The Missouri Valley Conference is having one of its bests seasons ever as the league is 47-18 in non-conference games and the Valley is currently ranked fourth behind the Big Ten, Big East and ACC. The only team in the conference without a winning record right now is Evansville which stands 3-3.
Drake coach Tom Davis has is team at 5-3. Davis says the other leagues are deeper as he says they have more talent deeper on their roster and you get bigger guys. Davis says guys in the Valley are usually a couple of inches shorter, but he says that doesn’t mean they aren’t quality players. Davis says the coaching in the league speaks for itself.
Schools from the power conferences are losing players early to the NBA but Davis says an even bigger factor right now is the number of programs in the Valley that redshirt players, including his program which is redshirting three players who he thinks will benefit by getting stronger. Davis says you have more players in the Valley who stay for their fifth year.
The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday when they visit San Jose State. Davis says the players look forward to getting on the plane and playing someone different and seeing someplace different.