League play amps up in full swing Dec. 29 with five MVC games on the slate (UIC closes its non-conference schedule at home against Illinois Tech). The MVC has a 74-46 (+28) record in non-league play. Of the 10 league games played to date, nine have been decided by nine points or fewer.
MVC MBB Notebook (PDF)
| Monday, Dec. 29 |
Network |
Time (CT) |
| Illinois Tech at UIC |
ESPN+ |
3:00 PM |
| *Belmont at Indiana State |
ESPN+ |
6:00 PM |
| *Southern Illinois at Murray St. |
MVC TV |
6:00 PM |
| *Evansville at Bradley |
ESPN+ |
7:00 PM |
| *Valparaiso at UNI |
ESPN+ |
7:00 PM |
| *Illinois State at Drake |
MVC TV |
8:00 PM |
|
|
|
| Thursday, Jan. 1 |
Network |
Time (CT) |
| *Valparaiso at Southern Illinois |
ESPN+ |
2:00 PM |
| *Evansville at Illinois State |
ESPN+ |
2:00 PM |
| *Bradley at Belmont |
MVC TV |
6:00 PM |
| *Indiana State at UNI |
ESPN+ |
7:00 PM |
| *Murray State at UIC |
MVC TV |
8:00 PM |
|
|
|
| Sunday, Jan 4 |
Network |
Time (CT) |
| *UIC at Valparaiso |
ESPN+ |
2:00 PM |
| *Indiana State at Drake |
ESPN+ |
2:00 PM |
| *UNI at Evansville |
ESPN+ |
3:00 PM |
| *Bradley at Murray State |
ESPN2 |
4:00 PM |
| *Southern Illinois at Belmont |
ESPN+ |
4:00 PM |
|
|
|
| *denotes MVC contest; MVC TV = cleared on Gray Media affiliates, non-affiliate stations, and ESPN+ |
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE 2025-26 MEN’S BASKETBALL
2025-26 MVC Stats (PDF) | NCAA Statistics | MVC Standings
MVC Media Guide | MVC Composite Schedule | MVC NBA Draft Database
NET Rankings & NET Archive | Statistics Rankings Summary (Sort by Team or Conf)
NATIONAL COLLEGE BASKETBALL SITES / METRICS
ESPN College Basketball Home | CBS Sports College Basketball Home
EvanMiya CBB Home Page | Bart Torvik CBB Home Page | Bracketologists.Com Home Page
KenPom | Valley Hoops Insider | NCAA Division I MBB Home Page
Nothing But NET: MVC at 9 -- The Missouri Valley Conference is ranked No. 9 as a conference in the NCAA NET ratings (Dec. 26). Belmont (50) headlines a group of six MVC schools in the Top 135. Belmont is joined by Illinois State (63), Murray State (70), and UNI (74) in the Top 75 of the NET ratings.
NET Ratings, By Conference (Leaders)
1. Big 12
2. SEC
3. Big Ten
4. ACC
5. Big East
6. Mountain West
7. West Coast
8. Atlantic 10
9. Missouri Valley
Metrics, MVC Leaders
| Team |
NET |
KP |
BPI |
KPI |
T-Rank |
WAB |
| BEL |
50 |
62 |
104 |
47 |
74 |
54 |
| ILS |
63 |
89 |
88 |
88 |
71 |
86 |
| MUR |
70 |
96 |
102 |
82 |
101 |
74 |
| UNI |
74 |
91 |
86 |
72 |
72 |
79 |
| BRAD |
122 |
117 |
109 |
136 |
119 |
161 |
| SIU |
132 |
119 |
123 |
167 |
137 |
226 |
KP - KenPom; BPI - ESPN Power Index; T-Rank - BartTorvik; WAB - Wins Above Bubble
Road Success -- Belmont has a +98 point differential in its five true road wins. For teams that have two or more true road games this year, Belmont ranks third for road game scoring differential (does not include neutral).
NCAA Leaders, Scoring Differential (true road)
30.5 -- Duke (2-0)
23.0 -- Yale (3-0)
19.6 -- Belmont (5-0)
16.7 -- Vanderbilt (3-0)
Doing it With Defense -- Belmont men’s basketball, which became the first program in America to win 12 games this season, leads the MVC and ranks 5th nationally in field goal percentage defense (36.3). UNI, meanwhile, is No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense (58.1 ppg), seventh in field goal percentage defense (36.9) and fifth in three-point field goal percentage defense (25.9). UNI held 11 of its 12 non-conference foes under 70 points, including seven challengers under 60.
