Last year, for the first time in MVC history, the Conference had five teams with 20+ wins prior to the league tournament. The previous record was three. Notably, in the MVC’s 117-year history, including this year, three or more teams have reached 20+ wins in the same season 32 times, including 18 of the past 20 seasons.
MVC Title Town -- Indiana State is seeking its third all-time regular-season MVC crown in men’s basketball (and first since 2000). Drake has eight previous regular-season titles, its last coming in 2019.
MVC in the NET -- Indiana State leads six MVC teams among the Top 135 as ISU sits at No. 33. Drake is 46; and Bradley, 65. The MVC finished 15th as a league in the Conference NET last year and is No. 9 as a league this season. The league’s Top 3 NET-rated teams have combined for 13 Q1+Q2 wins this year.
Since 1992, the league has had 75 teams finish 75 or better in the NET (or RPI) -- all 75 played in the NCAA or NIT:
Inside the NET -- Through games of Feb. 25, a total of 88 Division I teams have amassed five or more Q1+Q2 victories (with a minimum of 1 Q1 win). Of those 88 teams, only 33 have a better than .500 winning percentage against Q1+Q2. And of those 33 teams at better than .500, only 11 are from non P6 leagues. MVC teams are 4-0 against that pool of nine other non-league teams.
NET Returns -- Since 1990-91, only six teams with a NET (or RPI) of 30 or better were not selected for the NCAA Tournament field (99.5 percent of eligible teams 30 or better make the field.) For teams 40 or better than number is 95.7 percent (1,216 of 1,271 eligible teams from 1-40 since 1991 have made the NCAA tourney). NIT champ North Texas (38) and Rutgers (40) did not earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2023.
Efficiency = NCAAs -- Indiana State is 28 in offensive efficiency in KenPom, and Drake is 32. Since 2012, 10 of 12 MVC teams in the Top 35 of KenPom’s OE have earned a spot in the NCAA Tourney (UNI, 2020 - COVID; MOST, 2022 - played in the NIT).
18-18 is Unique -- Only 19 NCAA Division I players (two players have done it twice) have recorded 18 points and 18 rebounds in a game this year, including Drake’s Darnell Brodie (vs. Valpo) and UNI’s Tytan Anderson (against Drake this past weekend). Anderson’s 18 rebounds against Drake tied a career-high, and matched two of his own school records, including most rebounds in a home game, and most rebounds by a Panther against an MVC opponent.
Dialing Long Distance -- On Feb. 21, Bradley’s Duke Deen set a school and JQH Arena record with nine three-pointers. He was 13-for-17 from the field and 9-for-12 from the three-point line.
3FG, First-Year Guys -- A pair of first-year Sycamores are climbing the league’s all-time charts for three-pointers made by a first-year MVC player. Isaiah Swope enters this week with 90 made 3FG (fifth-best all-time in MVC history), while Ryan Conwell has 74 makes from long distance.
Select Company -- Belmont’s Ja’Kobi Gillespie is the only player in the NCAA to average 17.0 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
ClayNation -- Only three players in MVC history have reached 1,600 career points, 800 rebounds, and 300 assists: Hersey Hawkins of Bradley, Cameron Krutwig of Loyola, and Donovan Clay of Missouri State. Clay and Hawkins are the only to add 100+ made three-pointers:
Streaking -- Drake’s current 20-game homecourt winning streak is tied for the nation’s best.
Johnson’s Rare Feat -- SIU’s Xavier Johnson ranks fourth nationally with 22.4 points per game and fifth with 200 made FTs. Johnson is looking to become the third player in MVC history to lead the MVC in both scoring and assists (Anthony Manuel, Bradley, 1989, and Curt Smith, Drake, 1993). Only one MVC player in the past 30 seasons has averaged in double-figure scoring with 6.0 or more assists: Reed Jackson, Evansville (1994-95), 13.8 ppg, 6.0 apg.
Cooper Shines -- Since 1992-93 only four MVC freshmen have averaged 12.0 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game. A total of 25 freshmen in MVC history have reached 400 points in their first seasons. Cooper Schwieger of Valparaiso has 369 entering this week. Cade Tyson of Belmont was the last MVC freshman to hit 400 points (409 last year).
Winning Ways -- Drake and Belmont are two of the winningest programs in the NCAA since the start of the 2020-21 campaign. Drake is tied for fourth-best nationally in that span with 101 total wins, and Belmont ranks No. 17 (89 victories).
The MVC finished the non-conference regular-season schedule with an 84-48 (.636) record. The +36 ledger (games over .500) is the best in MVC men’s hoops since the 2017-18 campaign, when the Valley was 87-46 (+41), which included post-season play that season.
