It was an offseason of turnovers in the Missouri Valley Conference, as all but one of last year’s first-team players transferred, graduated or were drafted into the NBA. As a result, each team in the league had to deal with the loss and process of rebuilding that comes with running a mid-major program in the era of the portal.
While almost every team fell victim to the portal, those that used it to their advantage will be best set up going into this season. Taking from junior colleges as well as other Division I programs, including some in power conferences, the MVC mixed and matched its players to churn out the 12 teams in front of you today.
Still, it’s important to consider the returners. Experience is key in this league and players who can’t adapt to the conference’s physicality fall flat on their faces. Having a year or two (or three) in the MVC can pay massive dividends and could be the difference between an Arch Madness trophy and a Thursday exit.
The Valley’s coaches and media members once again picked Drake to go home with the title and reigning Player of the Year Tucker DeVries to defend his award. With a strong returning core, Ben Jacobson’s Northern Iowa Panthers were picked second while last year’s regular season champion Bradley came in third.
Below, Sports Co-Editor Mason Klemm and contributor Latif Love join in ranking the men’s MVC field for the 2023-24 season.
1. Drake
Despite losing three of their top five leading scorers, the Bulldogs are still a force to be reckoned with. Last year’s MVC Tournament champions were a few minutes of poor shooting away from upsetting Miami in the NCAA Tournament last season, a team that went on to reach the Final Four. Drake is not bringing back the experience they were known for the past few seasons, but they have retooled and reloaded.
Headlining this group is reigning MVC Player of the Year Tucker DeVries. At 18.6 points per game, the junior leads all Valley returners and was once again picked to be Player of the Year this preseason. Other notable returners include sixth-year big man Darnell Brodie (7.3 RPG) and All-Freshman team member Conor Enright, who will undoubtedly inherit a bigger role now that Roman Penn and Garrett Sturtz have graduated.
What makes this team so enticing is their newcomers. Kyron Gibson is a UT Arlington transfer who averaged 11.2 points per game last season and should supplant the Bulldogs’ veteran leadership in the backcourt. He’s joined by Cal State Northridge transfer Atin Wright (16.7 PPG) and Patriot League Freshman of the Year Ethan Roberts, who shot over 40% from three and averaged 12.4 points a game at Army.
It’s the newest-looking team Darian DeVries has ever had in Des Moines, but such is the norm in college basketball these days. With the squad mentioned above and a crop of talented freshmen, the sky’s the limit for this group.
2. Bradley
In contrast to the Bulldogs, the defending regular season champion Braves will have to take on the new season without their leading scorer. First-team honoree Rienk Mast (13.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG) transferred to Nebraska, so this year it’s Malevy Leons’ team. The graduate senior was the first player in MVC history with 50 steals and 50 blocks in the same season on his way to winning Defensive Player of the Year, and his 11.1 points per game was second on the team.
Alongside Leons, Bradley returns guards Connor Hickman (8.6 PPG) and Duke Deen (9.6 PPG), who provide some much-needed leadership to reel in a host of newcomers. On the top of that list is freshman Almar Atlason, a Sunrise Christian Academy product who impressed many after averaging a double-double in the European Championship for his home country of Iceland.
The Braves also return key players Christian Davis, Darius Hannah and Ahmet Jonovic, a 7-foot-1 Serbian who will begin his first full season of Division I this winter. Rounding out the newcomers are a trio of guards: Nevada transfer Trey Pettigrew, Marquette transfer Emarion Ellis and freshman Demarion Burch, all three of which should see meaningful minutes this season.
Last year was a year of firsts for head coach Brian Wardle’s squad, and despite losing their best player the Braves are set up well for a repeat.
3. Northern Iowa
The Panthers’ strength lies in their returners. Ben Jacobson brings back all five of his top scorers from a year ago, which doesn’t even include former All-Freshman team member Nate Heise. With Heise slated to return from the injury that sidelined him for all but two games last year, UNI could be a powerhouse to keep an eye on.
Besides DeVries, the player to watch in the conference this season is Bowen Born. The Valley’s second-best returning scorer (17.9 PPG) was selected as a First Team member this preseason and has earned league honors every season he’s been at UNI. He’s joined by Most Improved Player Tytan Anderson (12.6 PPG, 8.5 RPG) as well as Michael Duax (10.0 PPG), Trey Campbell (7.5 PPG) and Landon Wolf (7.4 PPG) in running it back in Cedar Falls.
This squad does return a lot, but they also finished eighth in the Valley last season with a losing record. The addition of 6-foot-11 junior Jacob Hutson may just be the piece the Panthers need. The Loyola-Chicago transfer will provide much needed size for his team, who only have one other upperclassman taller than 6-foot-8.
They’ll be tested early in a Thanksgiving tournament that features seven power conference schools, which can only bode well for them down the line and could lead them back to the top of the MVC.
4. Belmont
Wherever they go, success follows the Bruins.
