2019–20 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season

The 2019–20 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2019, followed by the start of the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season on November 5, 2019. Conference play began in late December 2019 and concluded in March with the Missouri Valley Conference tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Northern Iowa captured the regular season title at 14–4.

Bradley defeated Valparaiso in the championship game to win the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and thereby would have received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Northern Iowa, by virtue of winning the regular season title, but not winning the conference tournament, would have received the conference's automatic bid to the National Invitational tournament.

All subsequent postseason tournaments were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Head coaches

Changes On March 6, 2019, Southern Illinois head coach Barry Hinson resigned. He finished with a seven-year record of 116–106. The school announced on March 20 that former Loyola-Chicago associate head coach (and Saluki alumnus) Bryan Mullins had been named head coach.

Coaches

Team Head coach Previous job Years at school Overall record MVC record MVC titles NCAA TournamentsBradleyBrian WardleGreen Bay(Head)458–7528–4401DrakeDarian DeVriesCreighton(Assistant)124–1012–610EvansvilleWalter McCartyBoston Celtics(Assistant)111–215–1300Illinois StateDan MullerVanderbilt(Assistant)7139–9676–5010Indiana StateGreg LansingIndiana State(Assistant)9148–14280–8201Loyola-ChicagoPorter MoserSaint Louis(Assistant)8141–12560–8221Missouri StateDana FordTennessee State(Head)116–1610–800Northern IowaBen JacobsonNorthern Iowa(Assistant)13266–168139–9524Southern IllinoisBryan MullinsLoyola-Chicago(Assistant)00–00–000ValparaisoMatt LottichValparaiso(Assistant)354–4413–2300 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 beginning of the season. Lottich and Moser's conference records only includes MVC play, not other conference records.

Preseason

Poll Source RankTeamPoints 1.Missouri State (29)410 2.Bradley (5)368 3.Northern Iowa (3)3434.Loyola-Chicago (6)3405.Drake243 6.Indiana State210 7.Illinois State (1)193 8.Evansville132 9.Valparaiso98 10.Southern Illinois83(First-Place Votes)

All-Conference Teams

HonorRecipientPlayer of the YearCameron Krutwig, Loyola-Chicago First TeamDarell Brown Jr., BradleyTulia Da Silva, Missouri StateA. J. Green, Northern IowaTyreke Key, Indiana StateCameron Krutwig, Loyola-Chicago Second TeamJordan Barnes, Indiana StateElijah Childs, BradleyKeandre Cook, Missouri StateJavon Freeman-Liberty, ValparaisoRyan Vazekas, Valparaiso Third TeamZach Copeland, Illinois StateGaige Prim, Missouri StateLamont West, Missouri StateD. J. Wilkins, DrakeDeAndre Williams, EvansvilleLucas Williamson, Loyola-Chicago Source

Regular season

Changes On December 27, 2019, Evansville placed head coach Walter McCarty on administrative leave and named current Evanville assistant coach (and former Samford head coach) Bennie Seltzer as interim head coach. McCarty was in his second season at the school with an overall record at the time of 20–25. The school terminated McCarty's contract on January 21, 2020 and announced later that same day that former Marian, Butler and Iowa head coach, as well as Evansville associate head coach, Todd Lickliter would return as head coach, effective immediately.

Conference Matrix This table summarizes head-to-head results between teams in conference play; each team will play eighteen conference games, facing each team twice.   BradleyDrakeEvansvilleIllinois StateIndiana StateLoyola-ChicagoMissouri StateNorthern IowaSouthern IllinoisValparaisovs BU1–10–20–21–12–00–22–00–21–1vs DU1–10–21–11–11–11–12–02–01–1vs UE2–02–02–02–02–02–02–02–02–0vs IlSU2–01–10–21–12–02–01–12–02–0vs InSU1–11–10–21–11–11–11–10–21–1vs LU0–21–10–20–21–11–11–11–10–2vs MSU2–01–10–20–21–11–12–01–11–1vs UNI0–20–20–21–11–11–10–21–20–2vs SIU2–00–20–20–22–01–11–11–11–1vs VU1–11–10–20–21–12–01–12–01–1Overall11–78–100–185–1311–713–59–914–410–89–9

Postseason

Coaches Source HonorRecipientCoach of the YearBen Jacobsen, Northern Iowa Source

All-Conference Teams Source HonorRecipientLarry Bird Player of the YearA. J. Green, Northern IowaDefensive MVPIsaiah Brown, Northern IowaSixth-Man of the YearMarquise Kennedy, Loyola-ChicagoNewcomer of the YearMarcus Domask, Southern IllinoisFreshman of the YearMarcus Domask, Southern Illinois First TeamJavon Freeman-Liberty, ValparaisoA. J. Green, Northern IowaTyreke Key, Indiana StateCameron Krutwig, Loyola-ChicagoAustin Phyfe, Northern Iowa Second TeamDarrell Brown Jr., BradleyElijah Childs, BradleyKeandre Cook, Missouri StateMarcus Domask, Southern IllinoisLiam Robbins, Drake Third TeamJordan Barnes, Indiana StateTate Hall, Loyola-ChicagoNate Kennell, BradleyRoman Penn, DrakeGaige Prim, Missouri State Source

Conference tournament

References