Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Predicting all 32 regular-season conference champions for 2018-19

By Tristan Freeman

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 10: The Villanova Wildcats celebrate their overtime win over the Providence Friars during the championship game of the Big East Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 10: The Villanova Wildcats celebrate their overtime win over the Providence Friars during the championship game of the Big East Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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ST. LOUIS, MO – MARCH 4: Members of the Loyola Ramblers hold the Missouri Valley Conference Champions trophy after beating the Illinois State Redbirds during the Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Tournament Championship at the Scottrade Center on March 4, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – MARCH 4: Members of the Loyola Ramblers hold the Missouri Valley Conference Champions trophy after beating the Illinois State Redbirds during the Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Tournament Championship at the Scottrade Center on March 4, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

Missouri Valley Conference

2017-18 regular season champ: Loyola-Chicago

2018-19 favorite: Loyola-Chicago – Biggest threats: Illinois State and Southern Illinois

In the first season without powerhouse Wichita State around, it was Loyola-Chicago who took the reigns not only in the regular season and conference tournament but also in the Big Dance, where they made a Final Four run.

Related Story. Preseason MVC Rankings for 2018-19. light

The Ramblers hope that it’s a start of a dominant run of their own in the Missouri Valley, bringing back their top two scorers in Marques Townes and Clayton Custer, who won Player of the Year in the conference. Losing key players such as Donte Ingram and Aundre Jackson will sting but rising sophomore Cameron Krutwig may already be the best big man in the league, with the stats likely to prove it this season.

On paper, Illinois State may be the most talented team in the MVC. They bring back three players who averaged over 15 ppg a year ago. However, the best player for the Redbirds Milik Yarbrough has been suspended indefinitely after another offseason issue. His availability is up in the air, as well as Illinois State’s chances of competing in the conference.

That gives an opportunity for Southern Illinois to really make a run towards the top. The Salukis not only return their top four scorers, they also get back forward Thik Bol, whose season was derailed by knee issues a year ago. Senior guard Armon Fletcher  (14.1 ppg and 5.1 rpg) will challenge Loyola’s Custer for Player of the Year consideration this season and possibly being the best player of the best overall team.

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