Basketball Preview 2016

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Table of Contents 4 Men’s preview 6-7 Women’s preview 8 Men’s schedule 9 Women’s schedule 10-11 Traveling 12-13 Dequon Miller 14-15 Women’s NCAA

Run

18-19 Valley previews 20-21 Photo Gallery 22-23 Player profiles 24 Men’s key games 25 Women’s key games 26-27 Men’s roster 28-29 Women’s roster 30 Staff predictions

16-17 Kellie Harper

Standard staff Advertising staff Lindsay Daggett sales Tyler Krtek sales Mark Phillips sales Zach LaMarre graphic design Christina Harper office support

Editorial staff Nicole Roberts editor-in-chief Rebecca Biundo managing editor Emily Joshu news editor Sarah Teague life editor Wyatt Wheeler sports editor Ryan Welch photo editor Taylor Balleau copy editor Sarah Shepard copy editor/reporter

Reporters/Photographers Alia Aaron reporter Jenna deJong reporter Nichole Ferguson reporter Caleb Hearon columnist

Danisha Hogue reporter Matt Campanelli reporter Eric Knifong reporter Spencer Martin columnist Trevor Martin reporter Alec McChesney reporter Trinh Nguyen reporter Miranda Roller photographer Chloe Skaar reporter Cortlynn Stark reporter Layne Stracener reporter Casey Struble reporter Hanna Sumpter reporter Nina Todea reporter/photographer Bailey Vassalli reporter/photographer Andrew Webster columnist

Professional staff Jack Dimond faculty adviser Sandy King advertising manager

BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2016 is published by The Standard, Missouri State University’s student-produced newspaper.

The university has not approved and is not responsible for its content, which is produced and edited by The Standard staff.

Cover design

by Zach LaMarre The Standard 901 S. National Ave. Springfield, MO 65809 417-836-5272 Standard@MissouriState.edu the-standard.org

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‘Nothing comes easy’ Men’s basketball hopes to take advantage of turnover in MVC

comer of the Year senior guard Dequon Miller returns along with the duo of 2016 Missouri Valley All-Freshman: Dixon and sophomore More than ever, the Missouri State forward Obediah Church.

Bears men’s basketball team believes MSU will also be leaning on sethis should be the season that they nior center Tyler McCollough to step win the Missouri Valley Conference. up in place of the graduated big man “We have a really good chance Camyn Boone. McCollough wants this year,” sophomore guard Jarred to put the past few seasons behind Dixon said. “If we put all the pieces him and go out with a conference together and work hard every day, championship. then I think we have a really good “The last two years have been shot.” rough,” McCollough said. “It would The Missouri Valley Conference be great to go out and take advantage will see a lot of turnover this season of what we have against what the due to a large majority of its star play- Valley is losing.” ers having graduated last fall.

The past two years, the Bears Only Indiana State’s junior guard didn’t finish with a record above .500 Brenton Scott will be returning from or advance past the second round of the Missouri Valley’s first or second the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. all-conference team.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for Even with the common theme that movement,” Bears head coach Paul a majority of the Missouri Valley Lusk said. “You want to be moving Conference will have some turnover, in the right direction, but nothing Miller isn’t convinced that winning comes easy in this league.” the conference will be easy.

The Bears have not won the Mis“Guys don’t put work in the sumsouri Valley Tournament since 1992. mer for nothing,” Miller said. “I think FILE PHOTO BY RYAN WELCH/THE STANDARD Working to the Bears advantage there’s a lot of guys in the Valley Missouri State will return a number of key players from last year’s team including a young core. is a having a returning group of core that’s trying to get better, and I think players. it’s going to be very competitive.”

Reigning Missouri Valley NewPutting in work is something that Lusk praised about his team while son with a hip injury. also complimenting how well the Ruder was coming off a season competition has been within the team after improving on a freshman throughout the preseason. season which landed him on the “Competition within the team has MVC All-Freshman team. been very good,” Lusk said. “The new Along with Ruder’s return is guys’ growth has been accelerated the return of junior forward Chris because the returners are pushing Kendrix, who started in 22 games them, and I think the returners have last season, and Lusk is excited for what Kendrix will bring to the been pushed by the new guys.”

New guys, such as juco transfers team this season.

“The only person who can stop senior forward Jarrid Rhodes, junior guard Ronnie Rousseau III and junior Chris Kendrix is Chris Kendrix,” forward Alize Johnson have been Lusk said. “He has trust in the buying into the program faster than process and he has trust in us, and I’m excited about his developexpected, according to Church.

“I actually live with the three juco ment.” transfers,” Dixon said. “They’re just Lusk’s Bears will open up at like us. They want to win and they home against Alabama A&M on don’t really care about themselves, Nov. 11. The Bears are hoping that and I think they belong here.” they’ll be in the March 5 MVC FILE PHOTO BY MADDY CUSHMAN/ The Bears will also be welcoming Tournament championship game FILE PHOTO BY RYAN WELCH/THE STANDARD back redshirt junior guard Austin and are hoping that the game won’t THE STANDARD Sophomore Obediah Church posts up a Saluki defender.

Ruder. Ruder was redshirted last sea- be their last either.

Jarred Dixon Wyatt Wheeler Sports Editor @realYitWheeler

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DIFFERENT LOOK, SAME EXPECTATIONS Lady Bears look to return to the NCAA Tournament, despite losing trio of seniors Alec McChesney Staff Reporter @Alec_McChesney The 2015-16 Missouri State women’s basketball team finished the season 24-10 and won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The Lady Bears lost three starters to graduation, and head coach Kellie Harper knows it will be a difficult task to replace their production.

