by FOXSports.com

1. Creighton (22-11, 10-8)

Creighton's roster contains eight freshmen and sophomores, three players 6'8" or taller and is missing its leading rebounder. "We're still going to be a really young team," says veteran coach Dana Altman. Yet the Bluejays are without question the Missouri Valley Conference favorite. A young and talented team endured ups and downs on its way to the NIT last season. Enough of that talent returns to make this another season of high expectations at the Qwest Center, the Valley's biggest and most luxurious venue. Creighton is poised to win its first MVC title since 2002.

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MVC Newcomer and Freshman of the Year P'Allen Stinnett, the team's leading scorer last season, and Sixth Man of the Year Booker Woodfox lead a group of seven returners who averaged 12 or more minutes last season. The Bluejays led the nation in bench scoring, and their reserves often seemed more dynamic than some starters.

Creighton's depth is most powerful in the backcourt. Stinnett is one of the Valley's most athletic players and should be a Player of the Year candidate. Altman wants him to get bigger and stronger and cut down on turnovers. Stinnett also needs to control his emotions — he fouled out of three games and gained a reputation for talking trash and bugging officials.

Woodfox and Cavel Witter gave the Bluejays two dynamic scorers off the bench last season. Woodfox (9.6 ppg) made 49.3 percent of his threes in conference games. Witter (9.1 ppg) burned Bradley for 42 points in an overtime win.

Senior point guard Josh Dotzler is grinding through an injury-plagued career and is saddled with the MVC's ugliest jump shot. Altman started him in all 33 games last season, which means the coach values Dotzler's tough defense and 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Justin Carter is the Bluejays' top recruit. He averaged 20.4 points and 7.0 rebounds as conference MVP for Fullerton (Calif.) College. Coaches bill him as a physical force at guard or small forward.

Add freshmen Antoine Young and Josh Jones to the mix, and the Bluejays should own the depth and talent to continue their pressing defense. Last season, Altman went so deep into his bench that reserves outscored starters for the season.

Two of those starters are gone. Forward Dane Watts leaves the biggest hole. He gave the Bluejays experience, strength and versatility.

Junior Chad Millard and sophomores Kenny Lawson and Kenton Walker had their moments last season. Lawson, a member of the MVC All-Freshman team, started 19 games, made 54.6 percent of his shots and blocked 28 shots.

Write Creighton in for 20 or more wins for an 11th straight season and a 12th straight postseason bid. The Bluejays will cruise to those landmarks and more if the big men give the guards enough support.

2. Southern Illinois (18-15, 11-7)

Six NCAA Tournament appearances in seven seasons is a great stretch for any program and a dominating one for a Missouri Valley Conference team.

Still, that odd-season-out stings when people get used to success. Southern Illinois finished third in the MVC and settled for the NIT last season. The fact many fans labeled it a disappointment highlights the high standards set by the Salukis with five MVC titles and two trips to the Sweet 16 since 2002.

"If the NIT is a down year for our program, people must think very highly of us," coach Chris Lowery said after the season.

That is enough looking back as far as the Salukis are concerned. SIU, even with three starters back from a Sweet 16 appearance in 2007, never consistently played well in 2008. The traditionally tough defense slipped just a bit, which was too much to support a shaky offense. Preseason Player of the Year Randal Falker could not carry the scoring, and Lowery repeatedly expressed disappointment with his production.

Falker (13.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg) is gone. So is forward Matt Shaw (12.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg). Without them, SIU is young, with six first-year players on the roster. Lowery believes they are also quite talented. He calls his recruiting class one of the best in school history. Lowery is also fortunate the rookies get to play with senior point guard Bryan Mullins (10.7 points, 154 assists).

Mullins is the player opposing fans love to hate. He isn't a smooth scorer or a magician with the ball, but he controls the game on the offensive end and plays tenacious defense. He does not make mistakes and shoots accurately (41.4 percent from 3-point range last year).

Coaches expected junior Joshua Bone (8.1 ppg) to contribute more than he did during an up-and-down 2007-08 campaign. Typical of his season: 19 against Butler, 17 against Missouri State, followed by 16 total in the next four games.

Guard Wesley Clemmons is a solid defender, while fellow senior Tony Boyle, a 6'8" forward, is a banger who will anchor the frontcourt. Sophomore forward Carlton Fay needs to do more with his offensive gifts.

That leaves many minutes for newcomers. They appear to be as qualified for that burden as any group in the Valley. Forward Anthony Booker is a top-50 talent and the best recruit in the Valley. He may start from the time the Salukis take the floor. Guard Kevin Dillard was named Mr. Basketball in Illinois after averaging 23.3 points and 5.6 assists for Homewood-Flossmoor High. "With (Dillard) having a year to play with Bryan Mullins, we may have the two best point guards in school history on the same team at one time," Lowery says.

Sophomore guard Justin Bocot sat out last season at SIU and did not practice to work on academics. Freshman guard Torres Roundtree was a high school teammate of Booker's in St. Louis. Roundtree was the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Metro Player of the Year as a junior.

3. Illinois State (15-10, 13-5)

In an ordinary season, Illinois State would have been the story of the year in the Valley, with the Coach of the Year and the Player of the Year.

