MVC Basketball: 2022-23 midseason all-conference team selections

Mar 5, 2022; St. Louis, MO, USA; Drake Bulldogs guard Tucker Devries (12) shoots against the Missouri State Bears during the second half in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

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Nov 26, 2021; Orlando, FL, USA; Belmont Bruins guard Ben Sheppard Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports /

MVC Basketball All-1st Team

Four of these five were on the six-man pre-season first team. If ours was a six-man team, we likely would have had five returners. We list them In alphabetical order and reveal the mid-season player of the year at the bottom of this list.

Bowen Born – Northern Iowa – Guard

Born has had to carry the leadership and scoring load for Northern Iowa. Without Phyfe and Heise the Panthers had one proven performer and it is Born. Tytan Anderson has emerged and will likely land on the league’s all-improved team, but Born, who leads the league in scoring (19.3) but is also ranks in the top eleven on the league’s assist, three-point percentage, assist-turnover and free throw percentage lists. The 5’11 lefty has been brilliant.

Tucker DeVries – Drake – Forward

DeVries was the league’s preseason Player of the Year and he has been outstanding. The 6’7 sophomore is second to Born in scoring (18.7) and grabs just under six rebounds per game. He is the first name on every other team’s scouting list and yet he is performing. He is top nine on all three of the Valley’s shooting percentage lists. He scores at every level and every way imaginable.

Marcus Domask – Southern Illinois – Forward

Domask does a lot of things well. Others have contributed to Southern Illinois’ solid start, but Domask is the Saluki that makes the team function. He leads the Salukis in scoring (17.5), rebounding (5.9), field goal percentage (.497), free throw percentage (.833), assists (3.3) and minutes played. Domask is a basketball player.

Ben Krikke – Valparaiso – Forward

The Valley’s most efficient scorer is sneaky good. Casual watchers barely know he’s in the game until they notice his stat line at the end of the game. Ben Krikke is one-half of Valparaiso’s “K-Squared Offense” of Krikke and Kobe King. Krikke’s 18.8 scoring average is fourth in the Valley and he is tied for eighth in rebounding but has registered an astounding and league-leading .529 shooting percentage. He is not good from long distance but makes .810 of his shots from the free-throw line.

Ben Sheppard – Belmont – Guard

Sheppard’s first half has been beyond expectations. Even though he was voted to the league’s preseason first team, his numbers and performances have been gawdy. His 33-point performance against Middle Tennessee is the league’s best by one point over Drake’s Roman Penn, Bradley’s Leons and Domask. Sheppard’s 18.5 scoring average is good for third behind Born and DeVries, but his overall game is electric. He’s an outstanding defender, distributor, and deliverer. Sheppard is fourth in assists (3.8) and seventh in steals and he is our mid-season player of the year.