7. Indiana State

Preseason poll: 7th

Most teams that lose their best returning player aren't thought of very highly by pollsters. But, with Indiana State, the "addition by subtraction" scenario might be working.

Marico Stinson, who averaged 12 points per game, left the program in early October. No official explanation has been given other than "personal reasons," but it's reasonable to assume that something happened which would have been detrimental to the team. Whether or not he had a family emergency or disliked his coach, any of these would likely hurt his ability to contribute to the team.

To make matters worse, guard Harry Marshall (6'0" Jr.) was declared academically ineligible for the first semester of the season. Marshall (10.1 PPG, 2.3 APG) will almost certainly take over the starting point guard role once he's allowed to play with the team.

So how can the Sycamores finish as the best of the "play-in" teams?

Start inside with forwards Jay Tunnell (6'8" Sr.) and Isiah Martin (6'8" So.). They combined for more than 13 points and 8 rebounds per game last season. Both must be key contributors on the interior if the Sycamores are to have success.

An even more intriguing prospect is forward/center Josh Crawford (6'11" Jr.). Even though he played sparingly, Crawford's first college stop was at Iowa, so it's clear he has talent. Let's see what he can do when given some playing time at the Division I level.

Similar to the front court players, Indiana State will rely on a combination of returnees, freshman and transfers to fill out their lineups. Transfer guard Rashad Reed (6'1" Jr.) will undoubtedly be asked to fill Marshall's shoes while he's out. The Sycamores also have talented guard Carl Richard (6'4" Fr.) coming to Terre Haute.

Lastly, who could forget this guy??

Okay, maybe that's the wrong Nick Carter.

But this Nick Carter (6'4" So.) should be able to knock down some 3-pointers for Indiana State this season (23-of-71 last year).

With the loss of Marshall and a tough non conference schedule, there's a good chance that the Sycamores will have the worst record of MVC teams going into conference play. But, similar to Bradley's team last year, some of the new faces will get a quick baptism into Division I basketball. This will make Indiana State stronger when facing conference foes.

8. Missouri State

Preseason poll: 10th

According to the Missouri Valley Conference pollsters, the Bears should finish last in the conference this season. This might be a little harsh on a team that finished in a tie for 7th last season (8-10). Sure, the Bears appear to be at a disadvantage with first-year head coach Cuonzo Martin at the helm. But in reality, this man isn't just some random choice or a favorite alum. Martin served as an assistant coach at Purdue for eight seasons, learning from and playing for coaching legend Gene Keady.

Outside of promising new coach, the Bears have another external factor in their favor - a new arena. John Q. Hammons, a hotel developer in the area, has made significant contributions to the school (similar to influence David Markin has had at Bradley) - his most recent being a $30 million donation to build JQH Arena. The arena seats 11,000, which will allow for more than 2,000 additional fans to watch Bears' games. This sort of intangible will likely give Missouri State an even bigger advantage at home.

As for on the court, forward Chris Cooks (6'4" Sr.) is arguably the best player on the team. As a junior, Cooks averaged 8.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. These stats are likely to both jump up significantly as the front court has been cleared out due to graduation. Dale Lamberth and Deven Mitchell combined for more than 11 RPG helped the Bears finish in the upper half of the MVC in rebounding.

This area will be a key for Missouri State to be successful - who can step in and grab 4-6 rebounds per game? The most likely candidates are forward Ryan Jehle (6'6" So.) and center Wade Knapp (6'8" Sr.). Neither averaged more than 10 minutes per game last season, so they will be tested in their increased roles.

If the Bears can take care of the glass, they should feel pretty confident with their back court players. The Laurie brothers, guards Shane (6'2" Sr.) and Spencer (6'1" Sr.), finally are completing their eligibility this season. They fall into that category of MVC players that seem to be around forever, like Anthony Tolliver of Creighton and Sam Singh of Bradley. Both can score in bunches if necessary. Couple these two with guard Justin Fuehrmeyer (6'0" Jr.), who had the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the Valley last year (+2.16). Clearly guard play should be a strength for Missouri State, one of the most important aspects of any successful team in the MVC.

Maybe the Bears lack a lot of experience going into this season, but they do have some positives going into the year that will help the team stay away from the basement of the Valley.

9. Evansville

Preseason poll: 8th

Why pick a team that returns all five starters for 9th place in the conference? Well, those starters finished 3-15 in the Valley last year. This collection of players isn't the Fab Five of Michigan in 1992-93. The crop of players coming back has some talent, but doesn't really scare many opponents.

Jason Holsinger (5'11" Sr.) starts the engine for the Purple Aces with his dynamic 3-point shooting ability. One of his best performances of the season in 2008 was against Bradley in Peoria. Holsinger dropped in 23 points including 6-of-7 from 3-point range. He also shoots very well from the free-throw line (85.3% career). Holsinger does make his share of mistakes at the point as he has the distinction of the MVC conference player with the highest returning turnover ratio per game (2.9). His skill set translates more to a shooting guard, but that'd be a major disadvantage for a guy who is under six feet tall.

