Missouri Valley Basketball Monday: Road wins and midseason awards

CHARLESTON, SC - NOVEMBER 21: Gaige Prim #44 of the Missouri State Bears takes a shot during a first round Charleston Classic basketball game against the Miami (Fl) Hurricanes at the TD Arena on November 21, 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

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Missouri Valley Basketball Roman Penn Drake Bulldogs (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /

Road wins more expansion, and midseason awards

Critical road wins are reshaping the Missouri Valley Basketball Conference, there is another new team joining the league, and today we announce our Busting Brackets mid-season award winners. These Missouri Valley Conference trends are part of ‘Missouri Valley Monday’. Tight games continue to be played in this highly competitive league. No team is winless neither is there a squad that is undefeated.

For a league that was 48-12 at home during the non-conference schedule, the home teams are just 21-14 during league play. Six of the last twelve conference games have been won by the road teams.

The battles between the league’s ‘Big Four’ teams on Saturday produced some great drama and tight games are the norm this season. Through 35 Valley games, 19 have been decided by five points or less or gone to overtime. Sixteen of those games have been ‘one possession’ or overtime affairs.

Seven of the league’s ten teams are within three games of first place. Five of the teams are within three games of last place. Every Missouri Valley Conference game matters. Every game has the potential to move the standings in a significant manner.

The Valley has eight veteran coaches and two in their first year leading a Division 1 program. How those coaches are navigating typical injuries, covid interruptions and the small margin for error will go a long way towards crowning a regular-season champion.