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**HKF** · 10-27-2003, 02:07 PM

This is a big year in the Valley for quite a few reasons. For years the Valley has had to try and gain respect around the nation as the top Mid-Major league. With historical heavyweights such as Wichita State, Creighton and Bradley, this league has a very proud tradition.

This year, the conference literally has 6 teams that could easily win the league. Now while some would say that means the league is mediocre, in the words of Lee Corso, "Not so fast my friend."

With the graduation of Kyle Korver from Creighton last year, the dismissal of Tom Richardson at Illinois State, and improvement of the teams in the middle of the conference is going to up this conference's profile. I am on record right now as saying this conference will finish in the Top 10 in the RPI, and has an outside shot at 3 teams in the tournament.

Now before you say that won't happen. It can and just might:

In 1999, the MVC had 3 teams in Evansville, Creighton and Southwest Missouri State. SMS went to the Sweet 16 that year under Steve Alford and Creighton went to the 2nd round.
In 2000, Creighton and Indiana State went to the tournament.
In 2001, Creighton and Indiana State went again, and State knocked off Oklahoma before losing to Gonzaga in the 2nd round.
In 2002, Creighton and Southern Illinois went to the dance. Creighton knocked off Florida behind Terrell Taylor and Southern went to the Sweet 16 before Caron Butler got them.
In 2003, Creighton and Southern Illinois dominated during the regular season and came back again, but unfortunately both lost in the first round, eventhough Southern got screwed out of overtime in that game.

Now onto the preseason predictions:

1. Wichita State - The Shockers under Mark Turgeon are doing what Randy Smithson was supposed to do with them, WIN. This team's core starts with a group of juniors in Jamar Howard and Randy Burns. Howard, who was defensive player of the year, can lock down almost anyone in the country with his physical man to man defense. Burns is the unquestioned leader on this team and will run the team with the help of super quick 5'10 guard Jerome Holman. Rob Kampman and Aaron Hogg are very talented forwards with shooting ability. Hogg is the 6th man, but is so verstatile he can play 3 positions. For this team to take the next step and be great, soph. center Paul Miller needs to take the next step. He was very good last year, but with a year of weight training and natural improvement look for him to dominate on the block. Turgeon also brought in some very good recruits and if the Shocks don't lose him after this year, next year promises to have the Shocks ranked in the preseason top 25. It will be good to see NCAA ball in Wichita, something that hasn't happened since they hosted the 1994 Midwest First and Second Round Games.

2. Bradley - now some might be surprised that I would put my alma mater, at No.2. Fact is, I hated this school until I was a senior. Kind of grew on me. Back to basketball anyway. The reason they are second is because of the trio of senior guards. Marcello Robinson, James Gillingham, and scorer deluxe Phillip Gilbert. These guys will be very devastating on the rest of the Valley and in the OOC, and they have good back-ups as well in freshman Danny Ruffin and soph. Joey Paul. The team is really banking on the arrival of JUCO transfer Marcellus Sommerville (who previously went to Iowa). He really should have come to BU from the beginning. He is being called on to hold it down in the post but also step out and knockdown shots out to 3 point territory. With the 3 guards and him in the line-up expect this team to get after it on offense. Brandon Heemskerk, 70 returns after a tough year last year, due to some personal problems, and being that I know him and he is a great guy, I am definitely rooting for him to do very well this year, due to an extra year in the weight room and another year under Coach Jim Les. Seniors Jabbar Battle and Jason Faulkner, along with frosh Mike Rembert, will be counted on to provide quality minutes off the bench. Jim Les has this team primed to press and run this year, but with a very difficult out of conference schedule with games at UNLV, at Pepperdine, vs. Butler, at DePaul, figures to test this experienced ball club. This senior group has endured a lot. If they want to be remembered they are going to have to take it upon themselves to step up and make it happen. Heres saying they will.

3. Southwest Missouri State - Barry Hinson, has been on the hotseat basically his whole career, trying to follow Steve Alford after a Sweet 16 year. Expectations from SMS fans have been really high since then, but Hinson let them down, after being snubbed by the NCAA his first year as coach. But expectations are high again in Springfield and with very good reason. SMS returns everyone except guard Terrell McGee, and brings in the best recruiting class in the conference. Merrill Andrews leads this very physical team. Tamar Macklin and Monwell Randle are going to need to step up this year, but with the help of newcomer Anthony Shavies, this team is primed for an NCAA tourney run.

