Weekly Notebook (PDF)
MVC Player of the Week
Antonio Reeves, Illinois State
6-6, 185, Jr., Gd., Chicago (Ill.) Simeon
Reeves averaged 30.5 points per game, second-highest scoring total in NCAA Division I this season. He made 19-of-38 shots from the field (50%), 9-of-17 (52.9%) from long range and 14-of-16 (.875) from the charity stripe as the Redbirds split a pair of games. He also has seven rebounds, four blocked shots, three assists and two steals on the season. With his back-to-back 20-point games to start the season, he became one of just 11 student-athletes in program history to open a season with at least two consecutive 20+ scoring efforts, and his season total of 61 points through two games is tied for the most over the opening pair of games in program history, behind only the 67 scored by George Terry to open the 1967-68 season, and tied with Doug Collins, who also opened the 1971-72 season with 61 points over his first two games.
MVC Newcomer of the Week
Thomas Kithier, Valparaiso
6-8, 235, Sr., Fwd., Macomb (Mich.) Clarkston High Michigan State]
Kithier established new collegiate career highs in each of his first two Valpo games. After a 16-point performance in Tuesday’s season opener vs. Toledo, he went off for a 28-point, 11-rebound effort in the Saturday game vs. UIC, surpassing personal bests in both areas. Kithier paced the team in scoring in both games this week, averaging 22.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting at an efficient 70.4 percent clip. His 28 points vs. UIC was the highest single-game output by a Valpo individual since the 2019-20 campaign. He enjoyed the first 25-point double-double by a Valpo player in a home game since Alec Peters in 2016-17 and became just the fourth different Valpo player with a 25-point double-double in the Matt Lottich Era (since 2016-17).
Loyola Extends Home Streak
Loyola ran its home-court winning streak to 24 games, the fifth-longest active streak in NCAA Division I play, with victories over Coppin State (103-45) and Florida Gulf Coast (89-77) last week. Gentile Arena has provided a distinct advantage for the Ramblers and they have prevailed in 31 of the last 36 nonconference games on their home floor, including each of the last six.
53 -- Gonzaga
37 - Liberty
35 - Prairie View
27 - Houston
24 -- Loyola
18 - UC Santa Barbara
For the Ages
MVC men’s basketball teams are experienced in 2021-22. Drake’s Tremell Murphy is the league’s elder statesman (born 4/27/1997). The Bulldogs, notably, had four players who hit 24 prior to the start of the season. Only two other players in the MVC hit their 24th birthday prior to the start of the 2021-22 campaign (Keith Clemons of Loyola and Eron Gordon of Valparaiso).
Where We Sit in KenPom
The MVC is No. 11 as a league in the KenPom rankings (through Nov. 14). Three MVC teams are in the Top 100, including Loyola (33), Drake (53) and Missouri State (84).
Big Starts
A pair of MVC men’s basketball players rank among the national leaders in scoring and rebounding after the first week of the season. Antonio Reeves of Illinois State ranks second nationally in scoring (30.5 ppg), Gaige Prim of Missouri State ranks fourth in the NCAA in rebounding with his 14.5 rpg average.
DU .. Grizzled Veterans
Drake takes on Richmond on Saturday, Nov. 20. The game will feature two teams whose average age ranks among the oldest in the NCAA. Drake started the season with a roster whose average age was at 21.82 (believed to be the second-oldest behind Eastern Kentucky at 22.02). Richmond’s roster clocks in at 21.63. Notably, Drake’s starting 5 averages 24.06 heading into this week.
Rank and File
- After posting a 26-5 overall record and advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16, Loyola finished at No. 12 in the season-ending 2020-21 Coaches Top 25 Poll. It marked the second time in the past four seasons that the Ramblers had been ranked in the top 25 in the final coaches poll. The Ramblers were ranked 17th in the final regular-season Associated Press poll.
- Drake also cracked the Top 25 earlier in the season (Feb. 1). It marked the first time since 2014-15 that two different MVC teams had been ranked by the AP in the same season.
- Both teams are receiving votes in this week’s Associated Press Top-25 poll.
