The (Basketball News)
By Ralph Lauro, College Basketball Staff Writer
OUTLOOOK: It was another successful year for the Missouri Valley Conference in 2003-04, as it sent four teams to the postseason. The 2003-04 season also marked the sixth-straight time that the MVC has sent a minimum of two teams to the NCAA Tournament in Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa. As for the NIT, the MVC was represented by Wichita State for the second straight year, and Creighton. Although the league went 0-4 in postseason play, it was certainly competitive, as three games were decided in the finals seconds, and a fourth went into double overtime. Still, the MVC has a rich tradition of pulling off NCAA Tournament upsets and this year should be no exception. SIU is once again a favorite to take the league crown in 2004-05, but Wichita State may have something to say about that. The Shockers have put together two solid seasons and may be finally primed to take the next step and advance to the NCAA Tournament. Northern Iowa and SMS are also candidates to win the league crown and a repeat of last year’s MVC Tournament Championship game between the two schools may not be out of the question this season. Creighton is always a legitimate team to take the MVC title, and will surely contend for its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last seven years. As for the middle of the pack, Evansville is expected to be competitive, and with several starters returning it should be able to make the jump to the top of the ladder. Drake, Bradley Illinois State and Indiana State all have holes that need to be filled and probably wont reach .500 in conference action.
CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Southern Illinois
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Southern Illinois; 2. Northern Iowa; 3. Wichita State; 4. Southwest Missouri State; 5. Creighton; 6. Evansville; 7. Drake; 8. Bradley; 9. Illinois State; 10. Indiana State
TEAM BY TEAM ANAYLSIS:
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS - It was another outstanding season for the Salukis, as they won the MVC regular season crown for the third straight year with an impressive 17-1 mark. The team also received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after failing to win the MVC Tournament. SIU finished 25-5 overall and has a 49-12 record over the past two seasons. Its 33-3 mark in the MVC the past two years is the best back-to-back showing by a league team in the conference’s 98 year history. This year’s team is expected to be in the hunt, but things won’t be easy with the departure of head coach Matt Painter, who won conference coach-of-the-year honors in his first season at SIU last year. The Salukis now turn to Chris Lowery, who will be the school’s third head coach in the last three years. Lowery, a former SIU alum, inherits a talented club that is potentially better than the one that earned a 23rd-ranking in the polls last season. Although the Salukis lost three starters from a year ago, they are returning Darren Brooks, who captured league MVP and Defensive MVP honors last season while leading the league in scoring (16.5 ppg). Last year, Brooks became the first player in school history to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. Brooks also has a strong supporting cast in Stetson Hairston and LaMar Owen. Hairston, an all-MVC second-team pick last season, will join Brooks in the backcourt and is the team’s only other returning starter after averaging 9.1 ppg and 4.1 rpg a year ago. As for Owen, he is the team’s most experienced player in the front court and earned the MVC Sixth Man of the Year award in 2004 after averaging 8.4 ppg and 4.3 rpg off the bench. Tony Young (3.8 ppg), Jamal Tatum (7.8 ppg) and Josh Warren (4.3 ppg) were key contributors to last season and will be depended upon even more this year. Tatum and Young will add depth to the backcourt, while Warren will be counted upon to hold down the center position.
NORTHERN IOWA - Another team with a target on its back is Northern Iowa, which was certainly the surprise team of the 2003-04 season. The Panthers tied for second in the regular season (12-6) and then won the MVC Tournament to claim their second ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. Matching last season’s 21-10 overall record may be a tall order this year with the loss of all-conference center David Gruber and forward Matt Schneiderman. The two started all 31 games last year and combined for 23.1 ppg and 13.3 rpg. Still, the club returns plenty of capable players, including starters Ben Jacobson and Erik Crawford. Jacobson, a 6-3 guard, averaged 14.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg last year as a sophomore, and he was the league tournament Most Outstanding Player as the Panthers earned their first NCAA berth since joining the MVC. Crawford, another 6-3 guard, was a member of the league’s All-Newcomer team in 2003-04 after averaging 10.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 2.7 apg. Guards Chris Foster and Brooks McKowen combined for 15.7 ppg and 5.4 apg last season and will add depth to perhaps the best backcourt in the MVC.
