The MVC Influence On The Power Conferences

(Chicago, IL) – While powerful, money based conferences grab the headlines and covet more political power in the NCAA, the Missouri Valley Conference continues to influence those ‘big time’ leagues.

While at the Big Ten media day you see MVC alumni all over the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. There are head coaches (Matt Painter of Purdue and Mark Turgeon of Maryland), assistant coaches (Jim Molinari at Nebraska, Rob Judson of Indiana and Paris Parham of Illinois) and players (Rayvonte Rice of Illinois, Nick Zeisloft of Indiana and Joey King of Minnesota).

Lessons learned in the Valley are carried on in the Big Ten. Nebraska Head Coach Tim Miles believes he has a great coaching staff but spent some time telling reporters about the importance of Molinari’s (former Head Coach at Bradley) addition to the Cornhusker staff. Miles says Molinari’s attention to detail on the defensive end is superior and that he is quick with a quip too.

 

Purdue’s Painter (former HC at SIU) feels like his team has drifted from its ideals and is reestablishing the right kind of vision to his Boilermaker team. Many of those values were built in earlier days at Purdue and then reaffirmed while he served Bruce Weber at SIU and later took that program to NCAA tournament success.

 

Illinois’ Rice has a chance to be an All Big Ten performer. Minnesota’s HC Richard Pitino brags about King’s ability to do all the winning things and to make his team successful.

Judson told me Zeisloft will play a huge role in Indiana’s rotation. The Hoosiers needed an outside shooter last season and the graduate transfer fits that bill.

Don’t forget American Athletic Conference favorite SMU has a star in former Illinois State guard Nic Moore and his former HC at ISU, Tim Jankovich is an assistant on Larry Brown’s staff.

Vanderbilt’s (ACC) head coach is another former Illinois State coach Kevin Stallings. Kansas State (Big 12) is led by former SIU leader Bruce Weber. Like the Big Ten, the Pac – 12 has two former MVC coaches leading programs. Oregon is coached by Dana Altman (Creighton) and Cuonzo Martin (Missouri State) leads California.  Saint Louis University (A-10) is led by former Evansville HC Jim Crews.

Big money is being spread throughout those leagues, but so are the values and leadership of the Missouri Valley Conference.

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