Valley Runs Deep -- Notably, MVC men’s teams are 12-3 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 10 NCAA championships and has earned multiple bids 16 times since 1994. Since 2013, The Valley has had two Final Four appearances, and an MVC team has reached a Sweet 16 a total of 12 times since 1985.
Nation’s 2nd 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 117th season in 2023-24.
In March 2024, The Valley will conduct its 34th St. Louis-based postseason men’s basketball championship. With 34-straight years at the same neutral site, Arch Madness is the second-longest neutral site tenured collegiate tourney in the nation (following only the Big East in New York City). This year's tournament dates are March 7-10 (Thursday-Sunday) at Enterprise Center.
Belmont BRUINS
- Ja'Kobi Gillespie averaged 23.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.0 steals per game for Belmont against Missouri State and Drake this past week. Gillespie had a game-high 24 points, five assists, and two steals vs. Missouri State, and a game-high 23 points and two steals at Drake. Gillespie went 18-for-35 from the field including five 3-pointers and six free throws.
- Belmont has won 20 or more games in 13 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, Oregon) and 19 or game games in 18 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, San Diego State).
- In the win against Missouri State, Cade Tyson led five Belmont players in double figures with 25 points as the Bruins made a season-high 16 3-point field goals in front of a spirited Homecoming crowd.
BRADLEY BRAVES
- Bradley and Illinois State renewed their rivalry with an all-time low scoring game. The 48-45 finish goes down as the lowest scoring game in the series since December, 14th 1927. It's also just the 5th game this season in college basketball where a team won a game scoring 48 points or less.
- Brian Wardle recorded his 250th career coaching win on Saturday night vs Illinois State. Wardle is just two wins away from moving into the the top five for total wins at Bradley as well as the top three for MVC wins at Bradley.
- Bradley’s Malevy Leons is the only Division I player to reach 80 blocks and 80 steals over the past two seasons. In those 64 total games, Leons has 87 blocks and 101 steals. Only 15 players have reached 60 blocks plus 60 steals in the past two seasons, including Leons, and the MVC’s Toby Okani of UIC and Darius Hannah of Bradley. Bradley is the only team in the nation with two 60-60 players over the past 2 years.
- Almar Atlason was a big factor in the Braves' 2-0 run this past week. The Iceland native averaged 8.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.0 SPG. Atlason finished as the third highest-scoring Brave over the week due in large part to shooting 50% from beyond the 3-point line (5/10). In the Braves Saturday matchup against Illinois State Atlason would prove to be the difference by hitting two very timely threes to give the Braves the win in the historically low-scoring battle.
DRAKE BULLDOGS
- MAGIC NUMBER IS 80 -- Drake is 12-1 this season and 66-2 in the Darian DeVries era when scoring at least 80 points in a game (66-0 in games decided during regulation).
- HOME SWEET HOME -- This Sunday, Drake will go for a perfect 16-0 record at the Knapp Center this year (it would be its first-ever undefeated regular season record at the Knapp Center since the arena opened in 1992). Drake’s current 20-game home winning streak is tied with Houston for the longest active streak in Division I men’s basketball.
- MVC CONSISTENCY -- This week Drake is aiming for back-to-back seasons of 15 wins in MVC play and trying to win at least 15 games in conference play for the third time in the last four seasons.
- BOUNCING BACK -- Drake is 5-0 this season in games following a loss and 36-12 under head coach Darian DeVries in games after a loss including a 22-8 mark in games following a conference loss.
- TUCKER TERRIFIC -- In his 28 games played this season, Tucker DeVries has scored in double figures in all but one game (5 points on Nov. 19, 2023, vs. Oakland). Of those 27 double-digit scoring outputs, DeVries has scored 20-plus points on 16 occasions this season. He also has racked up 15 games this season of making three of more 3-point baskets.
- Tucker DeVries averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3 assists as the Bulldogs split the weekly slate. He played 70 of 80 minutes in the two matchups. In the home win over Belmont, DeVries scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds while going a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line. To top that, DeVries scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the 91-77 loss at UNI. The two 20-plus point performances were his 15th and 16th of the season, respectively.
- Atin Wright averaged 14 points over two games last week. In the 84-65 win over Belmont, Wright scored 18 points on an efficient 7-11 from the field and 2-3 from deep. Additionally, he contributed 10 points and an assist in the 91-77 loss at UNI.
- Colby Garland averaged 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists as Drake split its weekly set. In the 91-77 road loss to UNI, Garland scored a career-high 13 points, grabbed two rebounds, and dished out two assists on an efficient 6-8 from the field.
