The Missouri Valley Conference features an active lineup of eleven competitive member institutions participating in NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball. Following recent roster realignments and conference departures, the league comprises Belmont University, Bradley University, Drake University, the University of Evansville, Illinois State University, Indiana State University, Murray State University, the University of Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois University, the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and Valparaiso University. These universities engage in a rigorous conference schedule every season, battling for regular-season crowns and fighting through the annual Arch Madness tournament.
The term "Missouri Valley" can refer either to the athletic conference comprising several respected regional institutions or specific schools bearing similar names, such as Missouri Valley College.
The Missouri Valley Conference features several long-standing, fiercely contested athletic rivalries forged over decades of regional proximity and hardwood battles.
The Missouri Valley Conference comprises a competitive roster of universities sponsoring intercollegiate athletics at the NCAA Division I level.
No, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is not equivalent to NCAA Division I.
Yes, Missouri Valley College, located in Marshall, Missouri, competes athletically within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) rather than the NCAA.
Yes, the Missouri Valley Conference operates entirely at the highest competitive tier of intercollegiate athletics governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, holding official NCAA Division I status.
Analytical projections and media predictions for Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball teams focus heavily on offseason roster construction, transfer portal acquisitions, returning veteran production, and overall conference strength.
Preseason polls compiled by league coaches, media members, and sports information directors for the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season highlight the projected front-runners heading into conference play.