“We look very different, but that is to be expected when

Audrey Holt

you graduate key players like we did,” Harper said. “We are going to need several individuals to step up in a lot of different roles, some of that being X’s and O’s on the court and some of that being in the locker room.”

This year, things will be much different for a number of reasons for the Lady Bears.

Three new players will start in place of the seniors in 2016.

Two of those starters are Lexi Hughes and Liza Fruendt.

Hughes, a senior, and Fru-

endt, a junior, have spent the majority of their college careers providing a spark off the bench but will be asked to step up as starters during the 2016 season.

“The role of coming off the bench fit both of them last year, but they have to change how they play now because we need them to take on a different role,” Harper said.

“They are both really talented offensively, and I think they both want and understand the role we need them to fill this

year.”

Fruendt averaged 11 points per game in last year, and she knows the shoes she needs to fill this year.

“I think it’s all about the intangible stuff for me,” Fruendt said. “It’s developing as a whole player, improving on the defensive side of the ball and as a leader ... it’s about being a complete player this season.”

Though there has been a lot of turnover in the locker room, the Lady Bears expect to compete for an MVC title once again. However, they will be defending the title rather than chasing it.

Even though the Lady Bears lost three of their most prominent players, there is plenty of carry-over from last season. In fact, [the 2016] Lady Bears roster boasts seven players who appeared in at least 25 games last season.

Coach Harper believes that will play a big role in the upcoming season.

“They understand what a championship team looks like, and they do carry themselves different because of the fact they have a championship under their belt,” Harper said.

“We have a lot of returners that played big minutes for that championship team, and I think we will be able to get through some trying times because of those players.”

And the Lady Bears enjoy the fact that they are defending FILE PHOTO BY EMILY MCTAVISH/THE STANDARD a title rather trying to win it for the first time.

“It’s awesome actually ... we are actually defending a

FILE PHOTO BY MADDY CUSHMAN/THE STANDARD

Liza Fruendt title,” senior forward Rachel Swartz said. “Our focus is much more strict and everyone in the building knows that we can be champions, that we are champions, so defending the title is a lot more personal.”

In addition to the returning players, four freshmen will have the opportunity to help the Lady Bears defend their conference tournament title: guard, Brice Calip; guard, Alexa Willard; forward, Shameka Ealy; and center, Emily Gartner all have the potential to make an impact as freshmen this season.

“This group of girls are just well-rounded basketball players, and this freshmen class must step up for us this season,” Harper said. “Of the four girls, I need at least two of them to play big minutes from two freshmen …. they are going to have to grow up fast for us because I need them.”

The four freshmen will have the opportunity to play, just as current sophomore guard Danielle Gitzen did as a freshman last year. As a freshman, Gitzen appeared in every game for the Lady Bears and started the final 19 games of the season. She averaged

3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, but it’s her example to freshmen that will prove essential during the season.

“The freshmen are catching on really well, and the upperclassmen have done great in getting them up to speed thus far, and it’s important because we are going to need them to contribute this season,” senior forward Onye Osemenam said.

The Lady Bears start their regular season off on the road against the Memphis Tigers on Nov. 11. Following their game against the Tigers, MSU will travel to Kansas, Illinois and Alaska before returning home for the first home game of the season on Nov. 28 against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

“We have got a lot of work to do, but I am really looking forward to coaching this team,” Harper said. “We have players that are capable of stepping up on the court and in the locker room, but it’s now time to do it.”

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FILE PHOTO BY EMILY MCTAVISH/THE STANDARD

Danielle Gitzen

FILE PHOTO BY MADDY CUSHMAN/ THE STANDARD

Liza Fruendt

FILE PHOTO BY MADDY CUSHMAN/ THE STANDARD

Rachel Swartz

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Men’s Basketball Schedule

Alabama A&M

Evansville

Jacksonville State

@Loyola-Chicago

Fontbonne University

@Indiana State

@DePaul

Bradley

North Dakota State

Drake

@Air Force

@Southern Illinois

@SEMO

Loyola-Chicago

Nov. 11, 7:05 p.m.

Jan. 11, 7:05 p.m.

Nov. 13, 1:05 p.m.

Jan. 15, 3 p.m.

Nov. 17, 7:05 p.m.

Nov. 23, 7 p.m.

Jan. 21, 2:05 p.m.

Nov. 27, 3:05 p.m.

Jan. 24, 7:05 p.m.

Dec. 3, 8 p.m.

Jan. 28, 7 p.m.

Dec. 7, 7 p.m.

Valparaiso

@Evansville

Dec. 10, 7:05 p.m.

Feb. 4, 3 p.m.

Oral Roberts

@Wichita State

Dec. 14, 7:05 p.m.

Feb. 9, 8 p.m.

SEMO

Dec. 17, 5:05 p.m.

Dec. 19, 8:35 p.m.

Las Vegas Classic Orleans Arena

Southern California Dec. 22, 10:00 p.m.

DePaul/Wyoming Dec. 23, TBA

Missouri Valley Conference: @Northern Iowa Dec. 28, 8 p.m.

Indiana State Dec. 31, 11 a.m.

@Illinois State Jan. 4, 8 p.m.

Southern Illinois

Jan. 7, 3 p.m.

Jan.31, 7:05 p.m.

Chicago State

Jan. 18, 6 p.m.

Northern Iowa

Feb. 12, 3 p.m.

Illinois State

Feb. 15, 8 p.m.

@Drake

Feb. 18, 7:07 p.m.

@Bradley

Feb. 22, 7 p.m.

