10. Bradley Braves
2016-17 season result: 13-20 (7-11) – No postseason
Last season in conference play the Braves played well against the two bottom teams, Drake and Evansville. They went 2-0 versus each opponent to get four of the seven wins, but both of those teams are projected to be better. Coach Brian Wardle has a young team on his hands, with the best player being sophomore Darrell Brown. The Braves may not have gotten worse, but others got better, forcing the Braves at the bottom.
9. Southern Illinois Salukis
2016-17 season result: 17-16 (9-9) – No postseason
With the exception of previous first-place Illinois State, no team lost more from last year than the Salukis. Their top two scorers are gone from a team that went .500 and have no one on the roster that can shoot consistently from deep.
Despite a third-place finish last season, Barry Hinson may have his worst team since taking over in 2012. There’s a tad bit of hesitation of placing them so low since the Salukis have performed well in the conference over the years, but the overall talent level is currently lower than others.
8. Indiana State Sycamores
2016-17 season result: 11-20 (5-13) – No postseason
Since 2010, Greg Lansing has tried to make Indiana State a constant threat in the Missouri Valley, primarily to no avail. This season won’t be much different, with the Sycamores losing a good number of players from last year.
What separates this team from the bottom is the play of Brenton Scott, who averaged 16 a game. The senior should be able to win a few games on his own in the conference, which should be more than the others below him.