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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Former all-OVC guard Isaiah Swope joins Indiana State. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

6. Indiana State Sycamores – Head Coach Josh Schertz

2022-23 record: 23-13 overall, 13-7 in the MVC

Indiana State lost a ton of talent, but they are one of those teams we’re saying are staying the same. Their 13 conference wins were good for fifth last season and they shouldn’t be far from that range this year. Gone are second teamer Courvoisier McCauley and third-teamer Cameron Henry. Joining them in graduation was one of ISU’s all-time best three-point shooters Cooper Neese.

Head coach Josh Schertz landed some outstanding replacements.

Three of Schertz’s returners were Valley award winners. Julian Larry (all-defense), Robbie Avila (freshman team) and Xavier Bledson (bench) bring stability and productivity to the Sycamores. The league’s top scoring team lost some firepower, but the development of young players and Schertz’s newcomers should make up for the losses.

The 6’10 Avila (10.7 ppg) has great interior footwork and can hit from outside (34%). He is a matchup nightmare. There was a two-week span last season where Larry was the best player in the Valley. His shooting percentages are outstanding and is still learning how and when to take over a game. Bledson can do whatever you want him to do.

Schertz added all-Ohio Valley Conference guard Isaiah Swope (15.6 ppg) who is an elite shooter (42% from deep) and electrically fast. He ran off with 46 steals on the defensive end for Southern Indiana. Another OVC transfer is fifth-year guard Jake Wolfe who is a physical, lockdown defender that makes threes and gets his nose dirty and his opponent’s bloody. He will be a player opposing fans will love to hate.

Transfer Aaorn Gray is another veteran who can score. The 6’7 forward averaged 12.4 points and 4.5 rebounds for Niagara last season, making 50 three pointers. Ryan Conwell comes from South Florida where he averaged 5.1 points.

Three freshmen speak to the present and the future of the Indiana State squad. 6’6 guard Eli Shetlar is a top ten player coming out of Kansas. Jaden Daughtry is a two-time all-stater from the legendary Hargrave Military Academy and 6’10 Derek Vorst is a top ten player coming out of Ohio.

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