EVANSVILLE PURPLE ACES
- Back in Form – It took some time for Ben Humrichous to make his way back from injury but he is back to peak performance and has registered double figures in each of the last six games. His top mark was 21 points at Illinois State before he added 20 on the road at UIC. His rebounding has also been at its best in the recent streak as he has grabbed 5.0/game over the last four contests.
- Finding his Spot – Cam Haffner put together his top 2-game streak last week with 11 points at Illinois State and 9 at UIC. The 11-point outing tied his season mark. In those two games, Haffner was 8-of-13 from the field and 4-8 from 3-point range.
- Averaging 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game over the last week, Ben Humrichous highlighted the action for the Purple Aces. He shot 41.% from the field and 90% from the lie while adding 8 assists and 3 steals. In the opener at UIC, he led UE with 20 points. He was 7-for-12 from the floor, 2-5 from long range and a perfect 4-of-4 from the line. He added 6 boards, 6 assists and 2 steals in over 37 minutes of play. Against Southern Illinois, he led UE with 11 points and 7 rebounds. Humrichous was 5-for-6 from the line in just under 37 minutes of time on the floor.
UIC FLAMES
- Isaiah Rivera averaged 20.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game with a .500 field-goal percentage (13-26) and .615 three-point percentage (8-13) in a 1-1 week for UIC. Rivera posted his fourth 25-point game of the season (and third in a six-game span) in a Feb. 21 win over Evansville, knocking down 4-of-6 three-pointers, including three in a 56-second span midway through the second half that turned the tide in the Flames’ favor. Rivera also tied his career high with four steals in the win over the Purple Aces. On Saturday at Indiana State, Rivera scored a team-high 16 points and made 4-of-7 three-pointers that helped UIC rally with nine points with five minutes to play before ISU held on for the victory.
- UIC has posted a very balanced offense the past two games, finishing with five double-figure scorers in each contest.
- UIC’s .519 field-goal percentage on Feb. 21 vs. Evansville and its 12 three-pointers at Indiana State on Feb. 24 were both season highs for MVC play.
- Sophomore guard CJ Jones posted his first career double-double in the Feb. 21 win over Evansville with 17 points and 10 assists (his second double-digit assist game of the year).
ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS
- Johnny Kinziger remains the only freshman in the country this season to have a field goal percentage of .470 or better, a three-point percentage of .405 or better, and a free throw percentage of .860 or better while scoring at least 235 points.
- The win against UNI last week snapped a 10-game Northern Iowa win streak in the all-time series.
- Against UNI, Myles Foster recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 18 points and 14 rebounds
INDIANA STATE SYCAMORES
- Jayson Kent missed just under 1 ½ games due to injury and upon his return he boosted ISU to another 2-0 week in the MVC, averaging 19.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 1.5 STL/G shooting 59.1% (13-for-22) from the field and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. When Kent exited due to injury, ISU lost a 10-point lead and ended up falling in both games but was victorious in both games in his return. In game one, Jayson Kent finished one point shy of tying his career high with 23 points, shooting 8-for-13 from the floor, and adding in six rebounds. Kent accounted for six of ISU’s first 12 points and closed out the half with seven points in the last 3:07. After a comeback by the opponent, ISU went on a 10-2 to lead by double figures with Kent scoring eight of the 10. In game two, Kent brought in another solid effort with 16 points on 5-for-9 from the floor, securing eight rebounds and three steals.
- In the win against UIC last week, Julian Larry recorded his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 assists, also grabbing five rebounds. With Larry dishing out 10 assists, it marks the eighth time this season that an MVC men's basketball player recorded a 10+ assist game. ISU has two of those eight games after Xavier Bledson recorded 11 in the season opener.
- The UIC victory marked regular season win No. 24. The 2023-24 Sycamores have now posted the highest total of wins since the 1978-79 season (33). There have been two 23-win seasons since the 1978-79 team, with those two seasons including any postseason victories (22-23, 13-14).
MISSOURI STATE BEARS
- Donovan Clay (Sr., Alton, Ill.) is coming off his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds at Belmont, while he also eclipsed 1,000 points at Missouri State (93 games) in the same contest. He is the 32nd Bear to reach that milestone and the 24th-fastest Bear to reach 1,000. Among all active DI players, Clay ranks 12th in games played (156), 35th in rebounds (859), 35th in blocks (160) and 85th in scoring (1,621).
- Matthew Lee (Sr., San Juan, PR) is 9 points from 800 for his collegiate career (109g). Over the last 6 ball games, Lee is averaging 15.3 points and 4.2 assists while converting 82.4 percent (28-of-34) at the FT line. He has started the last 4 contests and eclipsed his career season scoring high with 226 points this year.