Against the Top 25
UNI (1-2) will have a chance to even its record as it takes on No. 16 Arkansas in Fayetteville on Wednesday. As an MVC member, UNI has 10 wins against Top 25 programs, with the most recent victory coming 12/10/19 vs. No. 23 Colorado. That’s also the most recent league road win against a ranked team.
Young Guns
Two MVC men’s basketball coaches rank among the youngest in Division I this season, including Drew Valentine of Loyola (1) and Bryan Mullins of SIU (4).
- Drew Valentine, Loyola 05/25/1991
- Austin Claunch, Nicholls 11/17/1989
- Solomon Bozeman, Ark.-Pine Bluff 12/18/1987
- Bryan Mullins, Southern Illinois 01/13/1987
- Preston Spradlin, Morehead State 12/30/1986
- Greg Paulus, Niagara 07/03/1986
Jake Ranks 4th All-Time
Coach Ben Jacobson of UNI ranks fourth all-time in MVC history in total victories, with 301 as a coach in the league. Henry Iba is the all-time leader with 486 wins at Oklahoma State during their tenure in the Conference. Eddie Hickey (Creighton/Saint Louis) is next with 337 and Dana Altman of Creighton has 327. Jacboson’s 160 MVC wins also rank fourth (behind the same three).
Alma Mater Coaches
Two MVC coaches are leading their alma maters (Dan Muller at Illinois State and Bryan Mullins at Southern Illinois). Two other MVC coaches played at another MVC school (Dana Ford of Missouri State played at Illinois State, and Darian DeVries of Drake played at UNI. In MVC history, there have been eight head coaches to lead their alma maters.
Six in MVC on National List
The Watch List for the 2021-22 Lou Henson National Men’s Basketball Player of the Year award has been announced. With six student-athletes on the list, the Missouri Valley Conference has the most of any league.
• AJ Green, UNI
• ShanQuan Hemphill, Drake
• Tyreke Key, Indiana State
• Roman Penn, Drake
• Isiaih Mosely, Missouri State
• Gaige Prim, Missouri State
MSU .. Steal Away
During the first week of the new campaign, Gaige Prim extended his streak to 21 consecutive games with a steal, logging one in the opener vs. SEMO and two more in the Bears’ win over Alabama State. The MVC All-Defensive Team member also turned back five shots in the Alabama State game, which ranked 15th on Missouri State’s single-game blocked shot list.
DU .. Bulldogs Start 2-0
Drake topped both Coe and South Dakota this past week, while averaging 93.0 points per game, including a 99-point effort against USD, picked fourth in the Summit. Freshman Tucker DeVries led the scoring efforts against Coe as he tallied 14 points, while ShanQuan Hemphill lead the Bulldogs against USD with 14 points and five rebounds. The Bulldogs advanced to 32-0 when scoring 80 points or more under head coach Darian DeVries.
LUC .. Century Mark
Loyola tied a league record with 20 three-pointers against Coppin State en route to a 103-point output. The 103 points were the most netted by the Ramblers in a season opener since lighting up Robert Morris (Ill.) for 106 points on November 15, 1997. Loyola’s 58-point victory against the Eagles last week proved to be their largest margin of victory since drilling Loras by 64 points (133-69) on November 25, 1978.
BU .. Mast Doubles Up
Bradley sophomore Rienk Mast picked up right where he left off last season, leading Bradley during a pair of games at South Dakota State and versus Howard. The sophomore registered a double-double in each game to become the first Brave to do so in the first two games of the season since Marcellus Sommerville during the 2003-04 campaign.
INS .. Neese Steady for Trees
After posting career highs across the board a year ago, junior Cooper Neese has picked up where he left off. Neese leads the team with 17.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while also recording 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per contest. Neese has been lights out from the charity stripe (10-11) with a 90.9 make percent while shooting 35 percent (7-20) from distance. The Cloverdale, Indiana native has scored at least 15 points in all three contests while snagging at least six rebounds.
