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Missouri Valley Basketball: Storylines for league after Loyola-Chicago’s exit

By Jason Burgess

Mar 21, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; The Loyola Ramblers wave to Sister Jean after their win over the Illinois Fighting Illini in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Loyola Ramblers won 71-58. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; The Loyola Ramblers wave to Sister Jean after their win over the Illinois Fighting Illini in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Loyola Ramblers won 71-58. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois-Chicago Flames Northern Kentucky Norse Illinois Chicago Flames 54
Illinois-Chicago Flames Northern Kentucky Norse Illinois Chicago Flames 54 /

There’s a new flame on the horizon in the MVC

When the Ramblers left for the Atlantic 10 it left the MVC with a void in the Windy City. That hole was filled when they offered an invitation to the Flames of Illinois-Chicago from the Horizon League to join The Valley. While the Flames may not pack the punch of the other two additions, they do bring over 70 years of basketball tradition in Chicago back to the Missouri Valley.

The Flames aren’t that far removed from some postseason success having reached the semifinals of the CBI in 2016-17 and the CIT tournament finals the following year under former head coach Steve McClain. Now in their third year under Luke Yaklich, the Flames will be looking to continue their upward trajectory after improving from nine wins in his first season to 14 last season and gave No. 2 seed Purdue Fort Wayne all they could handle in the Horizon League quarterfinals.

By bringing in Illinois-Chicago the MVC has a program that is building a foundation that the league hopes will add to the depth of the conference moving forward. While Belmont and Murray State represent the present for the league, the Flames represent more of a short-term future bet that will benefit the long-term health of the Missouri Valley.