The Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Tipoff and March to the Arch Preview Event takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 14, as all men's and women's programs will convene at Enterprise Center in St. Louis to visit with league media and St. Louis community leaders. 

The MVC has released its preseason favorites for men's basketball and Murray State is the top choice, earning 32 first-place votes and 517 total points to outdistance Illinois State (seven first-place tallies and 471 points) and UIC (six first-place votes and 466 points) in a vote conducted by league coaches, communications directors and media.  

For Murray State, it marks the first time it has been picked to win the MVC men's basketball crown. The Racers were tabbed third in each of the two previous seasons. Since joining the league, UIC -- picked third this year -- has not been picked better than eighth in the MVC's preseason rankings, while the fourth-place pre-season designation is also a preseason best as an MVC member for the Belmont Bruins. And Valparaiso's fifth-place nod is also its highest designation in an MVC preseason poll -- bettering its previous high of sixth in the 2017-18 poll. The MVC preseason poll history dates back to 1985-86.

The MVC was ranked 9th as a league in men's basketball in 2025-26 – the best for the Conference since 2018. Seven teams were ranked in the Top 120 of the NET on Selection Sunday – first time seven (or more) were in the Top 120 for the MVC since 2019-20.

2026-27 MVC Men's Basketball Preseason Favorites
1. Murray State (32) .. 517
2. Illinois State (7) .. 471
3. UIC (6) .. 466
4. Belmont (1) .. 353
5. Valparaiso (1) .. 343
6. Bradley (1) .. 313