Missouri Valley Basketball: Grades for each team 1st week of 2022-23 season

Teams that earned a “C” grade

These teams have had some good and some bad. Valparaiso is one-and-one after a 15-point loss to Toledo and a 16-point win over Western Michigan. The good, has been very good. During the Beacons’ win over Western Michigan ‘K-Squared’ (Ben Krikke and Kobe King) combined for 54 points and backup guard Darius Deaveiro has collected 14 assists in the team’s two games.

The bad as been troubling. While the sample size is small, allowing 75 points per game and yielding 40 rebounds per game makes it difficult to win games. Their opposition has come up with 19 steals and the Beacons are shooting a lackluster .630 from the charity stripe. Those things are chinks in the armor. Two Division 2 transfers, Quinton Green (15.0 ppg) and Nick Edwards (6 points and 5.5 assists) have been solid additions to Matt Lottich’s team.

Valpo – Grade – C

Belmont is one, three-point basket away from being 0-3, but Cade Tyson’s heroics spared them that fate. Losses to Furman and Lipscomb are not criminal, but those are games that Belmont usually wins. Both games were on the road and the re-tooled Bruins are still scoring just fine, but their defense has been suspect.

Opponents are hitting on over 50% from the field and nearly 40% from deep. Casey Alexander’s squad will have to tighten up to compete in their new conference. Four Bruins are averaging double figures in scoring, but the team is being outrebounded by eight rebounds per contest and Belmont is turning the ball over at an unacceptable level. A brutal .511 from the line doesn’t help during tight contests.

Belmont – Grade – C –