Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: Every Missouri Valley team’s most successful season since 2000

By Shea Irish

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 30: Fred Van Vleet #23 and Cleanthony Early #11 of the Wichita State Shockers celebrate after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 70-66 during the West Regional Final of the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 30, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 30: Fred Van Vleet #23 and Cleanthony Early #11 of the Wichita State Shockers celebrate after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 70-66 during the West Regional Final of the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 30, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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Patrick O’Bryant Bradley Braves (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Patrick O’Bryant Bradley Braves (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

Bradley Braves

Year: 2005-06

Record: 22-11 (11-7)

NCAA Tournament Results: 13 Seed- Advanced to the Sweet 16

-Pulled off upsets of (4) Kansas 77-73 and (5) Pittsburgh 72-66, Lost to (1) Memphis 80-64

Head Coach: Jim Les

Notable Players:

Patrick O’Bryant 7’0” SO (13.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG):

-The 2006 MVC Defensive Player of the Year would be selected with the 9th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in the 2006 NBA Draft.

Marcellus Sommerville 6’7” SR (15.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG):

-The MVC leading scorer during the 2005-06 season, he would finish his time at Bradley with just under 1,500 career points.

Lawrence Wright 6’4” SR (10.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG):

-The Wheatland, CA native would go on to sign a contract with the Harlem Globetrotters.

Season Summary:

After starting the 2005-06 season at just 9-7 overall and 3-5 in conference play, the Braves would complete a remarkable turnaround that culminated in the school’s first Sweet 16 appearance in over 50 years. The Braves would win 11 of the next 13 games before losing to Southern Illinois in the MVC Championship game.

In a historic Valley season that saw four teams in the ‘06 NCAA Tournament, this Peoria, IL school would receive an at-large bid as a 13. seed. By upsetting Kansas and Pittsburgh, Bradley would become just the fourth 13 seed ever to reach the Sweet 16.

Another Season Worth Honorable Mention: Finishing the 2019-20 season at 23-11, Bradley won the MVC Tournament for a second straight season, but was robbed of the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament due to the pandemic.

Doug McDermott Creighton Bluejays (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images)
Doug McDermott Creighton Bluejays (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images) /

Creighton Bluejays

Year: 2012-13

Record: 28-8 (13-5)

NCAA Tournament Results: 7 Seed- Advanced to the Round of 32

-Defeated (10) Cincinnati 67-63, Lost to (2) Duke 66-50

Head Coach: Greg McDermott

Notable Players:

Doug McDermott 6’7” JR (23.2  PPG, 7.7 RPG, 77 3-PT (49%), 87.5 FT%):

-The 3x First Team All-American and 2x MVC Player of the Year would finish a sensational career with 3,150 points scored, good for 6th all-time in NCAA history. McDermott would lead the country in total points scored for the 2012-13 season and would hear his name called as the #11 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.

Gregory Echenique 6’9” SR (9.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG):

-The Rutgers transfer was a 2013 MVC All-Defensive Team Selection.

Grant Gibbs 6’5” SR (8.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 5.8 APG):

-The Gonzaga transfer was a 2013 MVC All-Conference Honorable Mention.

Season Summary:

The Bluejays started the year with non-conference wins over four power conference schools, including eventual 2013 NCAA Tournament participants Wisconsin and California.  With an incredible 17-1 record by mid-January, Creighton would be well on its way to sweeping the Missouri Valley Regular Season and Conference Tournament Championships. Creighton’s final season in the Valley before transitioning to the Big East would certainly be a memorable one.

Behind All-American Doug McDermott’s sensational play they would win a game in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season, something no other team in school history had accomplished before. Overall the Bluejays would win 107 games and appear in three NCAA Tournaments during McDermott’s four seasons in Omaha, Nebraska.

Another Season Worth Honorable Mention: Head Coach Dana Altman’s Bluejays would set a program record with 29 wins during the 2002-03 season, leading them to a 6 seed in the ‘03 Tournament. If it wasn’t for a first-round upset loss to Central Michigan, this Kyle Korver-led team may have been chosen over the 2012-13 team.