Wichita State Feb. 25, TBA

MVC Tournament Saint Louis

First Round March 1, TBA

Quarterfinals March 3, TBA

Semifinals March 4, TBA

Championship March 5, TBA

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Lady Bears Basketball Schedule

@Memphis

Illinois State

@Kansas

Bradley

@Northwestern

@Loyola-Chicago

Nov. 11, 7 p.m.

Nov. 13, 2 p.m.

Jan. 20, 7 p.m.

Jan. 22, 2:05 p.m.

Nov. 16. 7 p.m.

Great Alaska Shootout Anchorage, Alaska Southern California Nov. 22, 8:30 p.m.

Alaska-Anchorage/Portland Nov. 23, 5 p.m.

Little Rock

Nov. 28, 7:05 p.m.

Jan. 27, 7 p.m.

@Indiana State Jan. 29, 1 p.m.

@Wichita State Feb. 5, 2 p.m.

Southern Illinois Feb. 10, 7 p.m.

Evansville Feb. 12, 7:05 p.m.

@Bradley @Missouri Feb. 17, 7 p.m.

Dec. 2. 7 p.m.

@Oral Roberts Dec. 7, 7 p.m.

Arkansas

@Illinois State Feb. 19, 11:30 a.m.

Indiana State Feb. 24, 7:05 p.m.

Dec. 11, 2:05 p.m.

Loyola-Chicago North Texas Feb. 26, 2:05 p.m.

Dec. 17, 2:05 p.m.

Middle Tennessee Dec. 19, 6:05 p.m.

Missouri Valley Conference:

Northern Iowa Dec. 30. 7:05 p.m.

Drake Jan. 1, 2:05 p.m.

Wichita State Jan. 6, 7 p.m.

@Evansville Jan. 13, 7 p.m.

@Southern Illinois Jan. 15, 2 p.m.

@Drake Mar. 2, 7 p.m.

@Northern Iowa Mar. 4, 2 p.m.

MVC Tournament Moline, Illinois

First Round March 9, TBA

Quarterfinals March 10, TBA

Semifinals March 11, TBA

Championship March 12, TBA

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ON THE ROAD AGAIN

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Bears and Lady Bears find ways to stay entertained during long trips Alec McChesney Staff Reporter @Alec_McChesney Traveling across the country as a member of a sports team in college can be tiring. Long nights, early mornings and uncomfortable bus rides are just a few of the difficulties student-athletes face on the average road trip. But, there are also plenty of positives that arise amid the travel.

“The trips we go on are business trips, but it’s also a chance to learn and grow together as teammates, and the experiences are really good for our team,” women’s basketball senior forward Rachel Swartz said.

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams spend a bulk of the winter on the road, traveling in the Missouri Valley Conference as well as touring other parts of the country during non-conference play.

During the 2016-17 season, the Lady Bears travel to Memphis, Tennessee; Lawrence, Kansas; Anchorage, Alaska, and more. On the other hand, the men’s team will head to Colorado

Springs, Colorado and Las Vegas.

What is the key to having a good road trip?

According to senior center Tyler McCullough, Nintendo 64 is the answer.

“I definitely have to bring my Nintendo 64 and set up Super Smash Bros.,” McCullough said. “And that definitely gets pretty rowdy in the hotel rooms.”

Sophomore forward Obediah Church confirmed that McCullough and fellow sophomore guard Ryan Kreklow become rather intense during their Smash Bros. competitions.

“Him (McCullough) and (Kreklow) are both Nintendo stars, and whoever loses, the controller is going somewhere across the room,” Church said. “It’s funny, but it’s one of those things good for team bonding.”

As for the Lady Bears? Well, senior forward Onye Osemenam gives the credit of road trip fun to the team clowns.

“Honestly, the team clowns always find a way to make the entire team laugh,” Osemenam said. “The two main team-clowns are Audrey (Holt) and Rachel (Swartz)... sometimes they just get everyone laughing, and the coaches

look at us like, ‘What the heck is going on here?’

The Lady Bears are scheduled two games in Anchorage over Thanksgiving Break. Then, the Lady Bears will travel 2,913 miles to face the Southern California on Nov. 22.

“I think we are all really excited about the trip to Alaska,” junior guard Liza Fruendt said.

“It will be really big for us to gel while we are there, because that’s around the time when we start hanging out 24/7.”

Traveling thousands of miles to Alaska and Nevada has its perks, but most of the time the Bears travel, it’s within the MVC. Which of the road trips or road games within the MVC are the best?

Let’s just put it this way: Both the women’s and men’s basketball teams love playing at Wichita State and Northern Iowa.

“I think it would be huge to get a victory at Wichita, but Northern Iowa is probably my favorite place to play on the road,” McCullough said.

“Wichita is always great because they always sell out their games no matter who they

play, but I also love playing against Northern Iowa,” Church said.

Like the men’s team, the Lady Bears cement those exact feelings about the Shockers and the Panthers.

“For me, it’s traveling to Wichita State just because of the tension in the air when you arrive in Wichita, and their fans are die-hard, just like ours, so it’s just a great experience there,” Swartz said.

“The rivalry between us and Wichita State makes it so much fun to play at Wichita, but Northern Iowa has the best arena in the MVC in my opinion,” Osemenam said.

“I would say Northern Iowa for me, but the coolest arena and the best rivalry is obviously Wichita State,” Fruendt said.

The Lady Bears will make their first road trip of the season on Nov. 11 when they travel to Memphis to take on the Tigers. The men’s team plays its first three contests of the season at home, but then will travel to Chicago to take on DePaul on Nov. 23.

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“I definitely have to bring my Nintendo 64 and set up Super Smash Bros. and that definitely gets pretty rowdy in the hotel rooms.”

