MVC Basketball: Can anyone shock Wichita State?
By Doug Winkey
MVC basketball will again have some of the best mid-majors in the nation. What does the season hold for the MVC?
The Missouri Valley Conference was a two-bid league for the second straight year because of outstanding performances from both Wichita State and Northern Iowa.
Related Story: Early MVC power rankings
The conference might be the strongest mid-major league in the country with wins over Iowa State, North Carolina, Kansas and Arizona in the past couple seasons. Coaching has been relatively stable; just three coaches have fewer than four years at their respective school. This has allowed programs to develop strong internal identities to challenge the nation’s basketball powers.
Four schools won over 20 games last year: Wichita State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois and Evansville. Two of those schools received post season bids.
The conference lost some major star power after last year, but a couple programs remain that could challenge for an at-large bid if things go right.
Recently, Wichita State has dominated the regular season in the MVC. The Shockers have made five straight NCAA Tournaments and have won three straight regular season titles.
Head coach Gregg Marshall is the third-longest tenured coach and shows no signs of leaving for another job. The one thing that seems to elude the team is MVC Tournament trophies. The Shockers have just one in Coach Marshall’s time.
Sophomore forward Markis McDuffie takes center stage as the next potential WSU star. Redshirt freshman Landry Shamet and former Kansas Jayhawk Connor Frankamp join him in a young, explosive backcourt that could turn heads. Expect a very different look from a team that supported Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet the past several years.
Right behind the Kansas school are the UNI Panthers. Head coach Ben Jacobson enters his 11th year and is seeking a third straight Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
The 23-win Panthers lost three perimeter players and could shift their focus towards the interior. Senior Jeremy Morgan returns on the wing as a potential MVC Player of the Year candidate. Morgan has a plethora of guys with him waiting for more opportunities.
After the two banner programs, things get a bit more confusing. Illinois State has three terrific players who are looking to get the Redbirds back to their first NCAA Tournament since 1998. Coach Dan Muller has finished in the top three the past two seasons and has a prime chance to jump other schools. Senior guard Paris Lee is poised for a big final campaign.
Indiana State retained Second Team All-MVC junior Brenton Scott, who leads a balanced attack into the fray. The Sycamores have an intriguing non-conference schedule with dates against Iowa State and Butler to prepare them for the rigors of Valley play.
The Loyola Ramblers and Missouri State Bears are two other programs that could have the necessary combination of experience and depth to disrupt what has become a fairly stagnant league.
Evansville, Bradley and Drake are expected to be at the bottom of the conference, but I think the Drake Bulldogs have a good enough back court to move upwards. Drake guard Reed Timmer is another guy I think has the talent to push for MVC accolades.
Given the loss of skill from certain squads, the MVC looks wide open. However, Wichita remains the overwhelming favorite to dance in March.
If there is one thing counting against the Shockers, it’s youth. Missouri State and Illinois State need to beat the league powers, but they have the upperclassmen to make runs. Northern Iowa also looks like a major threat with a top-tier wing and multiple experienced forwards.
Next: Three burning questions for Georgia Tech
The MVC is likely a one-bid league this season, but should be much more balanced than in previous years.