This week's Missouri Valley Conference players of the week include Bennett Stirtz of Drake; Carter Whitt of Belmont; and Gabriel Pozzato of Evansville.
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 Notebook (Printable PDF)
MVC Player of the Week: Bennett Stirtz, Drake -- Stirtz averaged 21.0 points, 6.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals in Drake’s two wins over Valparaiso and Missouri State last week. He led the Bulldogs in scoring in both contests going for 24 points against the Beacons and 18 points against the Bears. Stirtz was efficient from the free throw line going 17-for-19 (89%) over Drake’s two games including a perfect 11-for-11 performance against Valpo. His 11 free throws against Valpo marked a season high and tied his season high for free throw attempts. He led the charge for Drake in the overtime win over Missouri State scoring six of the teams 14 points in the extra frame to secure the victory. He had 13 total assists against only one turnover last week in Drake’s two victories.
MVC Newcomer of the Week: Carter Whitt, Belmont -- Whitt continued his outstanding play this past week, averaging 16.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 2.0 steals per game as Belmont defeated Murray State and lost to Bradley. Whitt led Belmont to its conference-leading sixth-true road win with 17 points, four rebounds, six assists, and three steals at Murray State. Whitt had 15 points, seven rebounds, and a career-high 11 assists vs. Bradley. Whitt ranks among MVC leaders in scoring, assists, and steals.
MVC Freshman of the Week: Gabriel Pozzato, Evansville -- In two games over the last week, Gabriel Pozzato averaged 17.0 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game. Pozzato added a total of eight assists and a pair of steals while playing 77 out of a possible 80 minutes. Against UIC, Pozzato scored 13 points while picking up six boards and five assists. He followed that up with a 21-point game in the win at Valparaiso while tying his career mark with seven boards. He drained three triples in five attempts.
| Tuesday, Jan. 28 |
Network |
Central |
| *Southern Illinois at Valparaiso |
ESPN+ |
7:00 PM |
|
|
|
| Wednesday, Jan. 29 |
Network |
Central |
| *UNI at Drake |
MVC TV/ESPN+ |
6:00 PM |
| *Missouri State at Indiana State |
ESPN+ |
6:00 PM |
| *Murray State at Evansville |
ESPN+ |
7:00 PM |
| *UIC at Bradley |
ESPN+ |
7:00 PM |
| *Belmont at Illinois State |
MVC TV/ESPN+ |
8:00 PM |
|
|
|
| Saturday, Feb. 1 |
Network |
Central |
| *Drake at Southern Illinois |
ESPNU/ESPN+ |
1:00 PM |
| *Indiana State at UIC |
ESPN+ |
2:00 PM |
| *Murray State at Missouri State |
ESPN+ |
2:00 PM |
| *Valparaiso at Illinois State |
ESPN+ |
4:00 PM |
|
|
|
| Sunday, Feb. 2 |
Network |
Central |
| *Evansville at Belmont |
ESPN+ |
2:00 PM |
| *Bradley at UNI |
ESPN2/ESPN+ |
3:00 PM |
*denotes MVC game
Halfway Point -- The MVC has reached the midway point of the league schedule. Since 1992-93, 42 of 44 MVC teams in the lead (or co-lead) at the midway point have reached post-season play. Last year, Indiana State (NIT) was 9-1 and in sole possession of first place at the halfway point of the MVC season.
Nothing But NET -- The Missouri Valley has seven teams rated in the Top 140 of the NET, including two in the Top 70 (Bradley-64; Drake-66). Seven MVC teams rank in the Top 130 of the KPI, led by Bradley (44) and Drake (49). 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 Valley is 10th among Division I conferences (and finished 10th last year). Here’s a snapshot of the league’s top-seven rated teams and their respective records against the top two Quads of the NET.
| Metrics |
NET (Q1+2) |
KPI |
KenPom |
| Bradley |
64 (4-3) |
44 |
81 |
| Drake |
66 (3-1) |
49 |
74 |
| UNI |
100 (2-4) |
105 |
105 |
| UIC |
115 (2-3) |
93 |
140 |
| Belmont |
118 (1-4) |
75 |
124 |
| Illinois State |
122 (2-4) |
130 |
143 |
| Murray State |
140 (3-4) |
112 |
134 |
NET Returns -- Only 25 teams in NCAA men’s basketball have 16+ wins against Division I opponents, a minimum of 3 wins against the top two quadrants, plus a .500 or better record against Q1/Q2 teams. Bradley and Drake are among them. Only the SEC (6) and Big Ten (5) have more than two teams with the criteria.
SEC (6) - Auburn, Florida, Missouri, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Big Ten (5) - Maryland, Michigan State, Oregon, Purdue, Wisconsin
MVC (2) - Bradley, Drake
ACC (2) - Clemson, Duke
Big 12 (2) - Houston, Iowa State
Mountain West (2) - New Mexico, Utah State
Big East (2) - Marquette, St. John’s
American (1) - Memphis
Big West (1) - UC Irvine
WCC (1) - Saint Mary’s
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 made postseason play. A top-75 finish in the regular-season metric has secured all 75-such Valley teams a post-season berth.