-Tyler McCullough

BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2016 • 11

“I think we are all really excited about the trip to Alaska. It will be really big for us to gel while we are there, because that’s around the time when we start hanging out 24/7.”

-Liza Fruendt REBECCA BIUNDO/THE STANDARD

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FEARLESS

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Dequon Miller wants the ball with the game on the line

Wyatt Wheeler Sports Editor @realYitWheeler

In a close game with only seconds left on the clock, you already know who’s taking the last shot.

“I’m just fearless,” Dequon Miller said. “You’re either going to make it or you’re going to miss it and people are going to love you or people are going to hate you, so it’s just all about being fearless.”

Love him or hate him, Miller is the star of the 2016-17 Missouri State men’s basketball team.

The senior guard hit three game-winning shots for the Bears last season in games against Oklahoma State and in back-to-back conference

wins over Loyola in Chicago and Northern Iowa on his way to being named the Missouri Valley Conference’s Newcomer of the Year.

Miller transferred from Motlow State College in Tullahoma, Tennessee, last season, and he has quickly become the star point guard.

The confident Miller said that he didn’t know what to expect at the Division I level, coming off being a star at the JUCO level, but he was able to adjust and get back to his star point guard ways throughout the season.

“It was definitely eye-opening coming in at this level, and it was very hard and I think I handled the situation good,” Miller said. “Towards the middle of the season, I was

just getting more and more comfortable as games went on.”

While knowing what to expect this season, Miller hopes to improve on a season in which he averaged 12.7 points and three assists per game.

“I know what to expect this year, so I think I’m going to be comfortable from the jump,” Miller said. “I think I’m going to be way more comfortable than what I was last year” Miller knows that he won’t be sneaking up on anyone this season either. Teams now have film on him and he expects to be the focus of the opponent’s game plan.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of attention on me,” Miller said. “You have to work twice as hard because you’re going to be at the top of the Dequon Miller

FILE PHOTO BY MADDY CUSHMAN/THE STANDARD

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scouting report. Last year, I probably wasn’t at the top of everyone’s scouting report.”

While drawing more attention and double teams, Miller knows that he’s going to have to get his teammates more involved on the team’s quest for Missouri State’s first conference championship tournament since 1992.

“We’re trying to win a conference championship and move on to the NCAA Tournament,” Miller said. “We’ve got big big goals this year, and we can accomplish them if everyone buys in and does what they’re told.”

With this philosophy, Miller will be buying into head coach Paul Lusk’s game plan every night as the Bears pursue a Valley championship.

Lusk says that Miller, along with the other seniors on the team, are taking their senior seasons “very seriously.”

“I keep telling the guys, ‘You only get to be a senior once,’” Lusk said. “I think these guys want to leave here feeling good about what they’ve done.”

At the end of the season, Miller wants to leave Missouri State remembered as a champion.

“I just want to win a championship with my guys,” Miller said. “That’ll make up for every season that we didn’t go to the conference championship.”

Dequon Miller

FILE PHOTO BY MADDY CUSHMAN/ THE STANDARD

Dequon Miller

FILE PHOTO BY MADDY CUSHMAN/THE STANDARD

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A season to remember

FILE PHOTO/THE STANDARD

Onye Osemenam is returning to the Lady Bears for her senior season.

Eric Knifong Sports Reporter @e_knifong The Missouri State Lady Bears are entering the 2016-17 season fresh off a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship and a berth to their 14th NCAA Tournament.

The Lady Bears finished last season on a seven-game winning streak en route to their MVC championship over top-seeded Northern Iowa. The win put them in College Station, Texas, as the 13-seed to face the fourth seeded Texas A&M Aggies. The Lady Bears were able to hang tough in the game, but numerous second-chance opportunities for the Aggies led to their victory.

The Lady Bears were led last season by seniors Tyonna Snow, Kenzie Williams and Hillary Chvatal. Those three ladies were top

four on the team in blocks, steals, rebounds and points. They were the engine that kept the train moving, and now the Lady Bears will rely on new stars to take control of the team this season.

One of those stars should be junior guard Liza Fruendt. Fruendt is known as a scorer and has finished third on the team in points the past two seasons. She shoots the ball at 39 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc in her career. Her 3-point numbers took a dip last season, but she attempted 78 more 3’s in her sophomore season compared to her freshman season. Fruendt will continue to improve those numbers as she becomes the go-to option for the Lady Bears.

Also, look for sophomore guard Danielle Gitzen to take a more prominent role this season as well. She was one of the primary ball handlers for the Lady Bears last season and that should be the case once again. Gitzen will need

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FILE PHOTO BY MADDY CUSHMAN/THE STANDARD

Tyonna Snow is now playing professional basketball in Finland. to improve her one-assist-to-one-turnover ratio that she accumulated last year, and will likely do so. She was thrown into the fire when their starting point guard at the beginning of last season left the program after nine games. She eventually earned the starting spot later in the season.

Kellie Harper enters her fourth season as Lady Bears head coach. Harper has accumulated a 223-171 record in her 12 years as a head FILE PHOTO/THE STANDARD coach and looks to lead the Lady Bears to a Liza Fruendt dribbles around a Sycamore defender during a 2015-16 game. third consecutive postseason birth.

The Lady Bears were picked to finish third in the MVC this season behind last year’s regular season champion UNI and the leading vote-getter Drake University.

MSU tips off the season with two exhibition games at JQH Arena this week. The first game is tonight when they take on Truman State University at 7:05 p.m. The second game is Sunday against Northeastern State University at 2:05 p.m. The regular season begins with a trip to Memphis, Tennessee on Friday, November 11 to take on the University of Memphis.

