The 2024–25 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2024, followed by the start of the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play began in December 2024 and ended in March 2025.
With a win over Evansville on February 26, 2025, Drake clinched the regular season championship for the third consecutive season.https://godrakebulldogs.com/news/2025/2/26/mens-basketball-drake-sneaks-past-evansville-to-claim-outright-regular-season-title.aspx
The MVC tournament was held March 6 through March 9, 2025 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Drake won the tournament championship for the third consecutive year, defeating Bradley in the championship game.https://godrakebulldogs.com/news/2025/3/9/mens-basketball-drake-claims-third-consecutive-mvc-championship.aspx
Drake point guard Bennett Stirtz was named the conference's player of the year. Drake's head coach Ben McCollum was named conference coach of the year.https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/3/5/arch-madness-drake-sweeps-top-player-coach-honors-in-missouri-valley-mens-basketball.aspx
The season was the final season for Missouri State in the conference, as they joined Conference USA on July 1, 2025.https://conferenceusa.com/news/2024/5/9/general-cusa-adds-missouri-state.aspx
Head coaches
Coaches Team Head coach Previous job Year at school Overall record MVC record MVC championships NCAA TournamentsBelmontCasey AlexanderLipscomb6140-5439-2100BradleyBrian WardleGreen Bay10181-14597-8521DrakeBen McCollumNorthwest Missouri State131-417-311EvansvilleDavid RaglandButler(asst.)333-6615-4500Illinois StateRyan PedonOhio State(asst.)348-5225-3500Indiana StateMatthew GravesIndiana State(asso. HC)114-188-1200Missouri StateCuonzo MartinMissouri4*70-6428-4600Murray StateSteve ProhmIowa State7*149-8129–3101Northern IowaBen JacobsonNorthern Iowa(asst.)19374-246209-13944Southern IllinoisScott NagyWright State114-198-1200UICRob EhsanStanford(asst.)117-1410-1000ValparaisoRoger Powell Jr.Gonzaga(asst.)222-449-3100 Notes: All records, appearances, titles, etc. are from time with current school only. Year at school includes the 2024–25 season. Overall and MVC records are from time at current school and are through the end of the 2024-25 season. Steve Prohm previously held the head coaching position at Murray State from 2011-2015, when the Racers were part of the Ohio Valley Conference. The overall win totals and tournament appearances from this time are included, but not conference wins/losses. Cuonzo Martin previously held the head coaching position at Missouri State from 2008-2011, where the Bears captured a MVC regular-season championship in the 2010-11 season.
Preseason
Preseason poll The preseason awards and coaches' poll were released by the league office on October 2, 2024.https://mvc-sports.com/news/2024/10/2/bradley-picked-as-mvc-mens-basketball-preseason-favorite.aspx RankTeam 1. Bradley (46) 2. Northern Iowa (2) 3. Murray State (1) 4. Illinois State 5. Drake 6. Belmont 7. Southern Illinois 8. Indiana State 9. Evansville 10. Valparaiso 11. Missouri State 12. UIC(first place votes)
Preseason All-Missouri Valley teams
Honor Recipient Preseason Player of the Year Duke Deen, Bradley Preseason All-MVC First Team Duke Deen, Bradley Tytan Anderson, Northern Iowa Darius Hannah, Bradley Johnny Kinziger, Illinois State Cooper Schwieger, Valparaiso JaCobi Wood, Murray State Preseason All-MVC Second Team Trey Campbell, Northern Iowa Nick Ellington, Murray State Jacob Hutson, Northern Iowa Zek Montgomery, Bradley Malachi Poindexter, Illinois State Preseason All-MVC Third Team Kennard Davis Jr., Southern Illinois Ali Dibba, Southern Illinois Cam Manyawu, Drake Filip Skobalj, UIC Bennett Stirtz, Drake Sourcehttps://mvc-sports.com/news/2024/10/2/bradley-picked-as-mvc-mens-basketball-preseason-favorite.aspx
Regular season
Conference matrix This table summarizes the head-to-head results between teams in conference play, including postseason tournament games.https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/mvc/men/2025.html
BelmontBradleyDrakeEvansvilleIllinoisStateIndianaStateMurray StateMissouriStateNorthernIowaSouthernIllinoisUICValpovs BU – 1-1 2-0 1-1 1-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 2-0 0-2 0-1 1-1 vs BR 1-1 – 2-1 0-1 1-1 0-2 0-3 0-1 1-1 0-2 1-1 0-3 vs DU0-21-2– 0-2 0-20-21-10-20-20-21-10-2vs UE 1-1 1-0 2-0 –1-11-12-11-11-01-12-00-2vs IlSU 2-1 1-1 2-01-1–1-10-10-32-01-11-10-1vs InSU 2-0 2-0 2-01-11-1–1-10-22-01-10-11-1vs MrSU 2-0 3-0 1-11-21-01-1–1-01-10-21-10-2vs MoSU 2-0 1-0 2-01-13-02-00-1–2-02-02-02-0vs UNI 0-2 1-1 2-00-10-20-21-10-2–1-10-22-0vs SIU 2-0 2-0 2-01-11-11-12-00-21-1–0-21-1vs UIC 1-0 1-1 1-10-21-11-01-10-22-02-0–1-2vs VU 1-1 3-0 2-02-01-01-12-00-20-21-12-1–Total 14-8 17-6 20-3 8-13 11-11 8-13 10-12 2-19 14-7 9-13 10-11 8-15