- Alston Mason (Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.) has scored in double figures 23 times in 26 appearances this season, including 19 games with 15 or more points, and 9 games with 20 or more. He ranks 3rd in the MVC and 78th nationally in scoring (18.0 ppg). Mason has also knocked down multiple threes 20 times this season. He is 23 points from 800 at MSU (57g).
Murray State RACERS
- JaCobi Wood tied a career high with 24 points in the win against Valpo (on 9-of-16 shooting). He averaged 20.5 points and 4.5 rebounds last week.
- Nick Ellington had 14 points in both of Murray State's games last week, and he also added eight rebounds and five blocks in the contest against SIU. He had a double-double in the win against Valpo and surpassed the 1,000-point mark in the Valpo game when combining his two seasons at Meridian MS JC and one season each at Eastern Illinois and Murray State.
UNI PANTHERS
- Tytan Anderson has scored at least one point in 61 consecutive games, the longest streak among active Panthers. Anderson's 18 rebounds against Drake tied a career-high, and matched two of his school records, including most rebounds in a home game, and most rebounds by a Panther against an MVC opponent.
- Anderson averaged a double-double in UNI's two games against Illinois State and Drake and notched a record-tying performance in rebounding against the Bulldogs with 18 boards. His rebounding exhibition both tied his career-high from last season and matched his school records for rebounds in a home game and rebounds against an MVC opponent. Additionally, Anderson's 20 rebounds are tied for second-most in an MVC game this season. Anderson also proved to be a prolific scorer in UNI's week on the court, averaging 15.5 points including an 18-point effort against Drake and 13 points vs. the Redbirds.
- Bowen Born is now tied for fourth in program history with 203 career three-pointers made, second-most among active players in their careers behind only Drake's Tucker DeVries.
- Trey Campbell became the 114th member of UNI's 500 career point club with his seven-point performance against Drake.
- The Panthers will host Valparaiso on Senior Night on Tuesday looking for the regular season sweep of the Beacons. UNI holds an impressive 17-1 all-time record against Valparaiso at home.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS
- Saluki forward Troy D'Amico was instrumental in SIU's 2-0 week on the hardwood. The junior averaged a team-high 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and shot 50 percent (7-14) from behind the arc as Southern collected wins over Murray State and Evansville. D'Amico led SIU with 20 points in a home win over the Racers, tying his career high in the process. The forward then went on to score all 17 of his points in a come-from-behind win on the road at Evansville. D'Amico shot 13-of-256 from the floor and 7-for-14 from behind the arc in the week.
- The Salukis continue to be one of the top 3-point defense teams in the nation, holding opponents to just 29.4 percent from behind the arc to rank 12th nationally. Southern held Evansville to just 2-10 from downtown in their win over UE.
- SIU has 10 double-digit wins this season out of the 19 overall. It ties the most 10+ point wins under Bryan Mullins and is the most since the 2019-20 season, with four of them being MVC wins.
- Freshman Kennard Davis averaged 8.5 points, four rebounds, one block, and one steal for the Salukis over the last week. Davis was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field for eight points to go with three rebounds against the Racers. Against UE, Davis went for nine points, and five rebounds and helped the Salukis to a come-from-behind win on the road.
VALPARAISO BEACONS
- Sharing is Caring -- Valpo dished out 17 assists on Feb. 24 at Murray State, the team’s highest total since the season opener on Nov. 6 vs. Trinity Christian and the squad’s highest total against a Division-I opponent this season. This marked the team’s highest helper total against a Division-I opponent since Feb. 19, 2023 at UIC. Darius DeAveiro gave out nine assists against the Racers, continuing to climb in the program record book. He is up to 162 assists on the season, tied for sixth in program history, and owns 280 career assists, tied for 18th.
- Valpo's Cooper Schwieger averaged 16.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest over two games this week as Valpo hosted Indiana State and traveled to Murray State. Schwieger shot 43.5 percent from the field (10-of-23) and 90.9 percent from the free-throw line (10-of-11). His week was highlighted by a career-high 26 points in Saturday's game at Murray State, 20 of which came in the first half. He turned in the highest scoring output by a Valpo freshman since February 2019 (Javon Freeman-Liberty).
- Rising Rookie Ranks -- Cooper Schwieger is up to 369 points this season. During the Feb. 24 game at Murray State, he secured the highest point total by a Valpo freshman since joining the Missouri Valley Conference. He surpassed Javon Freeman-Liberty’s total of 364 from 2018-19. Schwieger ranks 18th in points by an MVC freshman since 2000. He is 31 points away from becoming just the 26th Missouri Valley Conference freshman all-time to reach 400 points as a rookie. Schwieger is up to 155 rebounds this season. He needs to get to 188 to crack the top 20 in conference history for rebounds by a rookie.