The other big time performer for Evansville is Shy Ely (6'4" Sr.). He averaged 14.4 points (3rd best of returning players in the MVC) and 5.1 rebounds per game. Ely plays that tweener role of a shorter player whose best game is in the lane. Ely not only shoots a high percentage from the line (77.6%), but also knows how to get there (4.9 attempts per game). He knocked in all 18 FT attempts he took during a 60-56 home victory over Creighton on Feb. 13.

The problem isn't with either of those players, though. The rest of the Evansville team raises plenty of question marks. The biggest might be All-Freshman honoree Pieter van Tongeren (6'11" So.), who averaged 5.7 PPG and 4.1 RPG. He performed inconsistently, especially during the conference season. While he did have six double-digit scoring games, van Tongeren also scored two points or less in 11 games. If he makes strides this season, Evansville could be greatly improved.

Evansville, like many teams in the Valley, comes loaded with small forwards/shooting guards who can light up a scoreboard on a given night. Kavon Lacey (6'0" So.), Nate Garner (6'5" Sr.) and Darin Granger (6'2" Jr.) all have had their share of big games.

Evansville not only was last in the MVC in scoring (59.5 PPG) but also had the worst FG percentage allowed (.454 PCT). This combination doesn't bode well for a team that doesn't have any major recruits coming in this season (though 6'4" Fr. Kaylon Williams will likely see a lot of action as a back up to Holsinger).

If all of the returning players contribute more consistently, Evansville may have a shot at 6th or 7th in the Valley. But, if their recent track record continues, 9th seems to be a pretty fair placement for the Purple Aces.

10. Wichita State

Preseason poll: 9th

Pull a name from a hat and that's about as scientific as you can be about the "play-in" teams in the Missouri Valley Conference this season. Between Evansville, Indiana State, Missouri State and Wichita State, the bottom of the Valley is filled with question marks this season. If the players gel at Wichita State, then the Shockers could move up to 7th or 8th in the conference. But, I see Wichita State in the cellar of the MVC.

Other than talent, the most important attribute that good teams have when conference play comes around: experience. Every school brings in highly touted recruits that it expects to perform at the highest level. And as teams try to mature throughout non-conference play, young teams can have success. But once you hit Valley play, the intensity level gets turned up to a much higher level.

The Shockers simply don't have the seasoning or talent to be all that successful this season. Wichita State lost four of five starters from a poor 2007-2008 team. Coach Gregg Marshall has only had one season coaching in the Valley and his team will likely be led by a unseasoned JUCO transfer at point guard, Clevin Hannah (5'11" Jr.). Reports say he's looked good running the offense so far, but can any Shocker fans feel confident with Hannah, fellow JUCO transfer guard
Reggie Chamberlain (6'0" So.) or newcomer Toure' Murry (6'4" Fr.)? With the smaller lineups in the MVC, teams can often survive conference play without big trees down low. But, without solid and confident guards, teams flounder. This is the kind of situation I see for the Shockers.

Wichita State does have a few promising players on the team this year. Much of the team's hope will fall upon guard/forward A.J. Hawkins (6'5" Jr.), who is now eligible after transfering from St. Bonaventure. After averaging double figures (12.2 PPG) for another Division I school, it's reasonable to expect that Hawkins will be able to provide some leadership. Hawkins will team up with interior players forwards Ramon Clemente (6'6" Sr.) and J.T. Durley (6'7" So.) to present a formidable starting lineup.

To further complicate the Shockers problems, players like Hawkins, Clemente, Durley and sophomore forward Aaron Ellis all have had a history of either injuries or medical conditions. If any one of the big three breaks down, the chances of a successful season get even slimmer for the Shockers.

Wichita State was a disappointing team last season and there's not many reasons to believe that they're poised to make great leaps in 2008-2009.

Missouri Valley Conference - Preseason polls

The Missouri Valley Conference released its composite poll for the upcoming men's basketball season Tuesday (10/28). Here's how the conglomeration of sports information directors, media and coaches voted:

School (First Place Votes)	Points
1. Creighton (36)	386
2. Southern Illinois (2)	322
3. Illinois State (1)	309
4. Drake	274
5. Bradley	219
6. UNI	186
7. Indiana State	137
8. Evansville	122
9. Wichita State	105
10. Missouri State	85

For the full press release, check it out here: MVC Press Release

I will publish my rankings in reverse order throughout the next nine days. Do I think there is a team in the Valley that can do what Drake did last year (picked 9th, finished 1st)? What do I consider the different tiers of the conference? (Clearly, some of the teams look much weaker on paper than others.) Tune in starting Monday to see what I think of the MVC teams this season.