2017–18 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season

The 2017–18 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2017, followed by the start of the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play began in late December 2017 and concluded in March with the Missouri Valley Conference tournament at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

With a win against Evansville on February 18, 2018, Loyola clinched at least a share of its first-ever Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship. With a win over Southern Illinois on February 21, the Ramblers clinched the outright MVC championship.

Loyola defeated Illinois State in the championship game to win the MVC tournament and received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

This season marked the first season with Valparaiso as a member of the conference. The Crusaders were invited to join the conference after Wichita State left the conference to join the American Athletic Conference.

Loyola received the conference's only bid to the NCAA tournament and advanced to the Final Four before losing to Michigan.

Drake was the only other conference school that received a bid to a postseason tournament, receiving a bid to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they went 1–1.

Head coaches

Coaching changes Drake's fourth-year head coach Ray Giacoletti resigned on December 6, 2016 after the first eight games of the season. Assistant coach Jeff Rutter was named interim head coach. Following the season, the school chose not to keep Jeff Rutter as head coach and hired Niko Medved, former head coach at Furman, as the Bulldogs' new head coach.

Coaches

Team Head coach Previous job Years at school Overall record MVC record MVC titles NCAA tournamentsBradleyBrian WardleGreen Bay338–6019–35 0 0DrakeNiko MedvedFurman117–1710–8 0 0EvansvilleMarty SimmonsSIU Edwardsville11184–17582–116 0 0Illinois StateDan MullerVanderbilt(Asst.)6122–8075–481 0Indiana StateGreg LansingIndiana State(Asst.)8133–12673–71 01LoyolaPorter MoserSaint Louis(Asst.)7121–11142–58 1 1Missouri StatePaul LuskPurdue(Asst.)7106–12152–75 0 0Northern IowaBen JacobsonNorthern Iowa(Asst.)12250–150130–8624Southern IllinoisBarry HinsonKansas(Adm.)699–9647–55 0 0ValparaisoMatt LottichValparaiso(Asst.)239–266–12 0 0 Notes: All records, appearances, titles, etc. are from time with current school only. Overall and MVC records are from time at current school and are through the end of the season. Lottich and Moser's conference records only includes MVC play, not prior Horizon League records.

Preseason

Preseason poll Source RankTeam 1.Missouri State (30) 2.Northern Iowa (8) 3.Loyola (1)4.Illinois State (1)5.Southern Illinois 6.Valparaiso 7.Bradley 8.Indiana State 9.Evansville 10.Drake(first place votes)

Preseason All-MVC teams

Honor Recipient Preseason Player of the YearAlize Johnson, Missouri State Preseason All-MVC First TeamDonte Ingram, LoyolaBrenton Scott, Indiana StateBennett Koch, Northern IowaReed Timmer, DrakeAundre Jackson, Loyola Preseason All-MVC Second TeamThik Bol, Southern IllinoisDarrell Brown, BradleyKlint Carlson, Northern IowaPhil Fayne, Illinois StateTevonn Walker, Valparaiso Source

Regular season

Conference matrix This table summarizes the head-to-head results between teams in conference play. Each team played 18 conference games, playing each team twice.   BradleyDrakeEvansvilleIllinois StateIndiana StateLoyolaMissouri StateNorthern IowaSouthern IllinoisValparaisovs. Bradley – 2–01–11–10–11–10–21–11–11–1vs. Drake0–2 – 1–11–10–22–00–21–11–12–0vs. Evansville1–11–1 – 2–02–02–01–11–11–10–2vs. Illinois State1–11–10–2 – 1–12–00–21–11–11–1vs. Indiana State1–12–00–21–1 – 1–12–00–22–01–1vs. Loyola1–10–20–20–21–1 – 1–10–20–20–2vs. Missouri State2–02–01–12–00–21–1 – 1–12–00–2vs. Northern Iowa1–11–11–11–12–02–01–1 – 2–00–2vs. Southern Illinois1–11–11–11–10–21–00–20–2 – 1–1vs. Valparaiso1–10–22–01–11–11–02–02–01–1 – Total9–910–87–1110–87–1115–37–117–1111–76–12

Player of the week Throughout the regular season, the Missouri Valley Conference named a player and newcomer of the week.

