three MVC freshmen in the past two decades have had more. Only five MVC players in the past two decades has had 15 or more double-doubles in a season, including Johnson.

MVC Freshman Leaders (last 20 seasons)
9 -- Doug McDermott, Creighton - 2010-11 
6 -- Danny Granger, Bradley - 2001-02
6 -- Patrick O’Bryant, Bradley - 2004-05
5 -- Jamar Howard, Wichita State -- 2001-02
5 -- Tywhon Pickford, UNI, 2017-18

First Time in 10 Seasons
For the first time since the 2008-09 season, Bradley finds itself as high as second in the league standings through the league’s first 10 contests.  That year, the Braves bolted to a 7-3 start and were in sole possession of second place in the MVC on Jan. 30 (behind UNI’s 9-1 record).  When the Braves host Loyola on Wednesday, it will mark the first time since that 2009 campaign that Bradley was involved in a 1-2 matchup this late in a season.  In 2009, the Braves (t2nd, 7-4) hosted UNI (1st, 10-1) in Peoria in the 12th league game for both schools that year.

Chart Busters
This past weekend, Missouri State’s Obediah Church became the school’s all-time leader in shot rejections, surpassing Danny Moore’s 167 blocks from 1996-99 for the top spot.

Loyola Ranks No. 6
Loyola ranks sixth nationally in field goal percentage at 51.0.  The MVC single-season record is 54.2, established by West Texas State in 1976-77.  Loyola’s percentage this season would rank as the 10th best on record in MVC history.

Nasty Defense
Loyola is fourth best in the NCAA during the calendar year, allowing just 57.5 points per game (in 8 games).

Winning with Defense
Since 2010, every team that has led the MVC in field goal percentage defense has earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament.  Both Bradley and Missouri State rank in the Top 20 in the nation in both scoring defense and FG pct. defense.

Nation’s Best Under 6’5”
UNI freshman guard Tywhon Pickford is the nation’s top rebounder under 6’5”. Pickford (6’4”) is averaging 8.4 rebounds per game.