Winning Ways -- Drake’s winning percentage (90.0) is tied for second in the nation (behind only Auburn). Bradley’s 85.7 clip is tied for eighth in the NCAA. The SEC and MVC are the only two leagues with two in the Top 10. Bradley and Drake are tied for the NCAA lead with 18 wins (thru 1/26).
|
Rec. |
Pct. |
| 1. Auburn (SEC) |
18-1 |
94.7 |
| 2. Drake (MVC) |
18-2 |
90.0 |
| 2. Florida (SEC) |
18-2 |
90.0 |
| 2. Utah St. (Mountain West) |
18-2 |
90.0 |
| 5. Duke (ACC) |
17-2 |
89.5 |
| 5. Iowa St. (Big 12) |
17-2 |
89.5 |
| 5. Michigan St. (Big Ten) |
17-2 |
89.5 |
| 8. Bradley (MVC) |
18-3 |
85.7 |
| 8. Saint Mary’s (CA) (WCC) |
18-3 |
85.7 |
| 8. UC Irvine (Big West) |
18-3 |
85.7 |
| Team (Conf.) |
Wins |
| Auburn (SEC) |
18-1 |
| Drake (MVC) |
18-2 |
| Florida (SEC) |
18-2 |
| Utah St. (Mountain West) |
18-2 |
| Bradley (MVC) |
18-3 |
| Saint Mary’s (CA) (WCC) |
18-3 |
| UC Irvine (Big West) |
18-3 |
| High Point (Big South) |
18-5 |
Road Warriors -- League teams are 30-30 (.500) 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.
The Close Ones -- So far, 28 of the league’s 60 conference games have been decided by six points or less or in overtime. Belmont (5-1) has the most victories in games decided by six points or less. Bradley (4-0) is the only league team to have a perfect record in “close” games. There have been seven league overtime contests.
UIC Picked 12th, at 6-4 -- UIC enters the week two games out of second place (and one out of third 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
Double Trouble -- In the past five years, only 14 MVC players (a total of 21 times) have had a double-double with 10+ points and 10+ assists. It’s happened five times this season, and Drake’s Bennett Stirtz has accomplished the feat twice. JaCobi Wood of Murray State leads all active Missouri Valley Conference players with four-such games in his career.
Defending the Shot -- Bradley leads the MVC in field goal percentage defense (39.1). Since 2010, all but four teams that have led the MVC in that statistic have played in the NCAA Tournament. Bradley also leads the MVC (and ranks 10th nationally) in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.5). Bradley is looking to become just the 13th MVC team to lead the Conference in both overall field goal percentage defense and in 3-point field goal percentage defense - the last four to do it have played in the NCAA Tournament.
MVC Teams to Lead League in Both FG Pct. Defense AND 3FG Pct. Defense
1988 -- Illinois State [NIT]
1989 -- Creighton [NCAA]
1991 -- Tulsa [NIT]
1995 -- Evansville
1998 -- Bradley
1999 -- Bradley [NIT]
2004 -- Wichita State [NIT]
2009 -- Illinois State [NIT]
2014 -- Wichita State [NCAA]
2015 -- UNI [NCAA]
2017 -- Wichita State [NCAA]
2023 -- Drake [NCAA]
2025 -- Bradley
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.
Tytan in Select Company -- UNI’s Tytan Anderson is just 10 assists shy of becoming the fourth player in team history (and UNI’s third as an MVC member) to record 1,000 points, 700 rebounds and 200 assists in his career. Previous Panthers to reach this milestone include Seth Tuttle (2011-15), Eric Coleman (2004-08) and Ron Lemons (1975-79). Only 21 players in MVC history have reached those statistical plateaus (1000p-700r-200a).
Doing it With Defense -- Drake’s scoring defense of 58.0 is second in the NCAA, trailing Houston (55.6). Only 10 MVC teams since 1979 have held teams to 58.0 points per game for a season -- all 10 have played in the NCAA Tournament. Also, only seven teams in the past 25 seasons have allowed 58.0 or fewer points, recorded 9.0 steals per game, and held opponents to less than 44.0 field goal shooting -- Drake is one of those seven.
| MVC Scoring Defense, Since 1970 |
|
| 54.6 UNI, 2014-15 |
NCAA 2nd 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 |
| 57.4 Wichita St., 2015-16 |
NCAA 2nd Round |
| 57.8 UNI, 2005-06 |
NCAA 1st Round |
| 57.9 Tulsa, 1985-86 |
NCAA 1st Round |
| 58.0 Drake, 2024-25 |
|
| 58.0 NMSU, 1974-75 |
NCAA 1st Round |
|
Opp. FG Pct. |
SPG |
PPG |
| Drake (2024-25) |
43.4 |
9.2 |
58.0 |
| Houston (2023-24) |
37.9 |
9.8 |
57.6 |
| Holy Cross (2006-07) |
41.4 |
9.5 |
57.5 |
| Holy Cross (2005-06) |
38.9 |
10.3 |
56.8 |
| SE Louisiana (2004-05) |
41.7 |
9.1 |
55.8 |
| Denver (2012-13) |
43.2 |
9.0 |
55.9 |
| Savannah St. (2012-13) |
39.1 |
9.0 |
55.5 |
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.
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.