The 2025–26 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2025, followed by the start of the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play began in December 2025 and end in March of 2026. Drake was the defending conference champion, having made the NCAA tournament in 2025 after winning both the MVC regular season and tournament titles.

With the departure of Missouri State to Conference USA, the conference comprises eleven teams. It is the lowest total of teams since the 2021-22 season, when there were only ten teams in the conference prior to the addition of Belmont and Murray State from the OVC, and UIC from the Horizon League.

Head coaches

Coaches Team Head coach Previous job Year at school Overall record MVC record MVC championships NCAA TournamentsBelmontCasey AlexanderLipscomb7140-5439-2100BradleyBrian WardleGreen Bay11181-14597-8521DrakeEric HendersonSouth Dakota State10-00-000EvansvilleDavid RaglandButler(asst.)433-6615-4500Illinois StateRyan PedonOhio State(asst.)448-5225-3500Indiana StateMatthew GravesIndiana State(asso. HC)214-188-1200Murray StateRyan MillerCreighton(asst.)10-00-000Northern IowaBen JacobsonNorthern Iowa(asst.)20374-246209-13944Southern IllinoisScott NagyWright State214-198-1200UICRob EhsanStanford(asst.)217-1410-1000ValparaisoRoger Powell Jr.Gonzaga(asst.)322-449-3100 Notes: All records, appearances, titles, etc. are from time with current school only. Year at school includes the 2025–26 season. Overall and MVC records are from time at current school and are through the end of the 2024-25 season.

Preseason

Preseason polls The Missouri Valley Conference identified only the top five teams in its annual coaches, staff, and media poll for the 2025-26 season, and published its list of preseason conference "players to watch".

When the league fell short with that poll in late September, the MVC media collaborated and conducted a poll among 20 league beat writers to establish a ranking for all 11 teams, plus the conventional first and second All-Valley team selections.

RankTeam 1. Illinois State (14) 2. Northern Iowa (1) 3. Bradley (2) 4. Murray State (2) 5. Belmont 6. Drake (1) 7. Southern Illinois 8. UIC 9. Indiana State 10. Valparaiso 11. Evansville(first-place votes)

Preseason Missouri Valley media teams

Honor Recipient MVC Media First TeamChase Walker, Illinois StateJohnny Kinziger, Illinois StateTyler Lundblade, BelmontTrey Campbell, Northern IowaJaquan Johnson, Bradley MVC Media Second TeamConnor Turnbull, EvansvilleFred King, Murray StateIsaiah Stafford, Southern IllinoisAhmad Henderson II, UICDemarion Burch, Bradley Source

Regular season

Early season tournaments The following table summarizes the multiple-team events (MTE) or early-season tournaments in which teams from the Missouri Valley Conference will participate. +TeamTournamentDatesResultBelmontCoconut HoopsNovember 24-26Royal Palm DivisionChampionsBradleyESPN Events InvitationalNovember 24-26Adventure Bracket3rd PlaceDrakeEmerald Coast ClassicNovember 28-29Lost vs LSU† Won vs Georgia Tech† EvansvilleParadise JamNovember 21-245th PlaceIllinois StateESPN Events InvitationalNovember 27-28Imagination BracketChampionsIndiana StateLouisiana Tech MTENovember 26-29Lost vs Louisiana Tech†Lost vs Alcorn State†Murray StateCayman Islands Classic November 23-25Lost vs Middle Tennessee†Lost vs McNeese†Won vs George Washington†Northern IowaAcrisure Holiday InvitationalNovember 25-262nd PlaceSouthern IllinoisJacksonville ClassicNovember 23-25Won vs Delaware† Lost vs UAB† UICBoardwalk BattleNovember 20–223rd PlaceValparaisoBBN United Tipoff ClassicNovember 4-14Won vs Eastern IllinoisWon vs NichollsLost at Kentucky † Denotes Neutral Site

MVC records vs other conferences The MVC has a record of 75–46 in non-conference play during the regular season.The MVC has a record of 0–0 during tournament play.

Regular season +Power ConferencesConferenceRecordACC1–3Big East0–1Big Ten0–3Big 120–0SEC0–2Combined1–9 Other conferencesConferenceRecordAmerican1–7American East2–0ASUN3–0Atlantic 102–3Big Sky1–0Big South1–1Big West4–1CAA2–2C-USA4–4Horizon4–2Independents0–0Ivy League2–1MAAC0–0MAC8–2MEAC0–0Mountain West1–2NEC3–0Ohio Valley10–3Patriot League0–0Southern2–0Southland2–1SWAC1–2Summit4–2Sun Belt1–0WCC2–3WAC0–1Non-Division I14–0Combined74–37

Thru January 24, 2026

Postseason

+Power ConferencesConferenceRecordACC0–0Big East0–0Big Ten0–0Big 120–0SEC0–0Combined0–0 Other conferencesConferenceRecordAmerican0–0American East0–0ASUN0–0Atlantic 100–0Big Sky0–0Big South0–0Big West0–0CAA0–0C-USA0–0Horizon0–0Independents0–0Ivy League0–0MAAC0–0MAC0–0MEAC0–0Mountain West0–0NEC0–0Ohio Valley0–0Patriot League0–0Southern0–0Southland0–0SWAC0–0Summit0–0Sun Belt0–0WCC0–0WAC0–0Combined0–0

