On the Slate This Week
A total of 7 opponents in the season’s first 5 days (Monday-Friday) were in the Top 100 last year. Seven foes were picked for upper division finishes in their respective leagues.
MVC MBB Update (PDF)
Monday, Nov. 7 (All Times are CT)
Valparaiso at Toledo (ESPN3) -- 6:00 PM
Green Bay at Indiana State (ESPN3) -- 6:00 PM
Ohio at Belmont (ESPN+) -- 6:30 PM
Trinity Christian at UIC (ESPN3) -- 7:00 PM
Wis.-Parkside at Bradley (ESPN3) -- 7:00 PM
Western Illinois at Illinois St. (ESPN3) -- 7:00 PM
Murray State at Saint Louis (ESPN+) -- 7:00 PM
Little Rock at Southern Illinois (ESPN3) -- 7:00 PM
Evansville at Miami (Ohio) (ESPN3) -- 7:30 PM
Wartburg at UNI ESPN3) -- 7:30 PM
Wednesday, Nov. 9
Missouri S&T at MoState -- 7:00 PM
IUPUI at Drake (MC22/E+) -- 7:00 PM
Thursday, Nov. 10
Illinois State at E. Illinois (ESPN+) -- 7:00 PM
S. Illinois at Oklahoma State (B12/E+) -- 7:00 PM
Friday, Nov. 11
UNI at Richmond (ESPN+) -- 6:00 PM
Loyola at UIC (ESPN+) -- 7:00 PM
Belmont at Furman (ESPN+) -- 7:00 PM
Bradley at Utah State (MTN) -- 8:00 PM
MVC at a Dozen
For the first time, the MVC will have 12 members as Belmont, UIC, and Murray State officially joined the Conference on July 1, 2022. It marks the first time the Conference has admitted three schools for the same season. Notably, MVC membership will stand at a league-high 12 members for the first time.
Four Teams from the MVC Earn Postseason Berths
Four Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball teams participated in post-season play. The last time the league had that many was in 2015 (5 teams). That year, those five tournament teams combined for 14 wins -- a league record. The last time the league had two NIT teams in the same season was in 2012. Notably, Belmont (NIT) and Murray State (NCAA) also reached the postseason in 2021-22 as then-OVC members.
What Else is New?
In addition to the league’s three newest institutions, the MVC has adopted a new tournament format. The league’s championship -- The State Farm MVC Tournament, affectionately known as Arch Madness, will be played Thursday-Sunday, March 2-5, in St. Louis at Enterprise Center. Four games will take place on Thursday, four on Friday, the semis on Saturday and the championship on Sunday. The tournament will celebrate its 47th anniversary overall in 2023, and it will be the 33rd-straight season the event has been held in St. Louis. Only the Big East Conference (in New York City) has had a longer continuous run at a single site.
20 Games in MVC Play
MVC teams will play 20 league games for the first time, with two Conference games taking place the week after Thanksgiving. Teams will play nine opponents twice, and the other two league teams once each (one home, one away).
Welcome to the MVC
Five league coaches will be a head coach in the MVC for the first time in 2022-23 (Belmont’s Casey Alexander; Evansville’s David Ragland; UIC’s Luke Yaklich; Illinois State’s Ryan Pedon; and Murray State’s Steve Prohm).
20-Win Teams From 2021-22
Five of the league’s 12 teams won 20 or more games last year, and each of those five teams finished tied for second or better in their respective leagues. Bradley (17-14, 11-7 MVC) and Southern Illinois (16-15, 9-9 MVC) joins that group as each had a winning record and finished .500 or better in the MVC last season.
22 Starters Return
The NCAA transfer portal has provided freedom of movement for student-athletes, which has added yet another wrinkle into the unknown for the MVC in 2022-23. Notably, the league’s 12 schools have a combined 22 starters returning (of 60 possible), giving the MVC its lowest percentage of returning starters in at least 20 seasons at 36.7 percent. Only three previous times since 2003-04 has the league returned fewer than 50 percent of its starting lineups from the previous season (44 percent in 2013-14; 46 percent in 2008-09; and 48 percent in 2007-08). Four schools (Bradley, Drake, Indiana State, and Southern Illinois) have more starters returning than those not returning.
NCAA Success
Notably, the MVC has combined for 20 wins in the NCAA Tournament in the past nine NCAA championships and has earned multiple bids 16 times since 1994. Since 2010, The Valley has had two Final Four appearances.
Drake Tabbed as MVC Favorite
For the second-straight year, Drake has been picked as the preseason favorite in the MVC men’s basketball race. The Bulldogs finished tied for second in the MVC race last year and reached the State Farm MVC Tournament title game for the second-straight season.
Drake No. 2 Behind Gonzaga
Seven league schools received mention in the preseason CollegeInsider.com Mid Major poll. Drake was tabbed No. 2 behind Gonzaga, while Southern Illinois (14), Belmont (21), and Bradley (27) cracked the Top 30 in the poll.
DeVries Preseason MVP
Tucker DeVries of Drake earned preseason Player of the Year honors, and is joined on the First Team by Marcus Domask (SIU); Ben Krikke (Valpo); Rienk Mast (Bradley); Roman Penn (Drake); and Ben Sheppard (Belmont).
Father-Son Combos
Tucker DeVries (Drake) is one of four MVC student-athletes playing for their fathers in men’s basketball, joining Hunter Jacobson (UNI), Jaden Schertz (Indiana State), and Griffin Yaklich (UIC).