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Harper, Lady Bears to honor Pat Summitt Cortlynn Stark Staff Reporter @Cortlynn_Stark Lady Bears head coach Kelly Harper said she’s still in a little bit of disbelief about the passing of Pat Summitt, who coached Harper at the University of Tennessee.

“There’s still a little bit of disbelief that she’s not here,” Harper said.

Summitt, 64, died in June after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s, a disease that wears down the brain.

In January, the Lady Bears will host a “We Bat Pat” game to honor Summit, Harper said.

She said it would be a conference game and that she’s still deciding on exactly how to honor Summitt.

Senior forward Rachel Swartz said they’ll do something with purple.

“We’ll take pictures; we get purple shirts,” Swartz said. “We usually do something with our uniforms before games.”

Summitt retired in 2012 after acquiring 1,098 career wins, the most in college basketball ever. She won two Olympic medals, one

gold as a coach in 1984, and one silver as a player in 1976, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000, and President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

“She’s been removed from basketball from a few years so she wasn’t as prevalent,” Harper said.

But for Harper, Summitt was extremely important.

“It’s hard when you put someone on a pedestal, when someone is that important to you professionally and personally, to know they’re gone, it’s tough,” Harper said. “It was a deep blow to our community, especially the Lady Bear family.”

Harper played for Summitt from 1995-99 and won three consecutive national championships under her guidance.

“She was very close to Pat,” Swartz said about Harper. “So she takes a lot of pride in making sure we know what a great legacy she had and what a great leader she was, so we’re very well educated on how awesome of a person she was.”

FILE PHOTO BY EVAN HENNINGSEN/THE STANDARD

Lady Bears Head Coach Kelly Harper.

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From left clockwise: 1. Lee Ann Polowy; 2. Aubrey Buckley; 3. Alexa Willard; 4.

Danielle Gitzen; 5. Liza Fruendt;

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MEN’S VALLEY TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEW Matt Campanelli Staff Reporter @THE_MattyCamp

Bradley Last year, the Braves had the youngest team in Division I basketball with 10 freshmen on the roster, and they finished last season with only five wins. Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye and Luuk van Bree both return this season after making the MVC All-Freshman team. Bradley also returns its top six scoring players from last season.

Evansville

Southern Illinois Wichita State

The Aces are coming off a 25-win season and a second-place finish in the Valley regular season standings. Evansville finished last season with a loss to UNI in the Valley Tournament championship game. Evansville lost all-time scoring leader D.J. Balentine and top rebounder Egidijus Mockevicius, who made up a talented senior class.

Berry Hinson’s squad was picked to finish fifth in the preseason standings. The Salukis have eight players and four seniors returning from last year’s 21-win team, but they lost their leading scorer in Anthony Beane and leading rebounder Bola Olaniyan.

Indiana State

Northern Iowa

The Sycamores are bringing back three starters from last season’s team. The Sycamores’ Brenton Scott was the lone player to make the preseason all-conference team. Scott averaged Drake is the preseason pick to finish last in 17.1 PPG last season and 3.6 rebounds. the Valley but will return four of their five starters from last year. The Bulldogs ended last season after losing a close game to MSU in the Valley tournament. Returning guards Graham Woodword and Reed Timmer combined for Last season the Ramblers started the first nearly 30 PPG last season. half of their conference schedule with only two wins. The Ramblers turned things around by going 5-4 during the last half of their conference schedule. This season, Loyola is the preseason pick to finish seventh in the conference.

Drake

Loyola-Chicago

The Panthers are coming off a 23-win season, an NCAA Tournament appearance and the Valley Tournament championship. They also beat North Carolina during the regular season.

Yes. That North Carolina. UNI returns only two starters from last year’s squad.

Illinois State

The Redbirds are picked to finish second in the Valley standings with both MiKyle McIntosh and Paris Lee both making the Valley preseason conference team. Illinois State returns four starters from last season as well.

Wichita State is the preseason favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference ... shocker. The Shockers won the Valley regular season championship last season, and their season ended after being eliminated by Miami in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Markis McDuffie returns for his sophomore season after being named MVC Freshman of the Year last season.

Men’s basketball preseason poll 1.) Wichita State 2.) Evansville 3.) UNI 4.) Illinois State 5.) Loyola 6.) Indiana State 7.) Drake 8.) Missouri State 9.) Southern Illinois 10.) Bradley

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Women’s MVC preview Bradley

Junior guard Anneke Schlueter led the team in scoring last season averaging 9.5 points a game while making 75 percent of her free-throw attempts last season. The Braves will look for senior forward Leti Lerma to contribute more after starting only 16 games last season. Lerma led the team in rebounds last season averaging 6.6 per game.

Drake The Bulldogs ended last season with a loss to UNI in the NIT and finished second in the regular season MVC standings. Drake brings back a couple of preseason all-conference selections in Caitlin Ingle and Lizzy Wendell, who averaged 9.7 and 19.6 PPG last season, respectively. Ingle led the Valley in assists with 6.9 per game last season while Wendell was third in the Valley for three pointers with 59 points.

Evansville

Three starters are returning for first-year head coach Matt Ruffing. Senior guard Sarah Dickey will be returning after ranking in the league’s top 15 in five different categories last season including 3-pointers made (74, fourth) and PPG averaging 15.9. The Aces will also have senior forward Sasha Robinson and sophomore Kerri Gasper returning to the starting lineup.

