Missouri Valley Conference Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2024-25

No. 12 – Missouri State Bears 

Missouri State has a new, but old coach. Cuonzo Martin has returned to Springfield, Missouri to lead a program that hasn’t won a conference championship since he left in 2011. 

Martin went to Tennessee, California and Missouri and now he is back in the Missouri Valley Conference. But not for long. Missouri State is moving to Conference USA next July. With the firing of Dana Ford and Martin’s hiring, the Bears’ roster is virtually brand new. Martin hit the transfer portal, the junior college ranks and landed some talented high school players. 

While much of the league is fairly unknown, this team is its biggest mystery. 

Transfers Vincent Brady II and Dez White are the preseason headliners. Brady comes from IUPUI where two seasons ago he was on the Horizon League all-freshman team. His 9.1 points-per-game scoring average is the best of any of Martin’s players with Division 1 experience. 

White arrives from Austin Peay where he was named to last season’s ASUN all-freshman team. Neither of these guards threw together big assist numbers, so questions remain about the team’s ability to distribute the ball.

Frontcourt transfers Wesley Oba (Delaware State) and Allen Udemadu (Morgan State) provide size and experience. Martin will need these frontcourt seniors to hold the fort in the physical Missouri Valley Conference.

Martin landed three top-100 junior college players including Mozae Downing-Rivers from national champion Barton Community College and highly touted Jalen Hampton from South Plains. 

The first year coach has won 264 Division 1 games and has NCAA Tournament experience. The former Purdue star is more ‘old school’ than most and signed two, three-star freshmen to this year’s team. 6’7 forward Jurrell Baldwin and 6’3 guard Makhai Valentintine are expected to contribute this season, but are building blocks for Missouri State’s voyage to Conference USA.