Weekly Notes (PDF)
MVC Player of the Week
Lucas Williamson, Loyola
6-9, 205, Gr., G
Chicago, Ill. | Whitney Young High
Williamson had a huge week in helping Loyola to a pair of wins by putting up 23.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game, while converting 63 percent (17-for-27) of his field goal attempts and 64.3 percent (9-for-14) of his three-point tries. In the Ramblers’ 78-64 victory over Illinois State on February 2, the graduate student erupted for a career-high 27 points and added three assists, two steals, a rebound and a block, while hitting 10 of 15 shots from the field, including 6 of 9 attempts from beyond the arc. He followed that up with 19 points, four boards, five assists and a steal in Loyola’s 71-62 victory at Missouri State that kept the Ramblers atop The Valley standings. In addition to his offensive output against the Bears, Williamson played a huge part in limiting the league’s leading scorer, Isiaih Mosley, to just 12 points on 4 of 14 shooting.
MVC Newcomer of the Week
Tucker DeVries, Drake
6-7, 210, Fr., G/F
Waukee, Iowa | Waukee High
DeVries averaged 14.5 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game and swatted away three shots over two games last week. Scored 14 points (3-for-4 from beyond the arc) and blocked two shots in an 85-67 win at Indiana State on Wednesday (Feb. 2). Scored a team-high 15 points, snagged eight rebounds, picked up a steal and blocked one shot against UNI on Saturday (Feb. 5).
Weekly MVC MBB Coaches Zoom Call -- Audio Clips Below
Bunched at The Top
Five league teams are bunched at the top of the standings as the Conference heads into the final three weeks of play (three or fewer losses separate 1st through 5th place). The league’s top two teams in the standings (Loyola/UNI) have yet to play one another and meet for the first time this Sunday (Feb. 13).
Close Calls
Through Feb. 6, the MVC has played 56 Conference games. According to KenPom, the league’s 20 one-score (three points or less or overtime game) contests in 56 total league games is second-most in the nation (35.7%). The MEAC (11 of 24, 45.8%) is the only league ahead of the MVC. A total of 26 MVC games (nearly half) have been decided by five points or less (or went into overtime). The MVC has not finished in the Top 10 in “close games” since ranking 7th in 2013 with 22 such games (of 90 total). In the past 20 seasons, the league has not had more than 25 (of 90) league games that were one-score/overtime games (27.8%).
Working Overtime
Through games of Feb. 6, Conference schools have combined to play 10 overtime games in league play (and 16 OT games overall). The 10 overtime tilts is the most in league play in at least the past 26 years (since 1996-97). Only twice in that span has the league combined to play more than 16 total overtimes in a given season.
Most OT Games in League Play (since 1997)
10 - 2022
9 - 2017, 2009
8 - 2001
7 - 4 times
Most Total OT Games (full season, since 1997)
18 - 2017
17 - 2012
16 - 2022, 2018, 2015
MVC Team w/Most Total OT Games This Season
5 - Drake (3 in MVC play)
5 - Illinois State (3 in MVC play)
5 - Valparaiso (4 in MVC play)
4 - UNI (all 4 in MVC play)
MVC in the Metrics
The Missouri Valley Conference is No. 11 in both the KenPom and in the NET (through games of Feb. 6). Five MVC teams (Loyola, Missouri State, Drake, Bradley, and UNI) are in the Top 100 in KenPom and four (Loyola, Missouri State, Drake, and Bradley) are in the Top 100 of the NET.
NET Rankings Leaders
Loyola leads the league in the latest installment of the NET ratings, at No. 29. Last year, three league schools ranked in the Top 100 of the NET and the MVC had four teams in the Top 150. This year, the league currently has six teams rated 150 or better, with four of those in the Top 100.
Home Cooking
Through games of Dec. 5, MVC men’s basketball teams had a 25-11 home record in non-conference play. Since then, MVC teams are 23-1 at home to lift the full-season non-conference home record to 48-12. Last season, Valley schools posted a 34-2 home record in non-league games, and the MVC was 55-6 at home the year prior. The league’s 32-24 (.571) home record in league play ranks 14-best among conferences. Last year, the league finished 50-40 in home Conference games. That winning percentage (.556) was the worst in the past 10 seasons. The league’s best home record in Conference play since 1975-76 occurred in 1992-93 (69-21, .767).
Best MVC Home Win Pct. (since 1975-76)
.767 (69-21) -- 1992-93
.762 (32-10) -- 1975-76
.750 (54-18) -- 1979-80
.732 (41-15) -- 1986-87
.722 (65-25) -- 1999-00
Top-25 History
After climbing into both the Associated Press (22) and Loyola Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll, powered by USA TODAY Sports (24), on Feb. 17, the Ramblers continue to receive votes in both polls this week. Loyola’s top-25 ranking this year gives the league at least one ranked team in nine of the past 11 seasons. The Ramblers were ranked No. 22 when Missouri State snapped their 30-game win streak at Gentile in January. Murray State, which joins the MVC for 2022-23 is ranked in both polls this week.
Paused
As of Feb. 6, a total of 28 Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball games have been adjusted or canceled. All seven postponed MVC games have been rescheduled.
- MVC Games Postponed/Rescheduled: 7/7
- Total MVC Games Moved: 7
- Regular-Season MVC Games Canceled: 0
- Non-Conference Games Canceled/Postponed: 14
- Games Not Made Up: 8
- Games Added (new opponents): 5
- Rescheduled (same opponent/diff. date): 1
Defending the Shot
Since 2010, all but two teams that have led the MVC in FG percentage defense have earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament. (Loyola was third in the MVC in that statistic in 2018 and represented the league in the NCAAs; last year Missouri State led the league and failed to earn a post-season berth.) Bradley’s current 39.4 percent figure leads the MVC and ranks 23rd nationally.