WICHITA STATE - The Shockers have made progress in each of Mark Turgeon’s three seasons, and earned back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time in 15 years. Wichita State, which went 21-11 overall last season, hosted Florida State in 2004 in an NIT game and lost at Iowa State in the NIT first round in 2003. The Shockers have higher goals in 2004-05 with four starters returning from last year’s squad that finished in a tie for second place in the MVC at 12-6. The four returning starters include forwards Jamar Howard and Rob Kampman and center Paul Miller and guard Randy Burns. Howard, a First-Team all-MVC performer last season, averaged a solid 13.8 ppg and 5.8 rpg, while Kampman added 9.0 ppg and 5.2 rpg. Second-Team All-MVC member Burns will also need to step up his play if the Shockers hope to advance to the field of 65 after posting 12.4 ppg and 4.4 rpg a year ago. As for Miller, he averaged 8.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg last season and should be amongst the top centers in the MVC this year. If Wichita State can find a way to replace starting point guard Fridge Holman (10.4 ppg and 5.8 apg), it will certainly be a favorite to win the MVC.
SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE - The Bears unveiled the best group of young players in the MVC last season, with the likes of Blake Ahearn, Nathan Bilyeu and Deven Mitchell. The trio were the main reason why SMS was able to make a late- season run that ended with a double-overtime loss to Northern Iowa in the MVC Tournament championship game. With nine lettermen returning from that team the Bears are ready to improve on their 19-14 overall mark and fifth place finish (9-9) in the MVC. Anthony Shavies and Ahearn are two of the team’s three returning starters and will give SMS one of the top backcourts in the league. Shavies averaged 6.4 ppg and 2.4 rpg last season, while Ahearn, who led the nation in free throw percentage last season as a freshman, is the top returning scorer for the Bears (10.5 ppg). His 117 of 120 accuracy (97.5 percent) from the line established an all-time NCAA single-season record. Tamarr Maclin is the team’s other returning starter and is expected to lead the frontcourt after averaging 5.1 ppg and 5.2 rpg a year ago. As for Bilyeu and Mitchell, they both played a big role as freshmen and will be counted upon even more this year. Bilyeu averaging 5.0 ppg and 3.4 rpg a year ago, while Mitchell added 4.2 rpg and 3.8 rpg.
CREIGHTON - The Bluejays sputtered down the stretch last season, losing nine of their final 17 games, and saw a string of five straight NCAA Tournament appearances come to an end. Still, Creighton finished 20-9 overall and earned a seventh-straight postseason appearance with a spot in the NIT. The Bluejays have won at least 20 games in six-straight seasons, but keeping that streak alive this year may be asking too much. Creighton returns just two starters from a year ago, although there are several other players with experience. Guards Nate Funk and Johnny Mathies are the lone returning starters and combined for 18.9 ppg a year ago. The Bluejays’ most experienced big man is sophomore Anthony Tolliver, who saw very limited playing time last season. The team will look to juco transfer Dennis Howard and two freshmen, Steve Smith and Dane Watts, to provide help in the low post.
EVANSVILLE - Steven Merfeld’s Purple Aces regressed last season, as they finished just 7-22 overall and 5-13 in the MVC. However, with the more depth and more returning starters this season, the ingredients are there for Evansville to turn the corner. All five starters return from a year ago, including guard Lucious Wagner, who became the first Evansville player in seven years to score 200 points and hand out 100 assists in a season. He will be joined in the backcourt by Andre Burton and Kyle Anslinger. Burton averaged 9.3 ppg and 2.8 apg last season, while Anslinger chipped in 5.9 ppg as a freshman last year. Matt Webster and Bradley Strickland provide a solid one- two punch in the frontcourt after posting big seasons in their first year at Evansville in 2003-04. Strickland (6.3 ppg) earned a post on the league’s All-Freshman team, while Webster led Evansville’s newcomers in scoring at 7.7 ppg last year.