Following a 13th consecutive season of 20 or more wins, Casey Alexander’s team heads into their second year in The Valley with a roster consisting of only two upperclassmen: fifth-year guard Keishawn Davidson, who made 26 starts for the program last season, and Lee University transfer Jayce Willingham.
First-team honoree Ben Sheppard went 26th overall to the Indiana Pacers, but luckily the Bruins return Freshman of the Year Cade Tyson. The guard/forward averaged 13.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season, earning a spot on the preseason All-MVC First Team. They also return fellow All-Freshman team member Ja’Kobi Gillespie, who averaged nearly 10 points a game in what was mostly a bench role.
Inside, Alexander nabbed Vanderbilt transfer Malik Dia from the portal, who played in 20 games for the Commodores last season. Sophomore guard Isaiah Walker is also in line for a bigger role, already putting up double figures in multiple games on the team’s tour of Spain back in August.
As one of the most decorated teams in college hoops over the last two decades, there’s no reason to suspect the Bruins can’t reach the top of the MVC. The only question is if this young team will be the one to get it done.
5. Missouri State
Returning their top three scorers from last season, this could be the year the Bears figure it all out. Preseason first-teamer Donovan Clay is an all-around threat (11.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.6 APG) and could be in for the best season of his career with the talent that is stacked around him.
That talent starts with point guard Matthew Lee. The former Saint Peter’s March Madness darling missed almost all of last season with a knee injury, but he is back and ready to lead the Bears offense. Preseason third-teamer Chance Moore is also back after a successful season off the bench (10.6 PPG), as is junior guard Alston Mason (9.9 PPG).
The freshmen class might be what makes this year’s team so exciting. 6-foot-8 guard Tyler Bey is a four-star recruit coming out of Overtime Elite, while fellow guard Davion Hill is a two-time Pennsylvania Player of the Year winner. The Bears also attacked the portal, bringing in Xavier transfer Cesare Edwards and his experience coming from a nationally-ranked team.
Head coach Dana Ford has never finished below .500 in his five years in Springfield, and this year should be no different as they chase their first Arch Madness title since 1999.
6. Indiana State
Last year, Indiana State surprised many by finishing in the top half of the conference and winning 23 games for the first time since 2013-14. Head coach Josh Schertz’s third year in Terre Haute will look a little different, but the preseason poll still expects the Sycamores to stake their claim in the conference.
Offense was last season’s team mantra. Indiana State led the MVC in scoring (79.31 PPG) and field goal percentage (48.3%), led by the trio of Cooper Neese, third-teamer Cameron Henry and Newcomer of the Year Courvoisier McCauley. All three have since moved on from the program, so it will be up to All-Freshman team member Robbie Avila (10.5 PPG) and All-Defensive player Julian Larry (6.9 PPG) to pick up the slack.
Avila, the 6-foot-10, 240 pound center, will be the focal point of the Sycamores this season, but expect former Bradley guard Jayson Kent and potentially junior guard Masen Miller to see increased time. They also brought in Southern Indiana transfer Isaiah Swope, whose 15.6 points per game and 42% mark from three last season earned him a spot on the All-Ohio Valley first team, and Aaron Gray, who averaged 12.4 points and 4.5 rebounds at Niagara last season.
The Sycamores have two Power Five teams on their schedule this season, so they will be tested before facing the gauntlet that is the MVC. With so many of their top players gone, Indiana State falls smack-dab in the middle of the conference.
7. Illinois State
The Valley could be in for a surprise with Illinois State.
Bradley’s I-74 rival returns four of last year’s top five scorers, including leading scorer Darius Burford (12.9 PPG) and the MVC’s third-leading rebounder Kendall Lewis (7.3 RPG). Add to that four transfers, two of which came from Big Ten schools, and head coach Ryan Pedon has an experienced squad that could make some waves.
The team also brings in four freshmen to learn under the plethora of seniors. Johnny Kizinger, Wisconsin’s co-Mr. Basketball, is joined by 6-foot-9 Chase Walker and the Tys: Ty Pence and Ty Blake. Jordan Davis, brother of Washington Wizards guard Johnny Davis, comes in as a transfer after starting 18 games at Wisconsin while 7-foot-1 Brandon Lieb spent last season at Illinois. Southern Illinois transfer Dalton Banks has Valley experience, adding to the firepower the Redbirds bring.
With one of the conference’s highest number of returners, Illinois State is prime for their first .500 or better record since the 2018-19 season. Everyone knows experience helps you in March, so the level at which the Redbirds finish will depend on their ability to put it all together.
8. Murray State
In the Ohio Valley, the Racers would probably be contending for another title with the roster they’ve constructed. But this is the Missouri Valley, which Murray State has learned all too well after finishing seventh last season.
Leading scorer and MVC third-team honoree Rob Perry is back (14.4 PPG), as is the MVC’s leading minutes man Jacobi Wood (4.6 APG) to try and bring Steve Prohm’s team back to the promised land of a conference championship. Joining them are fellow guards Brian Moore Jr. and Quincy Anderson, who will need to take on a bigger role this season with the departure of two starters.