Week Player of the week Newcomer of the weekNovember 13, 2017Brenton Scott, Indiana StateKavion Pippen, Southern IllinoisNovember 20, 2017Keyshawn Evans, Illinois StateMarques Townes, LoyolaNovember 27, 2017Donte Ingram, LoyolaTywhon Pickford, Northern IowaDecember 4, 2017Bennett Koch, Northern IowaKavion Pippen (2), Southern IllinoisDecember 11, 2017Dru Smith, EvansvilleCameron Krutwig, LoyolaDecember 18, 2017Milik Yarbrough, Illinois StateMilik Yarbrough, Illinois StateDecember 26, 2017Alize Johnson, Missouri StateMilik Yarbrough (2), Illinois StateJanuary 2, 2018Milik Yarbrough (2), Illinois StateMilik Yarbrough (3), Illinois StateJanuary 8, 2018Reed Timmer, DrakeJ. T. Miller, Missouri StateJanuary 15, 2018Alize Johnson (2), Missouri StateTywhon Pickford (2), Northern IowaJanuary 22, 2018Donte Ingram (2), LoyolaCameron Krutwig (2), LoyolaJanuary 29, 2018Clayton Custer, LoyolaMilik Yarbrough (4), Illinois StateFebruary 5, 2018Reed Timmer, Drake

Ryan Taylor, EvansvilleKavion Pippen (2), Southern IllinoisFebruary 12, 2018Alize Johnson (3), Missouri StateKavion Pippen (3), Southern IllinoisFebruary 19, 2018Reed Timmer (2), DrakeMilik Yarbrough (5), Illinois State

Conference Awards Award RecipientsLarry Bird Player of the YearClayton Custer, LoyolaCoach of the YearPorter Moser, LoyolaNewcomer of the YearClayton Custer, LoyolaFreshman of the YearCameron Krutwig, LoyolaDefensive MVPBen Richardson, LoyolaSixth-Man of the YearTyler Smithpeters, Southern IllinoisAll-MVC First TeamClayton Custer, LoyolaAlize Johnson, Missouri StateRyan Taylor, EvansvilleReed Timmer, DrakeMilik Yarbrough, Illinois StateAll-MVC Second TeamJorand Barnes, Indiana StatePhil Fayne, Illinois StateArmon Fletcher, Southern IllinoisDonte Ingram, LoyolaDonte Thomas, BradleyAll-MVC Third TeamDarrel Brown, BradleyBennett Koch, Northern IowaCameron Krutwig, LoyolaKavion Pippen, Southern IllinoisBrenton Scott, Indiana StateAll-Newcomer TeamBakari Evelyn, ValparaisoCameron Krutwig, LoyolaTywhon Pickford, Northern IowaKavion Pippen, Southern IllinoisMilik Yarbrough, Illinois StateAll-Freshmen TeamElijah Childs, BradleyTyreke Key, Indiana StateCameron Krutwig, LoyolaTywhon Pickford, Northern IowaLucas Williamson, LoyolaAll-Defensive TeamObediah Church, Missouri StateDwante Lautier-Ogunleye, BradleySean Lloyd, Southern IllinoisBen Richardson, LoyolaTevonn Walker, Valparaiso Source

Postseason

Missouri Valley Conference tournament

Teams were seeded by conference record, with ties broken by record between the tied teams followed by overall adjusted RPI, if necessary. The top six seeds received first-round byes.

* denotes overtime period

NCAA tournament

The winner of the MVC tournament, Loyola, received the conference's automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Seed Region School First Four First round Second round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Championship11SouthLoyolaN/Adefeated (6) Miami 64–62defeated (3) Tennessee 63–62defeated (7) Nevada 69–68 defeated (9) Kansas State 78–62 lost to (3) Michigan 69–57W–L (%): Total:

References