Field Goal Percentage Defense, NCAA Leaders
1. Louisiana Tech (CUSA) -- 34.9
2. Michigan (Big Ten) -- 35.2
3. Duke (ACC) -- 36.2
4. North Carolina (ACC) -- 36.2
5. Belmont (MVC) -- 36.3
6. Kansas (Big 12) -- 36.6
7. UNI (MVC) -- 36.9
Scoring Defense, NCAA Leaders
1. Louisiana Tech (CUSA) -- 55.5
2. UNI (MVC) -- 58.1
3. Iowa (Big Ten) -- 59.9
4. Houston (Big 12) -- 60.0
5. West Virginia (Big 12) -- 60.2
3FG Percentage Defense, NCAA Leaders
1. UT Arlington (WAC) -- 24.1
2. Louisiana Tech (CUSA) -- 24.3
3. Kansas (Big 12) -- 25.2
4. Massachusetts (MAC) -- 25.7
5. UNI (MVC) -- 25.9
Bradley’s Johnson Leads Braves -- Three league schools enter the post-Christmas schedule (Dec. 29) with lengthy win streaks. Bradley (6), Murray State (6) and Belmont (4) each have winning streaks of four-or-more games. Bradley’s Jaquan Johnson leads the league in both scoring (18.5) and steals (3.6) to help the Braves to their 9-4 mark after a 1-3 season start.
NCAA Leaders, Steals Per Game
1. Javontae Campbell, Bowling Green -- 3.69
2. Jaquan Johnson, Bradley -- 3.62
3. Aaron Nkrumah, Tennessee State -- 3.25
4. Brent Bland, Saint Peter’s -- 3.10
NCAA Team Leaders, Turnover Margin
1. High Point -- 8.4
2. McNeese -- 8.1
3. Iowa St. -- 7.9
4. Bowling Green -- 7.6
5. Bradley -- 6.1
Something’s Bruin -- Belmont ranks among the national leaders in effective field goal percentage. The Bruins have 245 assists on 403 made field goals (60.7 percent), trailing only UNI (207 assists on 314 makes for 65.9 percent) and Indiana State (222 of 353 for 62.9 percent) in MVC men’s basketball.
NCAA Leaders, Effective Field Goal Percentage
1. Miami (OH) (MAC) -- .643
2. Colorado St. (Mountain West) -- .637
3. Liberty (CUSA) -- .633
4. Michigan (Big Ten) -- .616
5. Iowa St. (Big 12) -- .609
6. Iowa (Big Ten) -- .608
7. Belmont (MVC) -- .607
Racing -- Murray State (89.3) leads the MVC in scoring and is one of three league schools averaging more than 80 points per game (Belmont, 85.4; and Illinois State, 81.0). The Racers (No. 26) have the highest MVC tempo rating in KenPom. Belmont (29 in 2023-24) is the only MVC team in the past 10 seasons to end the year in the Top 30.
Highest Scoring Average, MVC History
92.5 -- Bradley, 1987-88
90.8 -- Tulsa, 1983-84
89.3 -- Murray State, 2025-26
88.8 -- Wichita State, 1978-79
88.8 -- Drake, 1979-80
86.4 -- New Mexico State, 1975-76
88.2 -- Wichita State, 1965-66
87.1 -- Drake, 1968-69
Winning the First One -- Five league teams are unscathed in MVC play in 2025-26 (2-0: Belmont, Bradley, Illinois State, Murray State, and 1-0: UNI). Since 1993-94, only five teams (UNI, a 2009 co-champ, Loyola in 2018, Drake in 2019, UNI in 2020, and UNI in 2022) have won at least a share of the MVC regular-season title without winning the league opener. In fact, 28 of the last 34 regular-season champs (or co-champs) have opened 2-0 or better in MVC play, with UNI (2008-09, 2019-20, 2021-22), Wichita State (2011-12), Loyola (2017-18) and Drake (2018-19) the exceptions. In 2019, Drake became the first regular-season champ since 1992-93 to start league play with back-to-back defeats.
Net Returns -- In its win against Indiana State, Illinois State committed just four turnovers, tied for the third-fewest turnovers in a game in program history. The Redbirds’ turnover total is tied for the 27th-fewest in the NCAA this season. In the MVC, Only UNI (3 turnovers in the win against Loyola Chicago) has had a game with fewer this season.