Thru March 2026

Record against ranked opponents This is a list of games against ranked opponents only (rankings from the AP Poll at time of the game): Date Visitor Home Site Significance Score Conference record Nov. 4 Evansville No. 1 Purdue Mackey ArenaWest Lafayette, IN-51-82 0-1 Nov. 7 Valparaiso No. 9 Kentucky Rupp ArenaLexington, KY BBN United Tipoff Classic59-107 0-2 Nov. 14 Indiana State No. 4 Duke Cameron Indoor StadiumDurham, NC − 62-100 0−3 † Denotes Neutral Site Thru January 24, 2026

Conference matrix This table summarizes the head-to-head results between teams in conference play. Thru January 24, 2026

  BelmontBradleyDrakeEvansvilleIllinoisStateIndianaStateMurray StateNorthernIowaSouthernIllinoisUICValpovs BU – 0-1 0-1 0-1 0-11-00-0 0-1 1-1 0-1 0-1vs BR 1-0 – 0-10-21-00-21-00-10-10-00-0vs DU 1-0 1-0 – 0-11-00-21-10-00-11-00-0vs UE 1-0 2-01-0– 1-0 0-11-01-00-01-00-0vs IlSU 1-0 0-10-10-1– 1-10-00-10-11-01-0vs InSU 0-1 2-02-01-01-1 – 1-01-00-00-00-0vs MrSU 0-0 0-11-10-10-0 0-1– 0-00-10-10-2vs UNI 1-0 1-00-00-11-0 0-10-0– 0-01-11-1vs SIU 1-1 1-01-00-01-0 0-01-00-0– 1-01-1vs UIC 1-0 0-00-10-10-1 0-01-01-10-1– 1-0vs VU 1-0 0-00-00-00-1 0-02-01-11-10-1– Total 8–2 7–3 5–5 1–8 6–4 2–8 8–1 4–5 2–7 5–4 4–5

Player of the week Periodically, throughout the season, the Missouri Valley Conference named a player of the week, a newcomer of the week, and a freshman of the week. DatePlayer of the weekNewcomerof the weekFreshman of the weekNovember 10, 2025Jaquan Johnson, BradleyIan Scott, Indiana StateTy’Reek Coleman, Illinois StateNovember 17, 2025Javon Jackson, Murray StateQuel'Ron House, Southern IllinoisRakim Chaney, ValparaisoNovember 24, 2025Trey Campbell, Northern IowaMekhi Lowery, UICRakim Chaney (2), ValparaisoDecember 1, 2025Tyler Lundblade, BelmontJalen Quinn, DrakeRoman Domon, Murray StateDecember 8, 2025Connor Turnbull, EvansvilleOwen Dease, ValparaisoMason Klabo, Illinois StateDecember 15, 2025Leon Bond III, Northern IowaLayne Taylor, Murray StateJack Smiley, BelmontDecember 23, 2025Jaquan Johnson (2), BradleyFred King, Murray StateRoman Domon (2), Murray StateJanuary 5, 2026Chase Walker, Illinois StateOwen Dease (2), ValparaisoJT Pettigrew, ValparaisoJanuary 12, 2026Drew Scharnowski, BelmontAbdul Momoh, UICRoman Domon (3), Murray StateJanuary 19, 2026Chase Walker (2), Illinois StateOwen Dease (3), ValparaisoEoin Dillon, BelmontJanuary 26, 2026Jalen Quinn, DrakeElijah Crawford, UICEoin Dillon (2), BelmontFebruary 2, 2026Alex Huibregtse, BradleyJalen Quinn (2), DrakeEoin Dillon (3), BelmontFebruary 9, 2026Fred King, Murray StateQuel'Ron House (2), Southern IllinoisRoman Domon (4), Murray StateFebruary 16, 2026Jaquan Johnson (3), BradleyElijah Crawford (2), UICJT Pettigrew (2), ValparaisoFebruary 23, 2026Quel'Ron House, Southern IllinoisElijah Crawford (3), UICJT Pettigrew (3), ValparaisoMarch 2, 2026AJ Casey, EvansvilleBoden Skunberg, Illinois StateJT Pettigrew (4), Valparaiso

Honors and awards All-Conference awards and teams The MVC announced its all-conference teams and major honors on March 4, 2026.https://mvc-sports.com/news/2026/3/4/arch-madness-2026-missouri-valley-all-conference-teams.aspx

HonorRecipient Larry Bird Player of the Year Tyler Lundblade, Belmont Coach of the Year Casey Alexander, Belmont Defensive MVP Jaquan Johnson, Bradley Sixth Man of the Year Roman Domon, Murray State Newcomer of the Year Fred King, Murray State Freshman of the Year Roman Doman, Murray State First Team Jaquan Johnson, Bradley Fred King, Murray State Tyler Lundblade, Belmont Chase Walker, Illinois State Drew Scharnowski, Belmont Jalen Quinn, Drake Second Team Trey Campbell, Northern Iowa Elijah Crawford, UIC Quel'Ron House, S. Illinois Javon Jackson, Murray State Sam Orme, Belmont Third Team AJ Casey, Evansville Owen Dease, Valparaiso Roman Domon, Murray State Alex Huibregtse, Bradley JT Pettigrew, Valparaiso

Postseason

MVC Tournament

NCAA Tournament

The winner of the MVC tournament will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Seed Region School Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Championship12 East Northern IowaL 53–79 vs. St. John's W–L (%): Total:

National Invitation Tournament

Seed Bracket School 1st round 2nd round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 4 Winston-Salem Illinois State W 79–58 vs. Kent State W 78–75 at Wake Forest W 61–55 at Dayton L 66–88 vs. Auburn Auburn Murray State L 75–89 at Nevada Winston-Salem Bradley L 66–80 vs. Dayton Albuquerque UIC L 73–91 at California W–L (%): Total:

References