Grading the Valley – Part 4

(St. Louis, MO) – Our final grades are being handed out to Missouri Valley Conference programs, and today our teams are very different. Remember, we’re evaluating these teams by comparing outcome with expectations.

Southern Illinois and Wichita State had completely different expectations coming into the season. Both did some great things and both are facing an offseason with some historic figures no longer a part of the program.

Southern Illinois University – A –

SIU wasn’t very good in 2014-15 (they were 12 and 21), and after the season, some of their best players transferred out of the program. They were picked to finish in the bottom two of the Valley race, and frankly that was an optimistic view for a team that appeared to be in free fall.

But Head Coach Barry Hinson righted the ship. His late recruiting landed needed back court help in Mike Rodriguez and Leo Vincent and an offseason of ramped up conditioning and recommitment to family values and the Salukis were a different team.

The new guards allowed high scoring guard Anthony Beane to move off the ball into his more natural, shooting guard position, and the results were significant. Not only did Rodriguez and Vincent help Beane flourish but the transfers were significant contributors in their on right.

Bola Olaniyan and Sean O’Brien emerged as well. The junior forwards were both in better shape and clearer about their roles and were forces on both ends of the floor.

But, as expected Beane was front and center in every aspect of the Saluki attack. The senior guard finished second to Evansville’s D.J. Ballentine in the scoring race (20.5 to 19.3), and was amongst the league leaders in steals, free throw percentage, made 3-pointers and minutes played.

Beane finished his SIU career with 1,917 points to finish third in school history. He tied the SIU Arena scoring record with 885 points and was a three time all-conference selection.

With a balanced back court, Beane under less pressure and solid front court play, the Egyptian Dawgs went 11 and 2 heading into conference play, and finished with 22 wins and a ten game turn around.

SIU’s best wins came against Saint Louis, Murray State, Northern Iowa and Illinois State.

O’Brien was second in scoring and rebounding with 12.1 points and six rebounds, while Olaniyan led the Dawgs and was second in the Valley with 8.8 rebounds. Tyler Smithpeters led the team with 47 3-pointers.

Wichita State – B 

This may seem too low for a team that won 26 games and captured the MVC title, but this is also a team that was ranked in the top 15 in the opening polls, they had two all-Americans in the lineup, a high-level transfer and chance at making history.

Gregg Marshall’s team did have an outstanding season and won two NCAA Tournament games, but they didn’t make history.

Early season injuries to eventual Player of the Year Fred VanVleet, highly regarded freshman Landry Shamet and transfer Anton Grady derailed their early season resume building opportunities. Losses to USC, Tulsa, Alabama, Iowa and Seton Hall ended WSU’s chance to have a healthy RPI and a high tournament seed.

VanVleet returned to earn his second Valley Player of the Year award, and in so doing set the Shocker career assist and steals records. He, Ron Baker and fellow senior Evan Wessel each finished their careers with over 100 wins during their four-year stay in Wichita.

After the early season struggles, the Shockers (26-9) got healthy (though Shamet never returned) and won 16 conference games on their way to their third straight Valley championship.

Baker’s 14 points per game led the team, and surprisingly his 4.8 rebounds were also a Shocker best. Baker finished his career with 1,480 points, and VanVleet amassed 1,284. Freshman of the year Markis McDuffie and sophomores Shaq Morris, Zach Brown and Conner Frankamp provided depth and a confidence that the future is in good hands.

WSU won two NCAA Tournament games and are now 9 and 5 in the Big Dance under Marshall. Early in the season, Marshall passed Ralph Miller as the winningest coach in Shocker history.

Great things took place, but compared the goals set by the Shocker senior class, and media expectations, you just can’t give WSU an ‘A’.

Do Good