Men's Basketball

MVC Weekly Men's Basketball Notebook (2-5-2024)

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Chance Moore, Missouri State
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:  Ryan Conwell, Indiana State
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK:  Kevin Overton, Drake
 
MVC Weekly -- 2-5
  • MVC in the NET -- Indiana State leads eight MVC teams among the Top 163 as ISU sits at No. 23. Drake is 54; and Bradley, 55. The MVC finished 15th as a league in the Conference NET last year and enters this week 10th as a league (percentage points behind the American). The league’s Top 3 NET-rated teams have combined for 11 Q1+Q2 wins this year.
  • Getting to 20 Wins -- Indiana State (20), Drake (18), and Bradley are all approaching 20 wins for the season. The league has had two teams reach 20 wins before Feb. 13 only six times in Conference history.
  • Three in the Top 60 -- Only eight leagues (the P6, Mountain West and the MVC) have three or more Top 60 teams in the NET rankings.
  • Road Warriors -- The MVC has combined for a 32-40 record on the road in league play (.444). The road success in MVC play matches the best on record (through at least 1977) tied with the COVID-impacted scheduling parameters implemented by The Valley in 2020-21 (.444 that year).
  • In the National Polls -- Indiana State enters the week No. 23 in the NET, is rated No. 36 in KenPom, and is at No. 40 in ESPN’s BPI Index. ISU is receiving votes in both the Associated Press (28th-most votes overall) and USA Today Top 25 coaches poll (27th overall). The Sycamores earned a No. 22 rank the CBS Sports Top 25 and 1 poll this week.
  • Winning Ways -- Drake and Belmont are two of the winningest programs in the NCAA since the start of the 2020-21 campaign. Drake ranks fifth-best nationally in that span (96), and Belmont is No. 20 (84).
  • Another MVC Rally -- The MVC has seen teams rally from 19-point (or more) deficits five times this year, including Indiana State last week. The Sycamores fell behind Belmont by 19 points in the first half before winning, 78-72, in Nashville.
  • Sweet Shooting -- Indiana State leads the nation in effective field goal percentage (60.7), is 4th in FG percentage (50.6) and 5th in 3FG percentage (39.9). The Sycamores’ 50.6 is the third-best in the MVC during the shot-clock era.
  • Arch Madness -- In March 2024, The Valley will conduct its 34th St. Louis-based postseason men’s basketball championship. With 34-straight years at the same neutral site, Arch Madness is the second-longest neutral site tenured collegiate tourney in the nation (following only the Big East in New York City). This year's tournament dates are March 7-10 (Thursday-Sunday) at Enterprise Center.  Single-session tickets went on sale Thursday, Feb. 1.
  • Valley Runs Deep -- Notably, MVC men’s teams are 12-3 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 10 NCAA championships and has earned multiple bids 16 times since 1994. Since 2013, The Valley has had two Final Four appearances, and an MVC team has reached a Sweet 16 a total of 12 times since 1985.
  • Nation’s 2nd Oldest -- Founded in 1907, the Missouri Valley Conference is the nation’s second-oldest Division I athletic conference (behind only the Big Ten).  The MVC is celebrating its 117th season in 2023-24.
 
 
Wednesday, Feb. 7
*Valparaiso at Indiana State ESPN+ 6:00 PM
*Southern Illinois at Drake ESPN+ 7:00 PM
*Bradley at Evansville ESPN+ 7:00 PM
*Missouri State at UNI ESPN+ 7:00 PM
*Murray State at Belmont MVC TV/ESPN+ 7:00 PM
*UIC at Illinois State ESPN+ 7:00 PM
Saturday, Feb. 10
*Indiana State at Missouri State MVC TV/ESPN+ 1:00 PM
*Belmont at Valparaiso ESPN+ 3:00 PM
*Evansville at Murray State ESPN+ 3:00 PM
*Drake at Bradley ESPNU/ESPN+ 5:00 PM
*Illinois State at Southern Illinois ESPN+ 6:00 PM
Sunday, Feb. 11
*UNI at UIC ESPN+ 3:00 PM
 
*denotes MVC game