Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.college
Subject: Missouri Valley Conference Preview
From: wallingf@nova.cs.uni.edu ( Eugene Wallingford )
Date: 17 Dec 92 16:26:15 -0600
Distribution: na
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Northern Iowa
Originator: wallingf@nova.cs.uni.eduLines: 226


Well, I have been meaning to do this now for a month.  Now that a Saluki
fan has posted a bit on Southern Illinois and a one-paragraph preview
of the conference, I guess Ill finally do it.   Besides, the term is
nearly over -- and faculty like to celebrate, too!

All facts herein are taken from recent articles in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls
Courier and Des Moines Register.  Any corrections are welcome...

                The Missouri Valley Conference, 1992-1993

The oldest conference west of the Mississippi has fallen on hard hardwood
times in recent years.   Since 1983, the Valley has compiled a 4-17 NCAA
tournament record and a 6-16 NIT record -- this from a conference boasting
17 Final Fours, six NIT titles, and alumni such as Larry Bird, Oscar
Robertson, Walt Frazier, Junior Bridgeman, Xavier McDaniel, and Hersey
Hawkins.

Recent investments in recruiting and emphasis may be paying off.  The
MVCs ten teams return:
	- 10 all-conference performers
	- 68% of their starters and 81 letter winners
	- five of the top ten scorers
	- eight of the top ten in rebounding, assists, blocked shots,
          and steals
	- at least one legitimate NBA prospect: Southern Illinois
          Ashraf Amaya.

Other news to be forthcoming out of the Valley will be Northern Iowa head
coach Eldon Millers 500th victory [he started the season with 491, I believe
-- EW] and the MVCs hosting of the NCAA Midwest Regional at The
Arena in St. Louis, March 25-27. Indiana States Tates Locke could reach
250 wins this winter as well.

Now, for the teams:

Southern Illinois
-----------------
     This year, the Salukis will not be satisfied with a fifth straight NIT
appearance or a fourth 20-win season in the last five years.  SIU returns all
five starters, plus several experienced subs, from a team that won a share of
the MVC regular-season championship in 1992.  This year, the NCAA
tournament is their one goal.
     Senior Ashraf Amaya is in a class by himself in the MVC.  Last year, he
led the conference in scoring (19.4) and rebounding (10.3) as a junior.  The
versatile, 6-8 Amaya was also the leagues Player of the Year and
Defensive POY, and he is hoping to join Bird, McDaniel, Hawkins,
Bridgeman, and Lewis Lloyd to become the sixth player in MVC history to
win back-to-back POY honors.
     Coach Richie Herrin also has Marcus Timmons, last years freshman of
the year,  and 7-0 Marcelo da Silva up front.  SIU picked up former Iowa
recruit Paul Lusk, a guard who becomes eligible on December 18.  Starting
guards Chris Lowery and Tyrone Bell also return.
     The Salukis are already 3-0 after three big wins.  Amaya had 32 points
and 14 rebounds against Eastern Illinois and 39 points, 15 rebounds, 4
blocks against Northern Illinois. All in all, SIU seems considerably stronger
than last year.

Illinois State
--------------
     The Redbirds became only the fourth school in the 85-year history of the
MVC to improve from last place to first place in a year, when IllSU tied
went from 5-23 to 18-11 and a share of the MVC regular-season
championship (with SIU) in 1992.  Four starters return to a IllSU, as well
as the top sixth man in the MVC last year, Mike VandeGarde.  Coach Bob
Bender has 6-6, 235-pound newcomer Thomas Hunter to ease the loss of
starting center Scott Fowler, who led the Birds in scoring and rebounding
last year.
     Defense is IllSUs hallmark.  Last year, they held eleven of their last
twelve opponents under 65 points and won four games in the final seconds. 
The Redbirds fell to conference champ Southwest Missouri in the semi-
finals of the MVC tournament last year, 61-58 in overtime.
     Illinois State has already lost to a weak DePaul team and to a relatively
strong Evansville (and the Aces wonderfully named Paris Casebier).

Southwest Missouri State
------------------------
     New coach Mark Bernsen steps into a promising situation -- ten
veterans, including 8 of its top nine scorers, return to a team that won the
Valley tournament last year and that has been to seven consecutive post-
season tournaments.  Bernsen recruited most of his players as Charlie
Spoonhours assistant the last three years.  Spoonhour, of course, has
moved on to St. Louis University this season, and Bernsen inherits a Bears
team that went 23-8 last year.
     The top returnee is all-MVC guard Jackie Crawford, who averaged 12
points as the teams point guard last year.  Former Iowa Mr. Basketball and
East Waterloo standout Mike Davis is one of the few new faces in
Springfield this winter.  Davis comes to SMSU after two seasons at
Southeastern Community College.
     SMSU beat Oregon State last Saturday, for all the Pac-10 fans out there.

Tulsa
-----
     Tubby Smith got his head coaching career off to a fine start last year,
replacing Eddie Fogler and leading Tulsa to a 17-13 record.  The Golden
Hurricane returns four starters from a team that surprised many last year
with a fourth place regular season finish and a near-miss NCAA tournament
berth.  Tulsa upset regular season champ Southern Illinois in a tournament
semi-final and fell to tournament champ Southwest Missouri State 71-68 in
the final game.  All this after a 3-6 non-conference start (which may not say
much for the strength of the MVC).
     Tulsa also returns four starters, including last years MVC Newcomer of
the Year Mark Morse.  Morse was a first-team all-conference performer
among the league leaders in scoring, assists, steals, and 3-point percentage.

