Missouri Valley Basketball: 2024 Conference Tournament preview and predictions
Key Players for Arch Madness
JR Tucker DeVries – Drake Bulldogs
2023-24 stats: 21.9 ppg 6.9 rebounds 3.5 assists
DeVries is the Valley’s best player. After winning the ‘Larry Bird – Player of the Year Award’ last season, he greatly improved his game. He led the Valley in (conference game only) scoring and grew as a rebounder, a distributor and a team leader.
His scoring went up by more than three points, added over a rebound per game to his sophomore levels and doubled his assist output (1.8 to 3.5).
Drake (25-6, 16-4) head coach Darian DeVries (Tucker’s father) had to rebuild a roster after mass graduation last season and the younger DeVries led his teammates to the program’s sixth straight twenty-win season and fourth straight of at least 25.
DeVries can score from deep, off the bounce and from the free-throw line. At 6’7, he is the Valley’s top NBA prospect.
SO Robbie Avila – Indiana State
2023-24 stats: 17.6 ppg 6.9 rpg 3.9 apg
They call him ‘Baby Jokic’ or since he wears goggles, some have started calling him ‘Cream Abdul Jabbar’, but Avila is truly unique. Find me another 6’10 player that averages over 17 points, seven rebounds and nearly four assists per game. Add to his stat line that he is burying 40 percent of his long distance attempts and over 80 percent from the charity stripe.
He is a matchup nightmare and Avila’s ‘pick-and-pop’ game is excellent which opens the lanes for his rapid teammates to get open cuts to the rim. His passing game is elite. Avila is the hub of the Indiana State offensive machine.
SO Ja’Kobi Gillespie – Belmont
2023-24 stats: 17.5 ppg 3.7 rpg 4.2 apg 2.3 spg
Gillespie missed seven games with a hand injury and the Bruins (19-12) lost five of those contests. He is an electric player who is lightning quick, can score from deep and slash to the rack. The 6’ guard leads the Valley in steals and is the ring-leader of the Belmont’s trio of high-scoring sophomores. Forwards Malik Dia (16.9) and Cade Tyson (16.7) are a three-headed monster few teams can handle.
The numbers say a great deal, but Gillespie’s ability to energize his teammates is an intangible that can’t be measured, but can be seen.
SR Xavier Johnson – Southern Illinois
2023-24 stats: 22.0 ppg 6.1 apg 212 Made Free Throws
While Johnson has been slowed by some nagging leg ailments late the season, he should be named as the Valley’s Most Improved Player. After averaging over seven points per game last season, Johnson took the offensive lead this year. The Saluki captain carried the SIU offense and battled DeVries for the scoring title most of the final weeks of the season.
Johnson’s 212 made free throws were fourth nationally and he is a shut down defender. While leading the league in assists, he was also seventh in steals.