The final week of the regular season non-conference schedule wraps up with three games, including Murray State's participation in the Diamond Head Classic and an Indiana State visit to Ohio State on Dec. 29. League play resumes with games on Sunday, Dec. 29.
Weekly Notebook (PDF)
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE 2024-25 MEN’S BASKETBALL (@ValleyHoops)
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MVC Standings
MVC Media Guide |
MVC Composite Schedule |
MVC NBA Draft Database
NET Rankings & NET Archive |
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Rankings Summary (Sort by Team or Conf)
MVC Player of the Week
Leon Bond III, UNI
G/F, 6-5, R-So., 200, Wauwatosa, Wis. (Wauwatosa HS / Virginia)
Bond set career highs in points scored (37), field goals made (12), three-point field goals made (4) and free throws made (12) to help UNI roll past Montana at home. His 37 points against Montana were the most recorded by an MVC player this season and third-most in UNI single-game history. His 37 points were also one point shy of the program’s single-game home record, and three from tying UNI’s all-time scoring record. He tied for the team scoring high with 17 points against Washington State, including nine points in the first half.
MVC Newcomer of the Week
Samage Teel, Indiana State
G, 6-2, 185, Sr., Greenville, N.C. (Farmville Central HS / Presbyterian)
Teel led the Sycamores to a 2-0 week and helped moved the win streak to five in a row. The senior averaged 19.0 points per game, shooting an incredible 71.4% clip from the floor and 44.4% from deep. Teel was an offense force in the first win of the week, a home MVC victory over Murray State, where he scored a season high 26 points on a 10-for-13 shooting effort. Teel missed his first shot attempt on the day but made the next nine, starting the game 9-for-10. He finished in every way but a dunk, finishing layups at the rim, stepback midrange jumpers, and four three-pointers. His 20-plus point effort was his third-straight and seventh in 11 total games. Teel made his presence felt in the second game, playing only 22 minutes, much lower compared to his 31+ minutes per game average, still scoring 12 points with a 5-for-8 afternoon.
MVC Freshman of the Week
Jack Daugherty, Illinois State
F, 6-8, 205, Fr., Brookfield, Wis. (Brookfield Central HS)
Daugherty helped Illinois State to a 2-0 week with a lopsided win at home against Northern Illinois and a road win at Cornell. He has had five games this season with four or more made three-pointers - including both games this week - and his five games are tied for the 20th-most in the NCAA this season. His 57.1 three-point percentage this week is 14th-most among freshmen in the NCAA for the week, while his eight makes were tied for fourth-most total in the NCAA among freshmen during the week. He is on pace to have the second-highest three-point field goal percentage in school history.
Nothing But Net -- The Missouri Valley Conference has six teams rated in the Top 140, including three in the Top 80 (Drake-49; Bradley-65; UNI-79). The MVC is 35 games over .500 in non-league play with three regular-season non-league games remaining. The league is rated 10th among Division I conferences. Here’s a snapshot of the league’s top-six rated teams. NET ratings include last year’s NET on Dec. 23 in brackets - the MVC’s top six teams, on average, are 63.0 points higher than last year at this time.
| Metrics |
NET |
KPI |
KenPom |
| Drake |
49 [73] |
34 |
78 |
| Bradley |
65 [136] |
54 |
72 |
| UNI |
79 [122] |
97 |
97 |
| Belmont |
114 [151] |
86 |
129 |
| Illinois State |
117 [190] |
129 |
145 |
| Murray State |
140 [270] |
134 |
119 |
More Metrics -- The MVC ranks No. 11 in KenPom’s conference rating -- the league finished 10th in 2023-24. MVC leaders:
Offensive Rating (KenPom)
44 -- Bradley
68 -- UNI
72-- Belmont
107 -- Indiana State
Defensive Rating (KenPom)
59 -- Drake
116 -- Murray State
128 -- Bradley
140 -- UNI
Adjusted Tempo (KenPom)
12 -- Indiana State
19 -- Belmont
76 -- Southern Illinois
84 -- UIC
Wins Above Bubble (BarkTorvik)
13 -- Drake
55 -- Bradley
104 -- Belmont
136 -- UIC
MVC in the NET -- Since 1992, 101 of 116 Missouri Valley Conference teams with regular-season NETs or RPIs (on Selection Sunday) in the Top 100 have participated in the postseason. A top-75 finish in the regular-season metric has secured all 75-such Valley teams a post-season berth. Indiana State, Drake, and Bradley were in the Top 75 on Selection Sunday last year. The MVC had a five-point jump as a Conference in the NET rankings. The league was No. 15 in 2022-23 and climbed to No. 10 in 2023-24.
