MVC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2023-24 season

Mar 5, 2023; St. Louis, MO, USA; Drake Bulldogs guard Tucker DeVries (12) celebrates with head coach Darian DeVries during the second half against the Bradley Braves in the finals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

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Southern Illinois Salukis head coach Bryan Mullins directs his team. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports /

9. Southern Illinois Salukis – Head Coach Bryan Mullins

2022-23 record: 23-10 overall, 14-6 in the MVC

No MVC basketball team was hit with the loss of talent like Southern Illinois. Two, all-league players left for the Big Ten and another player transferred inside the league. Marcus Domask (first-team) left for Illinois and Lance Jones (third-team) departed to Purdue. Senior guard Dalton Banks transferred to Illinois State.

SIU becomes a much younger team and their talent is less known. The preseason star of this team is all-defensive team member Xavier Johnson. ‘X’ was fifth in steals (1.52 per game) and is the unquestioned leader of this year’s version of ‘Floor Burn U’.

Holdover ‘bigs’ Clarence Rupert, Troy Da’Amico and Scottie Ebube will play larger roles this season. Rupert is just one season removed from St. Peter’s Sweet Sixteen run of 2022 and last season converted 65% of his field goal attempts. Ebube battled injuries and played in just twelve games.

Watch out of 7’ sophomore Cade Hornecker. He may be one of those break out second-year players that surprise an entire league.

Incarnate Word transfer Trey Miller was a recruiting steal. The 6’2 sophomore averaged 10.4 points per game and 3.1 assists and like Johnson is a defensive force, grabbing 47 steals. SIU needed offensive firepower without sacrificing defense and they achieved that by signing Miller.

The Salukis will defend. They led the league in scoring defense (61.4 ppg) and steals with 7.21 per game.

High-level freshmen are on the way. 6’3 Sheridan Sharp is an all-state and state champion player from Indianapolis’ Benjamin Davis High School. Scouting services ranked him among the Hoosier State’s top-twenty players. 6’5 wing Kennard Davis won four straight Missouri state titles and was the Class 4 Player of the Year for St. Louis’ legendary Vashon High School.

Trent Brown returns for his fifth year in Carbondale, Illinois and provides a veteran presence. Transfers Jarrett Hensley (Cincinnati) and R.J. McGee (Tulane) could play significant roles.

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