DRAKE - The Bulldogs were expected to finish at the bottom of the MVC last season simply because they fielded the youngest team in the league. Drake completely overachieved and finished sixth in the league standings with a 7-11 mark. Head coach Tom Davis implemented a press style of defense in his first season at the helm and it was more than successful to say the least. The Bulldogs ranked third in nation in steals per game last season (11.5 spg), in addition to becoming just the fourth team in MVC history to collect 300 or most steals in a season (321). Drake returns eight players who averaged 10 minutes or more per game last season, including all five starters. Guard Lonnie Randolph heads the team after averaging 12.04 ppg and 4.2 rpg a year ago. He is joined in the backcourt by Chaun Brooks, who averaged 8.1 ppg and 3.1 rpg as a starter last season. In the frontcourt, the Bulldogs welcome back the trio of Klayton Korver (7.8 ppg), Pete Eggers (5.4 ppg) and David Bancroft (12.0 ppg), who combined to average 10.3 rpg. Guard Nick Grant (8.3 ppg) and forward Josh Powell (6.7 ppg and 4.4 rpg) could easily crack the starting lineup during the season and give the Bulldogs the depth they need to run Davis’s press defense.
BRADLEY - With the loss of five seniors and three starters, the Braves will have a hard time improving on their 15-16 overall record and 7-11 league mark from a year ago. Bradley does welcome back one of the top players in the MVC in Marcellus Sommerville. The 6-7 forward was an all league performer and the 2004 MVC Newcomer of the Year after leading the conference in rebounding (7.3 rpg) and finishing third in scoring (15.6 ppg). Center Brandyn Heemskerk is the only other returning starter, but averaged just 1.3 ppg and 2.3 rpg last year. Forwards Mike Suggs (5.7 ppg) and Michael Rembert (2.1 rpg) will be called upon to take some of the pressure off of Sommerville. J.J. Tauai and Danny Adams are the team’s most experienced guards, but combined for just 5.1 ppg a year ago. Newcomers Daniel Ruffin and Tony Bennett will also be counted on and need to produce immediately if Bradley is to improve from a year ago.
ILLINOIS STATE - Since dominating the MVC in the mid 1990s, the Redbirds have stumbled and finished last in the league at 4-14 a year ago. The team also posted a dismal 10-19 overall mark in Porter Moser’s first season at the helm. This year’s team should be much improved with the return of four starters, including Trey Guidry, who led the league in three-point percentage (.460) Guidry also finished fourth in the league in scoring (15.2 ppg), in addition to pulling down 3.2 rpg. Vince Greene will accompany Guidry in the backcourt after averaging 8.3 ppg and 2.0 rpg a year ago. Up front the Redbirds must replace Marcus Arnold, who averaged 12.3 ppg and 4.6 rpg. Forwards Gregg Alexander and Greg Dilligard combined for 15.4 ppg and 6.6 rpg as starters a year ago and will try to fill in the gap left by Arnold.
INDIANA STATE - The Sycamores moved in the right direction last season, as there 5-13 finish in the MVC was certainly an improvement from the team’s 2-16 league mark the previous year. Indiana State went just 9-19 overall last year, but with four starters returning it should at least be able to post a double-digit win in 2004-05. Among the returning starters is forwards David Moss and Amani Daanish. Moss averaged a team-best 13.6 ppg and 4.6 rpg last season, while Daanish added 7.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg in his first year. Guards Eric Gray and Tyson Schnitker give the Sycamores a formidable backcourt that will surely give opposing teams trouble. Gray averaged 7.6 ppg last year, while Schnitker started 27 games and made 40.3 percent of his three-point attempts as a freshman last season. Forward Jerod Adler (3.8 ppg) and guard Russell Trudeau (3.3 ppg) are also expected to play a big role for the Sycamores after seeing limited playing time off the bench last year.
