MVC Basketball: Way-too-early preseason power rankings for 2019-20

ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 10: Ja'Shon Henry #22 of the Bradley Braves runs on to the court with his teammates after beating the Northern Iowa Panthers during the final game of the MVC Basketball Tournament at the Enterprise Center on March 10, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Bradley Braves beat the Northern Iowa Panthers 57-54 to win the MVC Championship. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

7 of 11

ST. LOUIS, MO – MARCH 9: Wyatt Lohaus #22 of the Northern Iowa Panthers and Noah Thomas #14 of the Drake Bulldogs chase down a loose ball during the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Enterprise Center on March 9, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

5) Drake Bulldogs

Drake is coming off a tremendous 2018-19 campaign where they finished 24-10 overall and 12-6 in Missouri Valley Conference play. That was good for a first-place tie with Loyola and an MVC Coach of the Year award for first-year head coach Darian DeVries.

Drake had their eyes on an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament but was upset by Northern Iowa in the semifinals of the MVC Tournament. The Bulldogs advanced to postseason play where they eventually fell to Southern Utah in the Collegeinsider.com tournament.

The departures of 1st Team All-Conference/Defensive Player of the Year Nick McGlynn as well as double-digit scorers Nick Norton and Brady Ellingson makes it likely that the Bulldogs will take a step back in 2019-20, but there is enough firepower left to keep them in the hunt.

Back for Drake will be D.J Wilkins and Tremell Murphy, who were both starters and big time contributors last season. They will rely on veteran guards Garrett Sturtz and Noah Thomas to increase their output and hope to see the progression from sophomore center Liam Robbins.

One signee to keep an eye on is junior college transfer guard Jonah Jackson from John A Logan College in Illinois. The sharpshooting guard could step in right away and help provide some scoring punch for the Bulldogs.