Player of the week Every Monday, throughout the season, the Missouri Valley Conference named a player of the week and a newcomer of the week. DatePlayer of the weekNewcomer of the weekNovember 12, 2024https://mvc-sports.com/news/2024/11/12/mvc-mens-basketball-weekly-notebook-11-12-24.aspxJavon Jackson, UICSamage Teel, Indiana StateNovember 18, 2024https://mvc-sports.com/news/2024/11/18/mvc-mens-basketball-notebook-11-18-24.aspxKyeRon Lindsay, Murray StateVincent Brady II, Missouri StateNovember 26, 2024https://mvc-sports.com/news/2024/11/26/mvc-mens-basketball-weekly-notebook.aspxBennett Stirtz, DrakeMitch Mascari, DrakeDecember 2, 2024https://mvc-sports.com/news/2024/12/2/mens-basketball-mvc-mbb-weekly-notebook-12-2-2024.aspxDuke Deen, BradleyDez White, Missouri StateDecember 16, 2024https://mvc-sports.com/news/2024/12/16/mvc-weekly-mens-basketball-notebook-12-16-24.aspxChase Walker, Illinois StateJonathan Pierre, BelmontDecember 23, 2024https://mvc-sports.com/news/2024/12/23/mens-basketball-mvc-mbb-weekly-notebook-12-23-24.aspxLeon Bond III, Northern IowaSamage Teel (2), Indiana StateDecember 30, 2024https://mvc-sports.com/news/2024/12/30/mens-basketball-mvc-mbb-weekly-notebook-12-30-24.aspxTytan Anderson, Northern IowaSaša Ciani, UICJanuary 6, 2025https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/1/6/mens-basketball-mvc-mbb-weekly-notebook-1-6-2025.aspxTayshawn Comer, EvansvilleJonathan Pierre (2), BelmontJanuary 13, 2025https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/1/13/mens-basketball-mvc-mbb-weekly-notebook-1-13-25.aspxTrey Campbell, UNICarter Whitt, BelmontJanuary 20, 2025https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/1/20/mvc-mens-basketball-weekly-notebook-jan-20.aspxKennard Davis Jr., Southern IllinoisJavon Jackson, UICJanuary 27, 2025https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/1/27/mvc-mens-basketball-weekly-notebook-1-27-25.aspxBennett Stirtz (2), DrakeCarter Whitt (2), BelmontFebruary 3, 2025https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/2/3/mens-basketball-mvc-mbb-weekly-notebook-2-3-2025.aspxChase Walker (2), Illinois StateBennett Stirtz, DrakeFebruary 10, 2025https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/2/10/mvc-mens-basketball-weekly-notebook-2-10-25.aspxTyler Lundblade, BelmontBennett Stirtz (2), DrakeFebruary 17, 2025https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/2/17/mvc-announces-mens-basketball-weekly-awards.aspxDuke Deen (2), BradleySamage Teel (3), Indiana StateFebruary 24, 2025https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/2/24/mvc-mens-basketball-weekly-notebook-2-24-2025.aspxBennett Stirtz (3), DrakeTayshawn Comer, EvansvilleMarch 3, 2025https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/3/3/mvc-announces-weekly-mens-basketball-honors.aspxCooper Schwieger, ValparaisoTyler Lundblade, Belmont
Honors and awards All-Conference awards and teams The MVC announced its all-conference teams and major honors on March 5, 2025.https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/3/5/arch-madness-drake-sweeps-top-player-coach-honors-in-missouri-valley-mens-basketball.aspx
HonorRecipient Larry Bird Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz, Drake Coach of the Year Ben McCollum, Drake Defensive MVP Connor Turnbull, Evansville Sixth Man of the Year Tavion Banks, Drake Newcomer of the Year Bennett Stirtz, Drake Freshman of the Year All Wright, Valparaiso First Team Bennett Stirtz, Drake Jonathan Pierre, Belmont Duke Deen, Bradley Chase Walker, Illinois State Samage Teel, Indiana State Tytan Anderson, Northern Iowa Second Team Tayshawn Comer, Evansville Kennard Davis Jr., Southern Illinois Darius Hannah, Bradley Johnny Kinziger, Illinois State Cooper Schwieger, Valparaiso Third Team Trey Campbell, UNI Ali Dibba, Southern Illinois Mitch Mascari, Drake Zek Montgomery, Bradley Carter Whitt, Belmont
Postseason
MVC Tournament
NCAA Tournament
The winner of the MVC tournament, Drake, received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. No other team received a bid to the tournament.
Seed Region School Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Championship11 WestDrakedefeated (6) Missouri 67–57eliminated by (3) Texas Tech 64–77----W–L (%):Total:
National Invitation Tournament
Bradley, having come within one win of the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, received an exempt bid to the 2025 NIT as the No. 3 seed in the Dayton region. Northern Iowa also received an at-large bid and were placed in the Dallas region to face off against SMU, the top-seeded team in the region.
School First round Second Round Quarterfinal Semifinal ChampionshipNorthern Iowalost to (1) SMU 63-73----Bradleydefeated North Alabama 71-62defeated (2) George Mason 75-67lost to Chattanooga 67-65--W–L (%): Total:
College Basketball Invitational
Illinois State received an invite to the 2025 CBI tournament as the top overall seed, based on a variety of metrics including KenPom rating.https://mvc-sports.com/news/2025/3/11/mens-basketball-redbirds-accept-bid-to-play-in-college-basketball-invitational-presented-by-purple.aspx There, they would go undefeated to claim their first NCAA Division I postseason title.https://collegebasketballinvitational.com/2025-cbi_championship-recap/
Seed School First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship1Illinois Statedefeated Presbyterian 78-70Byedefeated Incarnate Word 78-73defeated Cleveland State 79-68W–L (%): Total:
References