(St. Louis, MO) – Missouri Valley Conference teams are re-loading the talent pool and investing more in their coaches. Despite the chaos created by the Wichita State departure from the league, the other nine teams are growing in strength and stability.
National Letter of Intent Day (April 12) came and the league looks stronger than it did on April 11.
Porter Moser
Porter Moser Extension
Perhaps the most significant thing done this month is the extension signed by Porter Moser. The Loyola head coach seems to be building a solid foundation at the downtown Chicago school. His latest group of recruits and returners should continue what Moser calls ‘keeping the arrow pointed up’ and locking up the 48-year-old Moser until 2022 is a significant signal to future recruits.
Loyola’s win totals of 10, 24, 15 and 18 represent some of the best basketball success in the last 30 years of Rambler basketball.
Moser’s recruiting haul for the upcoming season is impressive. Evaluating recruiting classes can be similar to political polling, but by all reports, the signing of big men Christian Negron, the 15th best power forward in the country and Cameron Krutwig, rated the 33rd best center (verbal recruits) makes this a landmark class. When you add Fairleigh-Dickinson transfer Marques Townes and a red-shirt freshman season from Matt Chastain, this foursome rivals virtually any foursome in recent Valley history.
Rousseau & Others @ Missouri State
Ronnie Rousseau’s return to Missouri State significantly changes the complexion of the Missouri State offseason. Not only did they retain head coach Paul Lusk (smart move), but they landed highly rated junior college transfer Reggie Scurry (46th best JC transfer), but added 6’10 freshman center Darion Scott and transfer JT Miller.
Miller, the Howard University transfer will play his senior year in Springfield. The combo guard averaged 14.7 points per game last season and has amassed 930 career points during his three-year collegiate career.
League Rankings
Verbal Commits calls Loyola’s recruiting class the best, by a narrow margin over Illinois State. Here are their rankings
Loyola 2.364
Illinois State 2.359
SIU 2.256
Bradley 2.333
Indiana State 2.111
Missouri State 2.091
Evansville 2.051
Northern Iowa 2.038
Other Significant Players
Beyond the return of Rousseau at Missouri State, there are other players that were on MVC campuses last year, but will play their first meaningful minutes this season. Among them are Silas Adheke at Evansville, Milik Yarbrough of Ilinois State, Loyola’s Marques Townes and Matt Chastain, Greg Williams at Missouri State, Northern Iowa’s Adam McDermott, and SIU’s Marcus Bartley and Brendon Gooch.
Yarbrough and Bartley, both former Saint Louis University players will be very solid Valley players, while Townes, Chastain and MSU’s Williams have the potential to be upper level players. Williams was a highly touted recruit who had serious hernia surgery and sat out last season. Jim Connell (@Jim_Connell_NL) of the Springfield News-Leader tells us recent ‘clean-up’ surgery should have Williams ready for preseason drills.
Do Good
Twitter Feed
.@SEMOMBB wins at home and is 2-0, tied with @MSUEaglesMBB atop the @OVCSports. Our prayers are with the @LRTrojans after the death of one of their managers Josh Claxton. Their game with EIU was postponed today.
Good officiating in the @SEMOMBB/@SIUEMBB in a little late game dust up.
BTW, @LindenwoodWBB is 2-0. @CoachAmyEagan has that program headed the right direction.
With @SkyhawkHoops winning on the road and @LUMensBball winning at home, right now, 5 @OVCSports teams are 1-1.