As for the portal, Murray State needed to find size, so they brought in 6-foot-10 junior Malek Abdelgowad out of South Plains Community College. The Egypt native was ranked among the top 20 junior college players while at South Plains and has experience playing with the Egyptian U18 team. Add to that three freshmen who all ranked in the top 10 of their state’s high school class and a couple 6-foot-7 transfers from Division I schools, and the Racers are well set up with their newcomers.
The team struggled on the defensive side of the ball last year, finishing 10th in the Valley in scoring defense (72.03 PPG), so they will need to shore up that department to compete with the rest of the conference. For now, they fall near the middle of the pack.
9. Illinois-Chicago
The Flames’ leading scorer Jace Carter (16.6 PPG) departed for Texas A&M, so UIC will rely on 6-foot-8 guard Toby Okani (11.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG) and junior forward Filip Skobalj (7.7 PPG) to fill his shoes. Skobalj is one of only three rostered forwards, as the team picked up guards Marquise Kennedy (Loyola Chicago), Drew King (Houston Christian) and Isaiah Rivera (Colorado State) in the transfer portal. All three averaged more than seven points per game at their previous schools.
In the era of the portal, UIC did well in retaining four sophomores who all played meaningful minutes last season. Guards CJ Jones and Steven Clay, forward Jaden Brownwell and center Cameron Fens combined for over a quarter of the team’s playing time and each of them got to start at least three times.
The Flames struggled with rebounding last year aside from Okani, so the addition of more guards seems like a head scratcher from an outside perspective. Nonetheless, their experience should bode well for head coach Luke Yaklich’s second year in the Valley, so look for them to slightly improve from their 11th place finish last season.
10. Southern Illinois
Not much is known about the new version of Southern Illinois that everyone will see in 2023-24. After a third place finish in the Valley last season, the Salukis will be without the services of All-MVC first-teamer Marcus Domask and third-teamer Lance Jones, their two leading scorers who both transferred to Big Ten schools.
All-Defensive Team member Xavier Johnson (7.0 PPG, 1.5 SPG) returns along with fellow starters Trent Brown (3.0 PPG) and Clarence Rupert (65% FG), but overall this team is a wild card under head coach Bryan Mullins.
What is clear is that the Salukis will still defend. After leading the MVC in scoring defense a season ago (61.4 PPG), Mullins went into the portal and grabbed Incarnate Word transfer Trey Miller, who had 1.5 steals per game last year. He’s joined by 7-footer Cade Hornecker, who can cause problems for anyone driving into the lane.
Like most teams in the Valley, Southern Illinois had to reload, but they still feature nine upperclassmen to try and stay in the upper echelon of the conference. They lost too much to confidently say that’ll happen, but you’d be a fool to count out Mullins and the Salukis.
11. Evansville
It’s David Ragland’s second year at the helm of the Purple Aces, and once again he has his work cut out for him. The team brings in 12 newcomers, including eight freshmen, to try and build off of a 1-19 conference record last season.
Former Bradley guard Antonio Thomas joins a roster with a trio of fifth-years including Thomas, former walk-on Gage Bobe (39% from three) and last year’s leading scorer Kenny Strawbridge Jr. (14.4 PPG). 6-foot-10 French forward Yacine Toumi is also ripe for another solid year, already picking up nine points, three blocks and three steals in the team’s exhibition game win on Oct. 28.
Among the newcomers, Huntington University transfer Ben Humrichous, Ohio Valley Freshman of the Year Cam Haffner and top-five recruit out of Michigan Chuck Bailey III are some players to keep an eye on. Humrichous and Bailey have already made their presence felt, as the former picked up eight points, eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals in the exhibition game while Bailey finished as the team’s leading scorer with 16 points.
There should be some improvement with another year under the tutelage of Ragland, but the roster mixup and a defense that finished last in the conference once again leaves much to be desired in the Crescent City.
12. Valparaiso
The Beacons are the lone Valley team with a new head coach this season, as Roger Powell Jr. will try to bring to Valpo some of the success he had from his four seasons as an assistant at Gonzaga. In year one, his team will open with their backs against the wall with six freshmen entering the fold and only three returning scholarship players.
Among those returners, senior guard Connor Barrett is the team’s leading scorer with just over four points a tilt. He’s joined by fellow senior Jerome Palm and junior Darius DeAveiro, with the latter being the team’s only experienced ball handler and the former hoping to use his 6-foot-10, 230-pound frame to his advantage. The team also dipped into the transfer portal, bringing in Ola Ajiboye from Central Michigan, Isaiah Stafford from Southern Indiana and Jaxon Edwards from MVC rival Murray State.
Long gone are the days of Kobe King and first-teamer Ben Krikke leading the team, so the Beacons will look to their young core to improve on their 10th place finish last season. It’s hard to know where that core will finish with their lack of experience, so for now they round out the bottom of the conference.