VALPO .. Cardinal Connection
Wednesday’s game at Stanford will represent a homecoming for Valpo head coach Matt Lottich as he will coach against his alma mater for the first time. Lottich enjoyed a standout career at Stanford that spanned from his freshman season in 2000-01 to his senior campaign in 2003-04. He still ranks tied for 11th in program history in career made 3-point field goals (169) and tied for eighth on Stanford’s single-season chart for made 3s with 79 in 2002-03.
UNI .. Chart Busters
UNI has four current players on the program’s top-100 all-time scoring list with AJ Green at No. 19 (1,214 points), Trae Berhow at No. 49 (1,250 career points between UNI and Pepperdine with 950 points at UNI), and Austin Phyfe at No. 69 (795 points). Tywhon Pickford moved up to tie for No. 86 this week (658 points).
SIU .. Jones Fuels Comeback
Lance Jones scored all 22 of his points in the second half, taking over the game in spectacular fashion, to lead Southern Illinois to a 73-55 win over Austin Peay in the Charles Helleny Tipoff Classic at the Banterra Center on Friday. The Salukis (1-1) trailed by four points early in the second half when Jones went to work. SIU hit 18 of 28 second-half shots as a team.
UE .. On the Rebound
Shamar Givance opened the season with 7 points at Cincinnati, going 2-for-9 from the field. It did not take him long to get back on track, leading the Purple Aces in the two ensuing games against IUPUI and Belmont. Thursday’s home opener versus the Jaguars saw him lead all players in scoring (16 points) and rebounding (7 boards). He continued to trend in the right direction on Saturday at Belmont, leading everyone with 17 points while knocking down 5 of his 7 attempts including a 4-for-6 effort from outside.
ILS .. Blocking the NCAA
This season through two games, the Illinois State Redbirds have 17 blocked shots, an average of 8.5 blocks per game, which is tied for the 10th-highest blocked shot average in the NCAA this season, while the teams’ 10 blocked shots in the opener is the 11th-largest single-game total in the country this season.
INS .. Shorthanded
After starting the season with just eight players available at Green Bay due to injuries, ISU has now utilized 12 players through the first week of play. During a blowout win against Hanover Sunday, all 12 players that dressed saw the floor and played at least five minutes. Every player that saw action scored a point for the Sycamores in the 90-49 victory.
MSU .. Send ‘Em Packing
The Bears will go three weeks between home games when they embark on five straight road and neutral-court contests in that span before returning to JQH Arena on Dec. 4 to host BYU. Missouri State will play at Sam Houston on Wednesday (Nov. 17), play three games at the Naples Invitational next week, and then open MVC play at Illinois State on Dec. 1.
VALPO .. vs. Power Leagues
Valpo will attempt to garner the program’s third win over a Pac-12 opponent with this week’s game at Stanford. The team topped Oregon State in 2015-16 and Washington in the opening round of the 2008 CBI. Valpo’s last win over a power-5 opponent was 68-60 vs. Alabama at the Men Who Speak Up Main Event in Las Vegas on Nov. 21, 2016.
BU .. Kent Ups His Game
Bradley sophomore Jayson Kent has seen an increased role through the season’s first two games. He is averaging 10.5 points per game in 2021-22 and has reached double-digits in each of the season’s first two games. Last year, Kent tallied 3.6 points per game and totaled 10 points in only 2-of-23 contests.
LUC .. Good Knight
Chris Knight of Loyola provided instant offense and incredible production off the bench for the Ramblers last week as the team got off to a 2-0 start for the second year in a row. The Dartmouth transfer, who was a two-time All-Ivy League selection, scored 24 total points in only 26 minutes of action, averaging 12.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist per contest, connecting on an incredible 11 of 12 (.917) attempts from the field.
UE .. Open Season
Evansville began its 11th season of play inside the Ford Center on Nov. 11, taking on in-state program IUPUI. A 60-40 victory over the Jaguars saw the Aces improve to 10-1 in regular season openers inside the facility. The lone setback came against Buffalo in 2012.
ILS .. Big Boarding
With 10 rebounds in the season opener against UNCW, followed by another 13 in the second game of the season against Eastern Michigan, Illinois State forward Sy Chatman has started himself on a trajectory alongside some of the top rebounders in program history.