Great Scott! -- Five of the league’s top scorers this year are in their first year with their respective teams. Drake’s Jalen Quinn ranks second in the MVC in scoring (17.85) to lead newcomers. Ian Scott of Indiana State averages 13.8 ppg (fourth-best in that category). He’s the only of those five to also rank in the Top 10 in rebounding. He ranks second (7.3 rpg) in the league. Meanwhile, Quinn (6th, 3.54) and Quel’Ron House of Southern Illinois are the only MVC newcomers in the Top 10 in scoring and assists. House ranks 5th in scoring (14.7) and 10th in assists (2.92).
Johnson Shining in First Year -- UIC’s Andy Johnson is one of just 15 freshmen nationally to average 30.0 minutes per game and 13.0+ points per game this season. Duke’s Cameron Boozer (23.3) and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa (23.1) are the top scoring freshmen, while Johnson’s 92.5 free throw percentage is (49-of-53) is best among those. He tops Missouri Valley freshmen with 30.02 minutes per game, and his scoring average (13.67) is best among MVC freshmen.
Block Party -- Last time out, Connor Turnbull of Evansville had 20 points and a career-high 15 boards against Drake. He added three blocks in just over 28 minutes of action. He leads the league is tied for 7th in the NCAA in blocks per game (3.0)
2025-26 NCAA Leaders, Blocks Per Game
1. Jerald Colonel, SFA -- 3.82
2. William Kyle III, Syracuse -- 3.31
3. Kyle Evans, UC Irvine -- 3.14
4. Aiden Sherrell, Alabama -- 3.08
5. Oswin Erhunmwunse, Providence -- 3.08
5. Matt Van Komen, Marshall -- 3.08
7. Connor Turnbull, Evansville -- 3.00
7. Devin Williams, Fla. Atlantic -- 3.00
Dease Shines Off the Bench -- Valpo’s Owen Dease poured in a career-high 25 points vs. Murray State, usurping his previous peak of 20 accomplished twice while playing for Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Dease’s 25 points were the most by a Valpo player coming off the bench since Richie Edwards had 25 on Nov. 14, 2011, vs. Holy Cross (Ind.). Dease had the highest point total by a Valpo reserve against a Division I opponent since Matt Kenney had 27 on Feb. 17, 2010, vs. Loyola Chicago.
MVC Player of the Week
Jaquan Johnson, Bradley
G, 5-11, 195, So., Milwaukee, Wis. (Pius XI)
Johnson led the Braves to a 2-0 week with wins against Indiana State and Southern Illinois. He ended his week with a final line of 20.0 PPG, 4.0 APG, 4.0 SPG, and 3.0 RPG while shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three. He collected back-to-back contests of scoring at least 20 points for the first time in his career. Johnson led the Braves in points, assists, and steals, while having only three turnovers in roughly 66 minutes played.
MVC Newcomer of the Week
Fred King, Murray State
C, 6-9, 267, Sr., Mangrove Cay, Andros, Bahamas (NBA Acad. Latin America) | Creighton
King led the Racers to two wins last week (vs. Drake and at Valpo). He averaged 17.5 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 53.8 percent from the floor (14-of-26) and 87.5 percent from the line (7-of-8). He added four assists and led the league last week with six blocks. His 16-point, 11-rebound effort in the win against Drake was the second double-double for King this year.
MVC Freshman of the Week
Roman Domon, Murray State
G/F, 6-9, 225, Fr., Dreuil Les Amiens, France (BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque)
Murray State won both of its game last week (vs. Drake and at Valparaiso) and Domon averaged 14.5 points while connecting on 5-of-9 field goal tries. He was exceptional at the free throw line (18-of-22), and he added six rebounds and two assists last week for the Racers. He scored 20 points with three rebounds and two steals in the win at Valparaiso, making 11-of-14 free throw tries against the Beacons.
Nation’s Second 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 119th season in 2025-26.
Four Postseason Teams in 2025 -- The Missouri Valley Conference had four teams in postseason play in men’s basketball as Drake (NCAA), Bradley (NIT), UNI (NIT), and Illinois State (CBI) represented the MVC. MVC schools have combined for 12 wins in post-season play the past two seasons. The six postseason wins in 2024-25 matches the ninth-best total in league history.
13-4 in NCAA First Round -- Including Drake in 2025, MVC teams are 13-4 in their first game in the NCAA tourney dating back to 2012. The league has combined for 21 wins in the NCAA Tournament in the past 12 NCAA championships and has had multiple bids 16 times since 1994.