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MVC Basketball: 2020 conference tournament preview and predictions

By Joey Loose

ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 10: Luuk van Bree #13, Luqman Lundy #2 and Antoine Pittman #3 of the Bradley Braves fight Justin Dahl #15 and Tywhon Pickford #3 of the Northern Iowa Panthers for a loose ball 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)
ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 10: Luuk van Bree #13, Luqman Lundy #2 and Antoine Pittman #3 of the Bradley Braves fight Justin Dahl #15 and Tywhon Pickford #3 of the Northern Iowa Panthers for a loose ball 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) /
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 31: Cameron Krutwig #25 of the Loyola Ramblers (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 31: Cameron Krutwig #25 of the Loyola Ramblers (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Key Players

There will be plenty to watch at Arch Madness, including the contributions of some very solid players in the MVC.

AJ Green – Northern Iowa

After being the most dynamic freshman in the conference last season, Green has followed it up with a sophomore season worthy of even more accolades. He’s averaged 19.7 points per game while nailing 39.5% of his 3-pointers and more than 91% of free throws. This Panthers squad has a ton of developing talent, but Green is the offensive cog that makes the machine move. He topped 30 points in multiple MVC games this season and is a dynamic scorer who could bust out at any given moment.

Cameron Krutwig – Loyola-Chicago

It’s scary to consider how Krutwig keeps getting better with each season. The junior was part of Loyola’s Final Four team in 2018 and has seen his usage and skill in the paint only improve. This season he was good for 15.3 points and 8.0 rebounds a game, standing out as the best big man in the conference. One of his finest efforts came in their win over Northern Iowa just over two weeks ago, leading the Ramblers with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Krutwig is an absolute force for which few MVC teams have an answer.

Tyreke Key – Indiana State

While he’s actually scoring less than last season, the impact Key has on this Indiana State team cannot be understated. The junior averages 15.8 points per game, having just put up 20 points in an important road win at Southern Illinois. If he can get his 3-pointers to start falling again then Key could be a vital part as this Sycamores team prepares to make a run. There’s other talent at Indiana State, but if Key plays well, we might get to see him play three times in St. Louis.

Javon Freeman-Liberty – Valparaiso

One of the biggest question marks heading into the MVC Tournament is Freeman-Liberty’s condition, as he missed the last two regular-season games with symptoms from mono. The sophomore guard averaged 19.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game for the Crusaders and led the conference in steals. He’s the backbone for Valparaiso, and if he plays this team could be quite dangerous. Winning four games in four days seems like a tall task for the Crusaders but Freeman-Liberty is exactly the player who can inspire that kind of run.