Winning Ways -- Drake (11-0) is off to the best start in school history since the 2020-21 team won its first 18 games. Drake is one of just four unbeaten teams, joining Florida (12-0), Oklahoma (12-0) and Tennessee (11-0).
Home Cooking -- Drake’s current 27-game homecourt winning streak is tied for second in the nation (thru games of Dec. 22). Drake has a 49-game non-conference homecourt winning streak - third-best in MVC history.
Best MVC Non-Conf Home Streaks
61 - Bradley (Dec. 1962 - Dec. 1969)
51 - Cincinnati (Dec. 1957 - Dec. 1963)
49 - Drake (Dec. 2016 - current)
Best NCAA Active Home Win Streaks
(thru games of Sunday, Dec. 22)
29 - Houston
27 - Drake
27 - UConn
25 - Samford
25 - Iowa State
25 - Dayton
Power Play -- With wins over Miami (ACC), Vanderbilt (SEC), and Kansas State (Big 12), Drake is the fifth MVC team in the past six seasons to have multiple wins against “Power” teams. Indiana State had three-such wins last season (Minnesota, Cincinnati, Utah). The only other MVC teams in the past 10 seasons to have three “Power” wins during the regular season were Loyola (2021-22) and UNI (2015-16) -- both were NCAA Tournament teams in those respective seasons.
Rally Time -- Valpo rallied from 22 points down to win at Western Michigan on Friday. The 22-point comeback is tied for the third best in the NCAA this season and is tied for the 5th best in MVC history. Justus McNair hit a three-pointer at the buzzer from nearly halfcourt to lift the Beacons, 76-73. Valpo pulled off the second-latest comeback in NCAA DI I history when trailing by 22 points or more behind Milwaukee coming from 24 back with 6:26 left in March 2021 to beat Wright State in overtime. Valpo set the NCAA DI record for the latest comeback from 22 or more down to win in regulation.
Drake in Select Company -- Only five teams in Division I men’s basketball this season have held opponents to 58.0 points per game (or fewer) and limited their opponents to 42.0 shooting (or less) from the field this season. Drake leads the MVC and ranks fourth in the nation in scoring defense, while the Bulldogs are second in the MVC (behind Bradley) in field goal percentage defense.
| 58.0 Defense & 42.0 FG Pct. Defense |
|
|
| Drake (11-0) |
57.2 ppg |
41.1 FG Pct. |
| Tennessee (11-0) |
55.9 ppg |
33.9 FG Pct. |
| North Texas (9-3) |
56.5 ppg |
41.4 FG Pct. |
| Oregon State (9-2) |
57.6 ppg |
36.8 FG Pct. |
Winning on the Road -- Belmont (3-0 in road games) is among a small contingent of teams without a road loss. A total of 32 teams are perfect on the road this year, but only five of those have more than three road games.
Perfect on the Road (3 or more games)
4-0 -- St. Bonaventure
3-0 -- Belmont, Duke, Longwood, Memphis
In Elite Company -- Drake’s Bennett Stirtz is one of only two men’s Division I players to average 17.5 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.4 steals per game this season. In fact, only 17 players over the past 30 seasons (and just four players in the past 10 seasons) have averaged that statistical trifecta. Alos, Stirtz ranks second in the NCAA in minutes played (37:35).
| PPG (17.5+); SPG (2.4+); APG (5.9+) |
|
|
|
| Markquis Nowell, K-State (22-23) |
17.6 |
2.6 |
8.3 |
| Josh Sharkey, Samford (2019-20) |
18 |
2.7 |
7.2 |
| Bennett Stirtz, Drake (2024-25) |
17.5 |
2.4 |
5.9 |
| Sebastian Thomas, URI (2024-25) |
17.6 |
2.4 |
7.0 |
Rally Time -- An MVC team has fallen behind by 13 or more points in a game this year and rallied to win four times this season.
