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Tuesday, November 7
Missouri Valley Conference Breakdown

ESPN.com

HOW THEY'LL STACK UP

CREIGHTON: Sears & Co. will go out in style.

EVANSVILLE: Last year wasn't a sign of things to come -- hopefully.

INDIANA STATE: Can they beat Hoosiers again? Not likely.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Kent Williams is a budding star in MVC.

SW MISSOURI STATE: Four starters are gone; can you say "rebuilding"?

ILLINOIS STATE: Plenty of talent on the way in backcourt.

BRADLEY: Not the best shooters, but play great defense.

DRAKE: Last year's 11 wins were most since 1994-95.

NORTHERN IOWA: There are 11 new faces in N. Iowa colors.

WICHITA STATE: Mark Turgeon's task may seem impossible, but it isn't.

Tuesday, Nov. 7
Creighton should be the class of the Valley with Sears and Walker returning this season. Dana Altman became the hottest coaching commodity in the conference, but ended up staying put in Omaha.

The conference should once again be one of the tightest races. Last year, the top five teams beat each other up, allowing only two teams (Creighton and Indiana State) to earn NCAA bids. The same thing could occur again.

But one of the teams has to come through with a marquee win like Indiana State did in beating Indiana, or have two split the tournament and regular-season championships. That happened last year with Creighton and Indiana State. If two do it again then the Valley should get two bids.

ESPN.com All-MVC

Guard: Tarise Bryson
Senior, 6-1, Illinois State

Guard: Ryan Sears
Senior, 6-0, Creighton

Guard: Ben Walker
Senior, 6-2, Creighton

Forward: Matt Renn Senior, 6-6, Indiana State

Forward: Craig Snow Senior 6-7, Evansville

Player of Year ...
Ryan Sears, G, Creighton
He may not put up gaudy numbers, but the senior knows when to step up and how to lead a team. He's started every game since arriving at Creighton (94) and has already set the school's steals record (210). He averaged 11.9 points, 5.3 assists, 2.4 steals and 3.7 rebounds a game for the Bluejays last season. In the NCAA first-round loss to Auburn, Sears scored a team-high 18 points after leading the team in scoring (15) in its MVC tourney title game win over SW Missouri State.

Introducing ...
Traves Wilson, G, Illinois State
Wilson could have been a reserve on the preseason No. 1 team in the nation, but instead figures to make an immediate impact for the Redbirds. A 6-3 shooting guard who transferred in from Arizona, Wilson won't be the only new face in the backcourt. Fellow transfer Randy Rice will hold down the point.

Best backcourt ...
Creighton: Ryan Sears and Ben Walker. We've already told you what Sears can do, but Walker is no slouch. The senior averaged 12 points and 6.3 rebounds a game last season, while shooing 47 percent from behind the 3-point arc. The pair certainly can do damage.

Best frontcourt ...
SW Missouri State: Scott Brakebill, Matt Rueter and Charles Gaines. It's Brakebill and Rueter that bring experience to this frontline, with the 6-8 junior Brakebill bringing back his 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds this season. Rueter has taken a few pounds off his 6-8 frame and should provide more athleticism down low. Gaines is a 6-8 sophomore who'll be asked to do much more this season.

Team on way up ...
Evansville: After a .500 run in the MVC saw them slip to eighth place in defense of their title, the Aces return all but five of their 69-point average and four starters. Creighton, beware.

Team on way down ...
Bradley: Really needs to over-achieve to do better than last year's 10-8 MVC record.

Tournament tough ...
NCAA: Creighton.
NIT: Evansville, Indiana State.

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