This week's Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball honors include Trey Campbell of UNI; Carter Whitt of Belmont; and Zaxton King of Missouri State.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE 2024-25 MEN’S BASKETBALL (@ValleyHoops)
2024-25 MVC Stats (PDF) |
NCAA Statistics |
MVC Standings
MVC Media Guide |
MVC Composite Schedule |
MVC NBA Draft Database
NET Rankings & NET Archive |
RPI Archive |
Rankings Summary (Sort by Team or Conf)
Weekly Notes (PDF)
Player of the Week: Trey Campbell, UNI
Newcomer of the Week: Carter Whitt, Belmont
Freshman of the Week: Zaxton King, Missouri State
Campbell recorded the third 30+ point game in the MVC this season, and second such game by a Panther this year with a career-high 30 points in UNI’s come-from-behind win at Illinois State. He made a career-best eight three pointers against the Redbirds, second-most in school history. His eight threes are tied for the most by an MVC player in game this year. Campbell also scored 17 points in UNI’s three-point home loss to Murray State on Wednesday. He jumped into a tie for 80th on the program’s all-time scoring list (730).
Whitt averaged 18.5 points, 4.5 rebound, and 6.0 assists per game as Belmont defeated Southern Illinois at home and Indiana State on the road this week. Whitt scored a career-high 25 points at Indiana State and either scored or assisted on 10 straight points in the final 4:09 as Belmont won its third straight game. Whitt had 12 points and six assists vs. Southern Illinois, including a trailer pitch pass which gave Belmont the lead with 20 seconds left and the game-clinching free throws with eight seconds left. Whitt ranks among MVC leaders in scoring and assists.
King helped ignite MSU’s thrilling comeback at Carbondale on Saturday, scoring 7 points in the span of two-and-a-half minutes late in regulation to help the Bears erase a 13-point second-half deficit and force overtime. King finished with a career-high 23 points on 8-of-16 field goals, 4-of-9 threes, and 5 rebounds. He led all MVC freshman last week (and 8th among all DI freshmen nationally) with 20.0 points per game.
| Tuesday, Jan. 14 |
Network |
Central |
| *Valparaiso at Belmont |
ESPN+ |
6:30 PM |
| *Evansville at UNI |
PSN/ESPN+ |
7:00 PM |
|
|
|
| Wednesday, Jan. 15 |
Network |
Central |
| *Southern Illinois at Missouri State |
MVC TV/ESPN+ |
6:00 PM |
| *Murray State at UIC |
ESPN+ |
7:00 PM |
| *Indiana State at Bradley |
ESPN+ |
7:00 PM |
| *Illinois State at Drake |
MVC TV/ESPN+ |
8:00 PM |
|
|
|
| Saturday, Jan. 18 |
Network |
Central |
| *Belmont at Evansville |
ESPN+ |
1:00 PM |
| *Bradley at Murray State |
ESPN+ |
3:00 PM |
| *UIC at Valparaiso |
ESPN+ |
3:00 PM |
| *Missouri State at Illinois State |
ESPN+ |
4:00 PM |
| *Drake at Indiana State |
ESPNU |
5:00 PM |
| *UNI at Southern Illinois |
ESPN+ |
6:00 PM |
Nothing But Net -- The Missouri Valley Conference has seven teams rated in the Top 125 of the NET, including three in the Top 90 (Drake-65; Bradley-83; UNI-89). Six MVC teams rank in the Top 100 of the KPI, led by Drake (42) and Bradley (54). The MVC finished non-league play 82-48 (.631). The league was 84-48 in non-league play during the regular season last year. The league is rated 10th among Division I conferences (and finished 10th last year). Here’s a snapshot of the league’s top-seven rated teams.
| Metrics |
NET |
KPI |
KenPom |
| Drake |
65 |
42 |
73 |
| Bradley |
83 |
54 |
94 |
| UNI |
89 |
86 |
101 |
| Belmont |
114 |
72 |
138 |
| Murray State |
116 |
90 |
106 |
| UIC |
119 |
94 |
149 |
| Illinois State |
123 |
133 |
146 |
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 league was No. 15 in 2022-23 and climbed to No. 10 in 2023-24.
Log Jam -- Bradley (5-1) sits alone in first place; but nine teams are within two games of first (3-3 or better in league play).
The Close Ones -- So far, 20 of the league’s 36 conference games have been decided by six points or less or in overtime. Belmont (4-1) has the most victories in games decided by six points or less. Bradley (3-0) is the only league team to have a perfect record in “close” games.