Date -- Final Score (Deficit)
12/20 -- Valparaiso 76, W. Michigan 73 (22)
11/19 -- Belmont 90, Oral Roberts 80 (17)
11/29 -- Belmont 83, Gardner Webb 74 (13)
12/07 -- Illinois State 72, Pacific 61 (13)
Making Shots -- Led by Bradley at 60.5 percent, six MVC teams rank in the Top 33 in the NCAA in effective field goal percentage (through games of Sunday, Dec. 22). Also, UNI’s overall field goal percentage of 52.0 leads the NCAA.
| Effective Field Goal Percentage Leaders |
|
|
|
| 1. Liberty (CUSA) |
|
0.610 |
|
| 2. Bradley (MVC) |
|
0.605 |
|
| 3. Texas Tech (Big 12) |
|
0.600 |
|
| 4. Indiana St. (MVC) |
|
0.596 |
|
| 5. Auburn (SEC) |
|
0.596 |
|
| 6. Illinois St. (MVC) |
|
0.594 |
|
| 7. Texas (SEC) |
|
0.591 |
|
| 8. UNI (MVC) |
|
0.590 |
|
| 32. Drake (MVC) |
|
0.569 |
|
| 33. Belmont (MVC) |
|
0.567 |
|
Bradley’s three-point percentage (45.7) leads the nation. The Braves make a league-best 11.6 treys per contest, which is No. 5 nationally. One season after finishing 339th (12th from the bottom) in 3-point FG percentage (29.2), Illinois State is third in the NCAA in three-point percentage this season (41.8).
| Three-Point Percentage Leaders (NCAA Rank) |
|
|
| 1. Bradley (MVC) |
139-of-304 |
45.7 |
| 3. Illinois St. (MVC) |
132-of-316 |
41.8 |
| 16. UNI (MVC) |
92-of-232 |
39.7 |
| 34. Belmont (MVC) |
130-of-341 |
38.1 |
Doing it With Defense -- Drake’s scoring defense of 57.2 ranks fourth in the nation this season, trailing Houston (55.3); Tennessee (55.9); and North Texas (56.5). Only six MVC teams since 1979 have held teams to below 57.0 points per game for a season.
| MVC Scoring Defense, Since 1970 |
Postseason |
| 54.6 UNI, 2014-15 |
NCAA Second Round |
| 55.1 UNI, 2009-10 |
NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 56.1 Loyola, 2020-21 |
NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 56.2 S. Illinois, 2006-07 |
NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 56.5 S. Illinois, 2005-06 |
NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 56.8 MoState, 1991-92 |
NCAA 1st Round |
| 57.2 Drake, 2024-25 |
|
| 57.4 Wichita St., 2015-16 |
NCAA 2nd Round |
| 57.8 UNI, 2005-06 |
NCAA 1st Round |
The Valley Runs Deep
- The Conference has a rich tradition of success in postseason play. In league history, 18 teams have reached the men’s NCAA Final Four, and the MVC owns four NCAA men’s basketball titles and seven NIT crowns. Indiana State reached the title game of the NIT in 2024.
- Notably, MVC teams are 12-4 in their first game in the NCAA Tournament dating back to 2012. The league has now combined for 20 wins in the NCAA Tournament in the past 11 NCAA championships and has earned multiple bids 16 times since 1994.
- MVC teams have 42 total wins in the NCAA Tournament since 1994 with 12 Sweet 16 trips and two Final Four appearances. Notably, 31 of 42 victories have been against Power conferences, and the league has a winning record in that span against Big 12 and SEC schools.
- In 2023-24, the Missouri Valley Conference sent a total of four teams to postseason play as Drake competed against Washington State in the NCAA Tournament, Bradley and Indiana State participated in the NIT, and Evansville played in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). The Valley posted a total of five NIT victories, as Indiana State reached the title game, collecting wins over SMU, Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Utah. Bradley defeated Loyola in the first round of the NIT. Evansville split a pair of games in the CBI.