Illinois State

The Redbirds will be without their top three scorers from last season. Illinois State is coming off an eight-win season and will only have two starters coming back: sophomore guards Katrina Beck and Vira Livingston. Beck averaged 6.9 points a game last season while Livingston added a team high 6.1 rebounds per game. The Redbirds will also look to their six freshmen to help contribute this season.

Indiana State

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Northern Iowa

Last season ended with a loss in the third round of the NIT as the Panthers were edged

by South Dakota. UNI was the winner of the Valley regular season championship. The Panther’s lone returning starter, Madison Weekly, also made the preseason all-conference team.

Indiana State will try to replace Cierra Ceazar who led the team with 13.8 PPG last season.

The Sycamores return two starters from last year and look to junior forward Ashley Taia to The Shockers had zero seniors last season lead the team this season. Taia averaged 9 points and will look to the experience of all five of a game last season and sunk 41 3-pointers last their returning starters to make some waves in the Valley this season. Sophomore Rangie Besseason. sard is the lone Shocker on the MVC preseason all-conference team.

Wichita State

Loyola-Chicago

The Ramblers will return just three players from last year’s team. Loyola will have a new head coach in Kate Archer after Sheryl Swoopes was fired last season when allegations arose from former players that she created a hostile environment for her athletes. Sophomore Brandi Segars returns as the leading scorer for the Ramblers, averaging 2 points per game last season.

Southern Illinois

The Salukis are tabbed to finish fourth in the preseason polls. Southern Illinois finished with 20 wins, 10 coming from their conference schedule. The Salukis will be bringing back three starters from last season, including preseason all-conference selection Rishonda Napier.

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Lady Bears celebrate at their bench during a timeout.

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Lady Bears high five at bench while head coach Kellie Harper looks at the court.

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Get to know your basketball Bears Dequon Miller

NBA Idols: Isiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving and Stephen Curry Pregame Music: Meek Mill and Rich Homie Quan NBA Team: New York Knicks

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Jarred Dixon

NBA Idols: CJ McCollum Pregame Music: A lot. Depends on mood before game NBA Team: None after Kevin Durant left the OKC Thunder

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Tyler McCullough

NBA Idols: Marc Gasol and Steven Adams Pregame Music: Drake, Toby Keith and The Hills NBA Team: OKC Thunder. “We don’t need Durant”

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Tyler McCullough

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Obediah Church

Obediah Church

NBA Idols: Kenneth Faried Pregame Music: Chicago Rappers and Lil Uzi Team: None. “Chris Paul is my favorite player.”

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The men’s games you won’t want to miss Wyatt Wheeler, Sports Editor, @realYitWheeler

DePaul

Northern Iowa

Wichita State

When: 7 p.m. on Nov. 23 Where: Chicago Why: What’s a better way to see how good a mid-major team is early in a season than in a game against a Big East team that knocked off ranked teams like Providence and George Washington last season? The Bears will travel to Chicago during Thanksgiving break for their first of two possible games with the Blue Demons. A lot of excitement is building around DePaul with a new stadium being built in Chicago, but the Blue Demons are still selected to finish last in the Big East.

When: 8 p.m. on Dec. 28 Where: Cedar Falls, Iowa Why: The Missouri Valley Conference opener for the Bears comes against the conference tournament champions from a year ago. Northern Iowa will be led by senior guard Jeremy Morgan, who was selected as the Missouri Valley Preseason Player of the Year. Northern Iowa is selected to finish third in the Valley.

When: TBA on Feb. 25 Where: Springfield Why: Even with the departure of star players Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker, Wichita State was still selected as the team to beat in the Missouri Valley. The Bears will close the regular season in a “rivalry” game with Wichita State at JQH Arena.

The Bears will know where they stand at this point, but a win against the Shockers in front of their home crowd could give them the confidence they need when going into Arch Madness.

Southern California

When: 10 p.m. on Dec. 22 Where: Las Vegas Why: The Bears’ third of four games at the Las Vegas Classic will come against the Trojans of USC. The Trojans are coming off a season that put them in the NCAA Tournament. They lost their second and third leading scorers from a year ago, but the Trojans will be a nice way to see where the Bears stand before they go into Valley play.

Illinois State

When: 8 p.m. on Jan. 4 Where: Normal, Illinois Why: A few days after playing Northern Iowa, the Bears will again be tested on the road, and we will have a pretty good idea about their rank among the Missouri Valley’s elite. The Bears will take on the Redbirds at Redbird Arena for their third conference game of the season. The Redbirds were selected to finish second in the Valley. Sophomore guard Paris Lee and junior forward MiKyle McIntosh were selected to the Valley’s Preseason All-Conference Team.

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Chris Kendrix goes up for a layup against ISU.

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WOMEN’S KEY GAMES Don’t miss these five big games Alec McChesney Staff Reporter @Alec_McChesney

Memphis Tigers

When: 7 p.m. on Nov. 11 Where: Memphis, Tennessee Why: The Memphis Tigers will prove to be a difficult matchup for the Lady Bears this season.

Last season, the Tigers finished 18-13 and were selected to play in the National Invitation Tournament. This year, the Tigers return six upperclassmen from that NIT team. More importantly, this game is the first regular-season game for the Lady Bears in 2016.

Southern California Trojans

When: 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 22 Where: Anchorage, Alaska Why: The Lady Bears will travel 2,913 miles before playing their first game in the Great Alaska Shootout. Last year, the Trojans finished with a record of 19-13. This is a big game for the Lady Bears, as they will likely be favored to win the Great Alaska Shootout. After traveling close to 3,000 miles, it’ll be a true test of the grit of the Lady Bears.