Road Warriors -- League teams are 17-19 (.472) on the road during league play - that’s the best road win percentage in at least the past 10 seasons. MVC teams were 40-50 (.444) on the road in league play during 2020-21, during which teams played back-to-back games at the same site due to COVID. Teams were 47-73 (.392) in MVC road games last year.
UIC Picked 12th, at 3-3 -- UIC enters the week one game out of second place (and two out of first place in the MVC race). The Flames were picked to finish last in the preseason poll. Only one team in MVC history has finished in the Top 3 after being picked last in the league’s pre-season poll. Drake, in 2017-18, was picked 10th and tied for third place.
Picked Last (or 2nd to Last) to Finish in Top 3
1988-89 - Creighton (picked 7th of 8) -- 1st
2007-08 - Drake (picked 9th of 10) -- 1st
2017-18 - Drake (picked 10th of 10) -- t3rd
2018-19 - Drake (picked 9th of 10) -- t1st
Defending the Shot -- Bradley leads the MVC in field goal percentage defense (40.0). Since 2010, all but four teams that have led the MVC in FG percentage defense have played in the NCAA Tournament. The Braves have led the league in field goal percentage defense in five of the past seven seasons. Bradley also leads the MVC (and ranks 13th nationally) in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.1)
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.
Three-Point Improvement -- Illinois State is No. 6 in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (40.4), which is second in the MVC to NCAA leader Bradley (3rd in the NCAA at 41.4). The Redbirds finished 12th from the bottom in the NCAA in three-point field goal percentage last year (29.2).
Home Cooking -- Four league teams were perfect in non-league home games this year. Bradley (6-0), Drake (6-0); Missouri State (5-0); and UIC (4-0) all went undefeated at home in non-league play. Drake has won 49-straight non-league games at home, which is 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)
Double Trouble -- Five league players have hit double-figure scoring in 14 or more games this season. Bennett Stirtz of Drake and Tytan Anderson of UNI have had the most games of 10 or more points.
Double-Figure Scoring (Games Played)
15 -- Bennett Stirtz, Drake (16)
15 -- Tytan Anderson, UNI (17)
15 -- Ali Dibba, Southern Illinois (17)
14 -- Carter Whitt, Belmont (16)
14 -- Samage Teel, Indiana State (17)
Roster Rebuilds -- Only three MVC teams returned more than eight players who were on their rosters last year (Bradley, Evansville, UNI). On average, MVC squads have 9.7 new players per team (116 total players across the MVC were not on their current rosters last year). Ten players started their careers at another MVC program and transferred to their current school. Missouri State leads the league with 99.7 percent of its points this year coming from players who did not score for the Bears in 2023-24.
Percentage of points by MVC players who did not score for their current team in 2023-24
Missouri State -- 99.7 percent
Drake - 92 percent
UIC - 83 percent
Indiana State - 76 percent
Belmont - 71 percent
Valparaiso - 64 percent
Southern Illinois - 60 percent
Murray State - 59 percent
Evansville - 49 percent
UNI - 41 percent
Bradley - 34 percent
Illinois State - 29 percent
Doing it With Defense -- Drake’s scoring defense of 57.0 is second in the NCAA, trailing Houston (54.2). Only six MVC teams since 1979 have held teams to below 57.0 points per game for a season. Drake joins North Texas as the only NCAA programs to hold teams under 44 percent shooting, record 9.0 or more steals per game, and hold opponents under 60.0 points per game.
| MVC Scoring Defense, Since 1970 |
| 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 |
| 57.0 Drake, 2024-25 |
|
| 57.4 Wichita St., 2015-16 |
NCAA 2nd Round |
| 57.8 UNI, 2005-06 |
NCAA 1st Round |
|
FG Pct. Def. |
SPG |
Defense (PPG) |
| Drake |
42.7 |
9.3 |
57 |
| North Texas |
41.9 |
9.1 |
58.7 |
Making Shots
- Led by UNI at 58.6 percent, seven MVC teams rank in the Top 80 in the NCAA in effective field goal percentage (through games of Sunday, Jan. 12).
- UNI’s overall field goal percentage of 51.9 leads the MVC and ranks second in the nation. That figure ranks 7th-best all-time in league history.
- Valparaiso’s team free throw percentage of 79.4 leads the league and ranks ninth nationally. That figure is third-best all-time in MVC history.
- Bradley (3rd, 41.4) and Illinois State (6th, 40.4) rank among the national leaders in three-point field goal percentage. Four teams: Belmont (17th, 10.6); Illinois State (17th; 10.6); Indiana State (22nd, 10.4); and Bradley (25th, 10.3) rank among the Top 25 in the NCAA in three-pointers made per game.
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.