Indiana State
-------------
     The Sycamores return three starters from last year's team which, despite
losing six straight games at the beginning of the season, went 12-6 in the
MVC race to finish in a tie for fourth place.   Other than losing two starters,
IndSU has nine lettermen with which to work.  Three-year starter Greg
Thomas, a point guard, may move to shooting guard this season.
     Indiana State has a tough pre-season schedule that includes Iowa State at
the Big Apple NIT (a loss) and state rivals Purdue, Butler, Ball State (a
loss?), and Evansville.  The Sycamores recently beat the Purple Aces in
Terre Haute after UE had beaten IllSU in Evansville.  This is the kind of
schedule that got last seaon off to such a rocky start but that prepared State
for its conference slate.   Indiana State has not had a winning season since
1979-80 -- the year after Larry Birds departure.

Wichita State
-------------
     Last year the Shockers endured their first 20-loss season since joining
the Valley.  They return four starters, including sophomore John Smith,
who was one of only nine freshmen in the country last year to lead his team
in scoring.  Smith is part of a potent MVC sophomore class that also
includes Paul Lusk and Marcus Timmons of SIU, Johnny Murdock of
SMSU, Mike Amos of Creighton, and David Winslow of Bradley.  As a
freshman, the 6-8 Smith averaged 12.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and over 1
blocked shot per game.  The Shockers also return bookend forwards
Claudius Johnson and Michael Wiggins.  Also on the roster is newcomer
Jimmy Bolden, an NAIA all-American last season.
     The major addition to the Wichita State program is coach Scott
Thompson, in whom WSU has invested heavily.  Thompsons mission is
to rebuild the schools roughed-up reputation as a college hoops power. 
Last seasons 20 losses were its most in 47 years.  Coach Thompson has
been involved in nine NCAA tourneys, including a Final Four as a Notre
Dame assistant, and one NIT in his fifteen years at the major college level.

Northern Iowa
-------------
     The Panthers begin their second tour of the Valley with a young team --
they return eight veteran players who played a lot of minutes last year, but
only one senior.  Four of the top five scorers last year are gone, and this
year's roster includes six freshmen and three sophomores.
     One newcomer who has already made an impact is 6-7 transfer Randy
Blocker, who was a second-team all-American last year at Western
Nebraska CC.  Blocker currently leads the team in scoring and rebounding
(but not defense!).
     The Panthers, 10-18 last year, are coached by Elsdon Miller for the sixth
season.  Miller is in his 31st year of major-college coaching and expects his
500th career win soon.

Drake
-----
     Drake has plenty of talent but little Valley experience.  The Bulldogs
return four starters but have only two seniors this year.  Drake lost all-MVC
forward Kevin Sams to graduation. Seniors Darrin Dafney and Adrian
Thomas and junior William Celestine will become key players.  Thomas
could be a force in the middle (11.4 points and 5.6 rebounds a game) if he
can get through the whole season.  After transferring from Angelina JC two
years ago, a foot injury cut short his first season as Bulldog and academic
troubles sidelined him for the second semester last year.
     Drake adds three quality players to the mix.  Ray Slater is a former Iowa
Hawkeye, and Rudy Washington, Jr. (the coachs son) was a first-team
(high school or juco?) all-stater in California last year.  Finally, there is
guard Curt Smith, POY as a high school senior in Washington, DC, and
last years top junior college player in California.  Coach Washington says
He showcased himself along with Kenny Anderson in the McDonalds
Classic.  Now, Anderson is in the NBA, and Smith is in Des Moines,
Iowa.


Creighton
---------
     The Bluejays graduated their top two scorers but return two other starters
from a team that placed sixth in the Valley last year with a 9-19 record. 
Other than those starters, the Bluejays lack experience from most of its
roster.   Creighton has just one senior, guard Matt Petty, and must replace
71% of its scoring punch from last year.  Sophomore Mike Amos will likely
assume much of that load.

Bradley
-------
     Bradley is coming off of its third consecutive 20-loss season, with a
tough road ahead.  The Braves have just two seniors and one junior on their
roster, following the transfer of last year's leading scorer and rebounder,
James Hamilton.  Returning are post player Chad Kleine, guards Charles
White and Roger Suchy, and sophomore forward David Winslow.
     Coach Jim Molinari has seven newcomers thrown into the mix,
including freshman point guard Billy Wright, who lead Richmond (Indiana)
High to the Indiana State Championship last year.  As a senior, Wright
averaged 13.6 points and 9.1 assists per game.
     Another key newcomer will be 6'-5" JC transfer Marcus Pollard, who
last year averaged 15.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game at Seward
Community College.
     If the new players contribute enough Bradley could avoid the Missouri
Valley basement.  But 8th, 9th or 10th place looks to be the Braves lot for
1992-93.  20 losses again?  Just maybe.



Preseason Picks
===============

     Of course, I have some advantage over other prognosticators, who made
their picks before the season started.  But so far, things have gone about as
everyone expected.  Southwest Missouri seems a bit stronger than Illinois
State at this point, and Northern Iowa needs to find an offense to go with its
competent defense.  My picks:

   Predicted Order of Finish    Media Pick       Last Season

   1.  Southern Illinois            1            T1   14-4   22-8  NIT
   2.  Southwest Missouri State     T2           3    13-5   23-8  NCAA
   3.  Illinois State               T2           T1   14-4   18-11 NIT?
   4.  Tulsa                        4            T4   12-6   17-13
   5.  Indiana State                6            T4   12-6   13-15
   6.  Wichita State                5            T7   6-12   8-20
   7.  Northern Iowa                7            T7   6-12   10-18
   8.  Drake                        10           T9   3-15   6-21
   9.  Bradley                      9            T9   3-15   7-23
  10.  Creighton                    8            6    7-11   9-15
-- 
~~~~ Eugene Wallingford   ~~~~  Dept of Computer Science     ~~~~
~~~~ wallingf@cs.uni.edu  ~~~~  University of Northern Iowa  ~~~~
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.college