Missouri Tigers

When: 7 p.m. on Dec. 2 Where: Columbia Why: In 2015, the Mizzou Tigers walked over the Lady Bears at JQH Arena. The Tigers defeated MSU by a score of 71-55. This year’s Tigers feature the SEC Freshman of the Year from 2015, Sophie Cunningham. As a freshman, Cunningham averaged 14 points per game, but scored a career-high 42 points against Wake Forest. Mizzou versus Missouri State is always a key game, but things should be even more intense with both teams holding high expectations this season.

Northern Iowa Panthers

When: 7:05 p.m. on Dec. 19 Where: JQH Arena Why: Last year, the Missouri State Lady Bears on the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

But, they finished in second place in the regular season conference standings, behind just one team. Northern Iowa. Though the Lady Bears won the season series 2-1, the Panthers took home the hardware. This match-up will be the first MVC game of the season for the Lady Bears, and it’s a pivotal game in the MVC standings.

Drake Bulldogs When: 7 p.m on March 2 Where: Des Moines, Iowa Why: Last year, the Lady Bears were swept by the Drake Bulldogs in the regular season.

Fortunately, MSU defeated Drake en route to their MVC Conference Tournament Championship. But, nonetheless, the Bulldogs are a difficult matchup this year. A season ago, the Bulldogs finished third in the MVC. This matchup is key, because it’s the second-to-last game of the season for the Lady Bears and will likely have playoff implications on the line.

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Men’s roster preview Wyatt Wheeler Sports Editor @realYitWheeler

#0 Jordan Martin Senior Forward

ter transferring from Motlow College in Tennessee, Miller found his stride and turned into the guy who demanded the ball in his hands with the game on the line. Last year’s Missouri Valley Newcomer of the Year was selected to the Missouri Valley’s preseason second-team all-conference

Martin started in three games last season after transferring from John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois. While averaging eight minutes a game, Martin brought in over a rebound and a half per game. Martin should continue as a rotational player in a crowded Bears lineup.

#1 Robin Thompson Sophomore Forward

Thompson has started in four games during his two-year career at MSU. Thompson took a medical redshirt during his freshman season after injuring his ankle early in the season.

Thompson didn’t see much action during his second season at MSU but did start three out of the eight available games during his freshman year.

#4 Dequon Miller Senior Guard

Miller is entering his senior season as the star of the Missouri State basketball team. Af-

FILE PHOTO/MADDY CUSHMAN

Obediah Church

#5 Obediah Church Sophomore Forward

Church was selected to the MVC All-Freshman team last year after finishing second in the Valley in blocks per game. Church started in all 32 games as a freshman. He finished seventh in the Valley in rebounds while also finishing fourth in offensive rebounds.

#10 Jarrid Rhodes Junior Forward

Rhodes is a transfer from Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa. Rhodes is a versatile player who can play both inside and out.

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Dequon Miller

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#11 Jarred Dixon Sophomore Guard

#20 Ryan Kreklow Sophomore Guard

Dixon was selected to the Missouri Valley All-Freshman team in 2015-16. The guard started in 17 games last season. Dixon led Valley freshmen with 40 steals. Dixon is a big piece of the Bears’ young core, and he will be leaned on as one of the Bears’ top players for the next three years.

#13 Greg Williams Freshman Guard

A lot of excitement has been made around the addition of Williams, but we are going to have to wait a year to see him play. The recruit from Lynchburg, Virginia, is still recovering from a “near-fatal health scare” which kept him in the hospital for 12 weeks, according to MissouriStateBears.com. Williams will be redshirted this season.

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Kreklow made an impact as a freshman while starting in six games over the course of the season. Kreklow can shoot the 3-pointer.

He almost took a redshirt last season but instead made an impact. Look for him to make an impact off the bench this season as well.

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Ryan Kreklow

#21 Ross Owens Freshman Guard

#33 Chris Kendrix Junior Forward

Alize Johnson Junior Forward

#50 Tyler McCullough Senior Center

Owens is a freshman from Woodlawn High School in Illinois. He is yet another three-point The Willard product was named to last year’s Fair with the highest scoring average in school shooter for the Bears. Owens was voted to the MVC Most-Improved team. Kendrix doubled history. Rousseau is a 3-point shooter and he all-state first-team in Illinois. his scoring average from his freshman year was named to the NJCAA Division I All-Amerfrom six points to 12 per game. He will play a ican second-team. key role in the success of this year’s men’s basketball team. #24

Jarred Dixon

#15 Austin Ruder Redshirt Junior Guard

The Nixa product missed the last 27 games #14 of last season and received a medical redshirt.

Ruder will return to the Bears after a hip injuRonnie Rousseau III ry, which required surgery. Ruder is a threeJunior Guard point specialist who was named to the Valley Rousseau is a transfer from State Fair Com- All-Freshman team during his freshman season. munity College in Sedalia. Rousseau left State

Johnson is a transfer from Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas. Johnson is a big guy who can stretch the floor with his 3-point shootMcCullough should see his role increase as ing. Johnson could also make an impact on the the team’s top big man. At 6-foot-11, Mcdefensive side after recording 35 steals last Cullough towers over the rest of the university. season.

The senior center saw action in 28 games last season with no starts. Expect that number to rise this season.

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Women’s roster preview Alec McChesney Staff Reporter @Alec_McChesney

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Liza Fruendt

#1 Danielle Gitzen Sophomore guard

Lexi Hughes Senior guard

Hughes has played a pivotal role for the Lady Bears in her first three seasons. Coming off the bench in 2015, she provided a punch for MSU. She appeared in every game as a junior, averaging 6.3 points per game while shooting 37.4 percent from three. This season, Hughes will play a much bigger role for the Lady Bears.

