MVC Rated No. 8
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 Big 12 and the SEC as the only leagues this year with all teams better than 175. The league has had all of its teams better than 175 just twice previously (1998-99 and 2006-07). The first year RPI was utilized was in 1991-92. Nine MVC teams are in the Top 150 (only three league teams were in the Top 150 last year).
MVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Reed Timmer, Drake
MVC NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK: J.T. Miller, Missouri State
Weekly Notebook (PDF)
Timmer on Top
Drake’s Reed Timmer moved into second all-time in career scoring at Drake last week and now has 1,677 career points after scoring 46 points in two games on the week including his eighth 20-point game of the season with 28 points in the win over Illinois State. His eight 20-point games this season are tied for the most in the Valley.
Another 20-20 Game
Alize Johnson of Missouri State is one of just four players this year to record a 20-point, 20-rebound game (and he’s the only one to have done it twice.) He recorded a 24-point, 20-rebound game against UNI on Thursday, Jan. 4, for his second of the season. It’s the fourth 20-20 game of his career at Missouri State.
Drake Among Most Improved
Drake is tied for eighth in the NCAA among the list of “most-improved” teams, with a 10.0 improvement from last season, thru Sunday, Jan. 7.
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).
MVC’s Most Experienced?
Two MVC teams rank among the nation’s Top 10 teams in terms of experience (source: KenPom). Missouri State ranks No. 5 and Drake is No. 7.
Power Play
The MVC has a 6-10 record against teams from Power 5 leagues (Indiana State at Indiana; Drake vs. Wake Forest; Illinois State vs. South Carolina; UNI vs. NC State; Loyola at Florida; Illinois State at Ole Miss are the six wins). The league is also 10-10 vs. teams from the other four leagues among the Top 10: (AAC – 3-0); Big East (0-2); Mountain West (6-7); and Atlantic-10 (1-1).
3-0 Starts in Conference Play
Only once since 1989-90 has the league not had a team start conference play 3-0 or better. Drake and Missouri State started this season with three-straight league wins. Last year, both Wichita State (5-0) and Illinois State (11-0) had better than 3-0 starts before losing their lone league games.
0-2 Starts in Conference Play
The league has not had a regular-season champ (or co-champ) start an MVC season with two-straight losses since the 1992-93 season when Illinois State started 0-2 in league play before winning the league race with a 13-5 MVC mark. No team in 110 previous MVC men’s basketball seasons has started league play 0-3 and gone on to win the title.
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 9.1 rebounds per game.
Doubling Up
Alize Johnson of Missouri State recorded his 11th double-double of the season on Sunday, and he is tied for fifth in the NCAA. Notably, Tywhon Pickford has four double-doubles already to lead all MVC freshmen. Only four MVC freshmen in the past two decades have had more in a season.
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. In the past 20 years, nine MVC teams have led the league in both categories -- those teams averaged 25 wins and combined to win 10 NCAA tourney games.