Hitting Their Shots
Loyola has led the league in FG percentage five-straight seasons. No other MVC program since the league began keeping FG percentage records in 1964 had done it more than three-straight seasons. Loyola is doing it again, hitting on 48.6 percent of its shots to lead the MVC and rank No. 16 in the NCAA.
At the Line
As a team, Missouri State leads the MVC with its 78.7 accuracy rate from the stripe - only one league team on record (since 1964) has had a full-season percentage better than that. Wichita State, in 1967, holds the league standard, at 78.8. The Bears rank 7th nationally in FT shooting; UNI ranks 12th. Missouri State’s Isiaih Mosley leads the league and ranks 10th nationally in free throw percentage (91.9). Only a handful of MVC players this century have hit at 90 percent or better for an entire season (minimum 2.0 made per game).
Twice for 40
Isiaih Mosley of Missouri State is the first MVC player to hit 40 twice in the same season since National Player of the Year Hersey Hawkins of Bradley did it nine times in 1987-88. Notably, since 1974-75 only seven MVC players have accomplished that feat (two did it twice).
MVC Players to Hit 40 2x in Same Year (since 1975)
Isiaih Mosley, Missouri State, 2021-22
$#Hersey Hawkins, Bradley, 1987-88
$#Xavier McDaniel, Wichita State, 1984-85
Benoit Benjamin, Creighton, 1984-85
$Lewis Lloyd, Drake, 1980-81 and in 1979-80
$#Larry Bird, Indiana State, 1978-79 and in 1977-78
$#Roger Phegley, Bradley, 1976-77
&MVC Hall of Fame; #Number Retired by School
BU .. Controlling the Glass
Bradley has controlled the glass during the 2021-22 campaign. The Braves rank 35th nationally with 39.4 rebounds per game, while also placing 20th with a rebound margin of +7.0. In fact, Bradley’s 39.4 rebounds per game are its most since 1987-88 (40.5), while its +7.0 margin is its highest since 1963-64 (+10.7). In Saturday’s win over the Purple Aces, Bradley doubled Evansville on the glass, 46-23.
DU .. Triple Play
Drake has made 10 or more three-point baskets in eight games this season, sporting a 7-1 record when that feat occurs. The Bulldogs made 10 three-point baskets in an 85-67 victory at Indiana State Feb. 2 with three players making at least three treys in the same game for the third time this season.
UE .. Heating Up from 3
A nice stretch by fifth year forward Evan Kuhlman has seen him knock down 8 of his last 15 attempts from 3-point range. Following a 2-3 game in the win over Illinois State, Kuhlman went 3-of-5 versus UNI before hitting 3 of his 7 attempts against Bradley.
ILS .. Block Party
Illinois State ranks 26th nationally with 5.1 blocks per game. Since the league began tracking team blocked shot averages (1987), only one team has averaged better than 5.0 blocks per game (Wichita State in 2014 had 5.1.) Bradley ranks second in the league and 47th nationally at 4.6 blocks per game.
INS .. Moving Up the Charts
Cooper Neese hit five 3-pointers at Valpo on Saturday to move into sole possession of sixth place in school history in career 3-pointers. He has hit 157 triples in 95 games over his career. He passed teammate Tyreke Key as well as Travis Inman (1988-92).
MSU .. Prim on the Prowl
Bears super-senior Gaige Prim (Aurora, Colo.) has reeled off three straight 20-point scoring efforts, including his ninth double-double of the season in Sunday’s game against Loyola. Over the last three contests, Prim is averaging 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, while shooting at a 65.8-percent clip from the field (25-for-38). Prim has scored in double figures in nine straight ball games.
LUC .. Home Cooking
Loyola, which returns to action at Gentile Arena this Sunday versus Northern Iowa, has captured 36 of its last 37 (.973) contests on its home floor.
UNI .. Berhow Moving Up
Trae Berhow is one three-point field goal away from moving into 3rd all-time in made three-pointers in UNI history. Berhow is currently tied with Ben Jacobson (2002-06) with 203 career shots from beyond the arc. His next three-pointer would put him and AJ Green both in the top 3 in program history.
SIU .. Stellar Defense
SIU is allowing just 56.6 points per game at the Banterra Center and 65.9 points on the road. On the year, only Missouri State (81) and Bradley (70) have reached 70 points against Southern. No opponent has reached that mark at the Banterra Center. SIU held its first 14 opponents under 70 points. SIU has held 13 opponents to 60 or fewer points.
VALPO .. Mr. 2,000?
Kevion Taylor scored his 1,900th collegiate point in Valpo’s Feb. 5 victory over Indiana State. He scored 1,635 points over four seasons at Division-II Winona State before joining the Beacons as a graduate transfer prior to the 2021-22 campaign. Taylor is averaging 11.8 points per game this season, and if he continues that average he could reach the 2,000-point threshold by season’s end. If Taylor reaches that hefty milestone, he would become just the third player in program history to score his 2,000th collegiate point while playing for Valpo, joining program legends Alec Peters and Bryce Drew.
MSU .. Black Leads the Pack
Ja’Monta Black (Jr., Columbia, Mo.) has made at least one 3-pointer in 17 straight games -- and in 23-of-25 contests this season -- moving him up to ninth in program history in career threes (143). Black has a team-high 62 triples on the campaign which leads a trio of Bears, along with Isiaih Mosley (54) and Jaylen Minnett (52), that make MSU the only team in the nation to boast three players with 50 or more threes.