4. Southern Illinois - Hmmm. the Salukis had a difficult off-season. They lost seniors Jermaine Dearman and Kent Williams. Then they lost coach Bruce Weber to the Illini. Enter Matt Painter, asst under Weber the past few years. I actually think the demise of the Salukis is greatly exaggerated. Reason why: 2 names, Stetson Hairston and Darren Brooks. These two guards could play for any team in America and I absolutely love the way they play the game. Add in senior Bryan Turner, and this team has as good a 3 guard line-up as anyone in the country. What will determine how far this team goes, is whether Sylvester Willis, Brad Korn and company can fill in for Dearman. If these guys step up. You might as well move them right back up to the top of the conference. Just remember it has been this team that has won the last TWO regular season titles. A lot of those guys are still here.

5. Creighton - This is like being in a tie for 2nd honestly. I don't know if they are the 5th best team in the conference but I do know that losing Korver, House and Bowden is a lot. I like Brody Deren but he played soft last year. He needs to play tough like Mike Grimes does. They have some questions, about this team. Can McKinney really be the PG? This conference has some great guards. Is Nate Funk ready to be a primetime scorer? We'll see. But when you have the best coach in the conference in Dana Altman and when you have 5 straight NCAA bids, you expect to be in the tournament. I am just not surprised by what comes out of Omaha anymore.

6. Illinois State - Usually being 6th in the conference means that you are just a level below the top of the conference. In this case, it most certainly isn't true. Porter Moser (from Creighton grad) takes over ISU's team, after they quit last year on Tom Richardson. Moser turned around Arkansas Little Rock in just 3 years after Sidney Moncrief just left the program, so he is accustomed to rebuilding a program very quickly. Fortunately for him he inherits quite a bit of talent, in guards David Greene (sr.), juniors Gregg Alexander and Trey Guidry and talented sophomore big man Marcus Arnold. Add in Wisconsin transfer Neil Plank and Missouri transfer Najeeb Echols, and an NIT berth or maybe even better shouldn't be a surprise.

7. Drake - Welcome back to college hoops Dr. Tom Davis. If Kurt Kanaskie was still here, I would have them in the bottom of the conference. Davis is such a good coach that I think they will get better near the end of the year. This team starts with Luke McDonald, who two years ago almost transferred to Texas Tech. He is an outstanding shooter who has been a relative unknown to everyone outside of the Valley. With some good recruits coming in, and the game planning of Dr. Tom, expect Drake to pressing and trapping to a couple of upsets in conference this year.

8. Evansville - the Aces are on an upswing. Now some would say but they finished tied for 5th last year, how is 8th place a step up. Well... Merfeld is doing exactly what he did with Hampton, building a program. Lucious Wagner and Andre Burton are a big backcourt, that plays within themselves. Clint Cuffle is the leader of this syndicate, unfortunately for the Aces he is a senior this year. Next year, when Merfeld gets more of his recruits in here, they will be very difficult to beat. With Charlotte transfer Tyler Best coming in next year added to this and next year's recruiting class, things are looking up for the Purple Aces.

9. Northern Iowa - Greg Dermott, has been steadily improving the talent of this team led by David Gruber and Matt Schneiderman. This team is very young and brought in a very good recruiting class and should be competitive in this conference. Playing them in Cedar Falls is not going to be a cake walk and expect an upper division finish from this team in 2005.

10. Indiana State - The seasons of 2000 and 2001, seem very far away for Indiana State fans. Royce Waltman is seriously sitting on the hot seat after a lot of his recruits haven't panned out since Matt Renn, Nate Green and Michael Menser were here. This team figures to be improved but will it be enough to get them out of the cellar. The conference as a whole has improved, so how does this team get out of the basement. It starts with David Moss. The 6'5 guard did everything as the Freshman of the Year for this team and it still didn't help. My only hope is that he doesn't transfer, as this team can improve. But Waltman might not get to see that improvement.

**HKF** · 10-27-2003, 02:17 PM

BTW, I predict 3 teams go to the tournament from the conference this year.

Wichita State, Bradley and SW Missouri State.

Look out for my next preview: Mid American Conference

EDIT: I put this on the MVC Board as well.

Natty Dreadlockz · 10-27-2003, 09:20 PM

It kills me that... Cat's like Ahern(SMS)..Hairston(SIC)..Brooks(SIC)..Turner(SIC ) and Willis(SIC) ain't get heavily recruited by Mizzou or SLU... Quality ballaz... Peace

Natty Dreadlockz · 10-28-2003, 07:22 PM

Add Phillip Gilbert to that list of STL/E.STL HS ballaz that got away from SLU and Mizzou... Peace

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