#3 Lee Ann Polowy Junior guard

As a sophomore in 2015, Polowy appeared in 25 games for the Lady Bears. In the season prior, she appeared in 23. Polowy figures to play a prominent role on the offense this season.

As a freshman in 2015, Gitzen appeared in In her two seasons at MSU, she has hit 27 three every game for the Lady Bears. In addition, pointers. she started the final 19 games of the season.

On the season, she averaged 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Gitzen sported a positive assist-to-turnover ratio at the end of the season.

#2

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#5 Liza Fruendt Junior guard

the Lady Bears.

In her first two seasons, Fruendt became the ninth player in Missouri State history to average double figures as a freshman and a sophomore. Previously, Fruendt provided a spark off the bench, but she will be called upon to play a much bigger role this season.

Liza Fruendt

#11 Brice Calip Freshman forward Calip will be a freshman for the Lady Bears this season. At her high school in Oklahoma, Calip scored 1,368 points and added 765 rebounds. Through her four-year career, she averaged 16.4 points per game. Calip will have a strong opportunity to play key minutes for

Lady Bears last season. During those games, #34 she averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Coming off her injury, Buckley figures Rachel Swartz to play big minutes for MSU this season. As a Senior forward freshman, she started in 30 games for the Lady Bears.

One of the more experienced players for the Lady Bears this season is Swartz. She has played key minutes for MSU since her freshman #22 season and appeared in 33 games last season.

She shot 41.3 percent from the field.

Alexa Willard

Freshman forward

#40

Willard, who comes to Missouri State from Stoutland High School in Lebanon, Missouri, Onye Osemenam is another freshman who will potentially play Audrey Holt Senior forward big minutes for the Lady Bears. At Stoutland, #13 she poured in 2,400-plus points while grabbing Osemenam has also played key minutes in her 1,000 rebounds. first three seasons as a Lady Bear and will likeAudrey Holt ly provide substantial minutes this season. Since her freshman year, she has provided MSU with Junior forward Holt will play a pivotal role for the Lady Bears’ #30 a defensive force. After three seasons, she has front court this season. As a sophomore, Holt 47 blocks, which gives her the 18th most in started in 19 games for MSU. During those Shameka Ealy school history. games, she averaged 3.4 points and 4.5 re- Freshman forward bounds per game. Holt does a little bit of ev#50 erything, as she finished last season with 10 Ealy, another freshman for the Lady Bears, blocks, 21 steals and 14 assists. averaged close to a triple double during her Emily Gartner high school senior season. As a senior at RusFreshman center sellville high school in Arkansas, she scored #21 22 points, grabbed nine rebounds and added Coming from Hiawatha, Kansas, Gartner will nine blocks per game. She will have plenty of provide a low-post presence for the Lady Bears Aubrey Buckley opportunities to make an impact for the Lady in 2016. In high school, she finished as HiJunior forward awatha’s leading scorer and rebounder. In her Bears in 2016.

Before a hip injury sidelined her for the rest of last season, she averaged 21.7 points per game the season, Buckley started in 11 games for the on 70 percent shooting.

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What is The Standard predicting? @Standard_Sports staff makes predictions of how Missouri State’s basketball season will go The Standard sports staff predicts the following for each team: 1. Final Record 2. Valley Standings Finish 3. Team MVP 4. Team they will most likely upset 5. Valley Champion

Wyatt Wheeler @realYitWheeler Men’s Basketball 1. 21-10 2. Third 3. Obediah Church 4. Northern Iowa 5. Illinois State

Women’s Basketball 1. 16-13 2. Fifth 3. Liza Fruendt 4. Drake 5. Drake

Alec McChesney @Alec_McChesney Men’s Basketball 1. 18-13 2. Third 3. Chris Kendrix 4. Wichita State 5. Northern Iowa

Women’s Basketball 1. 19-10 2. First 3. Liza Fruendt 4. UNI/USC 5. Lady Bears

Matt Campanelli @THE_MattyCamp Men’s Basketball 1. 15-16 2. Fifth 3. Dequon Miller 4. Northern Iowa 5. Illinois State

Women’s Basketball

1. 19-10 2. Second 3. Liza Fruendt 4. Northern Iowa 5. Drake

Blaine Wheeler @blainewheeler21

Men’s Basketball 1. 18-13 2. Third 3. Dequon Miller 4. UNI 5. Illinois State

Women’s Basketball 1. 18-11 2. Third 3. Liza Fruendt 4. Drake 5. Drake

Eric Knifong @e_knifong Men’s Basketball 1. 17-14 2. Fourth 3.Dequon Miller 4. Wichita State 5. Wichita State

Women’s Basketball 1. 18-11 2. Fourth 3. Liza Fruendt 4. Arkansas 5. UNI

Cortlynn Stark @Cortlynn_Stark Men’s Basketball 1. 20-11 2. Fourth 3. Dequon Miller 4. Northern Iowa 5. Wichita State

Women’s Basketball 1. 22-7 2. Second 3. Liza Fruendt 4. Southern Illinois 5. Drake

Trevor Martin @trevorsaur Men’s Basketball 1. 20-11 2. Third 3. Obediah Church 4. Valparaiso 5. Wichita State

Women’s Basketball 1. 19-10 2. First 3. Liza Fruendt 4. Missouri 5. Missouri State

Sarah Teague Life Editor

Men’s Basketball 1. 17-14 2. Second 3. Dequon Miller 4. Wichita State 5. Northern Iowa

Women’s Basketball 1. 19-10 2. Third 3. Liza Fruendt 4. Arkansas 5. Drake

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