Drake's amazing revival topped everything everybody else did in 2008. That doesn't mean Illinois State coach Tim Jankovich should get shorted on credit. He took a program known most for underachieving in recent seasons to a second-place MVC finish and a win in the NIT. The Redbirds improved from 15-16 to 25-10, and their 13 conference wins were their most since 1998.

Jankovich's second season may not go quite as smoothly, but the Redbirds will be a factor in the Valley race. "We lost a lot," Jankovich says. "A lot of leadership and a lot of competitiveness. That's the negative side. We do have very good returning players. There's a great spirit among this team."

The Redbirds won with a devastating group of guards who could all dent defenses with the dribble or the outside shot. Boo Richardson (130 assists, 55 steals) and Dom Johnson (8.2 ppg) are gone, taking their point guard skills with them. Also departed is bouncy forward Anthony Slack, who shot 66.0 percent from the field and blocked 47 shots.

The returners start with junior Osiris Eldridge (15.8 points, 5.7 rebounds), an all-conference pick as a sophomore. He is the MVC's best combination of size and skill, as evidenced by his 34 points against Indiana State and 27 at Southern Illinois in the regular-season finale. The Redbirds lost a lot of talent, but they will win a lot of games by putting the ball in Eldridge's hands.

Newcomers Lloyd Phillips, a junior college transfer, and freshman Kenyon Smith are the candidates to take over at point guard. Landon Shipley, a transfer from Austin Peay, adds experience.

If the Redbird point guards can penetrate, there will again be plenty of shooters to pitch the ball to outside the 3-point arc. Transfer Chamberlain Oguchi averaged 6.6 points and made 31.9 percent of his threes in three seasons at Oregon. As a sophomore, he led the Ducks with 68 threes and averaged 9.6 points.

Senior Emmanuel Holloway started 10 games and averaged 5.4 points. Junior Sead Odzic did not have the expected impact last season, when he made 2-of-17 threes in 22 games.

Slack's departure leaves the inside game in question. But the Redbirds do have some size and experience with which to rebuild. Senior Brandon Sampay battled injuries and off-court problems all season. He possesses the size to be a factor in the middle if he can stay healthy and get in shape.

Junior Dinma Odiakosa (6.9 points, 5.5 rebounds) made 12-of-18 shots and averaged 12.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in two NIT games. Odiakosa, from Nigeria, is improving rapidly as he learns the game.

The Redbirds won't surprise anyone this season if they finish at or near the top of the Valley and return to the postseason for a second straight season.

4. Drake (28-5, 15-3)

Drake has enjoyed one sustained run of success in more than 100 seasons of basketball, from 1968-71. It's Mark Phelps' job to make it happen again.

Last season's success grew into college basketball's best story, complete with heroic former walk-ons, a rookie coach, a 21-game win streak and the MVC regular-season and tournament titles. In one season, the Valley's most downtrodden program revitalized itself with a 28-5 record and a No. 14 ranking in the final AP poll.

Phelps, a former assistant under Herb Sendek at Arizona State and North Carolina State, takes over from the Davis family. Tom Davis used his experience and reputation in Iowa to rebuild Drake for four seasons. He turned things over to son Keno, who won 2008 National Coach of the Year honors before moving to Providence.

The Davis duo built last season's team with patience, clever recruiting and a system that produced a joyful brand of basketball. The Bulldogs made 3-pointers from outrageous distances and threw a dizzying array of presses at teams.

Some things will change under Phelps, who spent 12 seasons with Sendek. Their teams were known for a motion offense that uses backdoor cuts and threes and a match-up zone defense. The 2008 Arizona State club shot 688 threes, second in the Pac-10, while Drake shot 840, second in the MVC. "Drake loves the 3-point shot," Phelps said when hired in April. "I love the 3-point shot. We're going to shoot threes."

Phelps will try to keep Drake moving without Valley Player of the Year Adam Emmenecker, a former walk-on who ran the point with precision and averaged 6.5 assists. Shooter Klayton Korver and guard Leonard Houston, the team's best athlete, are also gone.

Junior guard Josh Young, an All-MVC pick, will be a top candidate for Player of the Year this season. Young averaged 15.9 points and made 43.4 percent of his threes. Senior forward Jonathan Cox finished second in the MVC in rebounding (8.6) and 3-point accuracy (44.0 percent).

Davis didn't go deep into his bench last season. Senior center Brent Heemskerk played 18.1 minutes and averaged 4.7 points. Senior guard Jacob Baryenbruch started five games. Sophomore guard Josh Parker could turn into a Young-like player with his quickness and shooting.

The top addition is junior forward Adam Templeton, who sat out last season after transferring from UC Irvine. He is a 3-point shooter who should step into the lineup immediately. Junior guard Craig Stanley, a junior college transfer, will help replace Emmenecker at point guard.

Last season's success doesn't mean Drake's inherent problems disappeared. It remains a small school with tough academic standards. Other MVC schools possess more resources, but last season proves the Bulldogs can do more than just compete.

5. Northern Iowa (18-14, 9-9)

It is time for Jordan Eglseder and Adam Koch to move from supporting players to stars. If the junior big men can progress from 8-point-per-game contributors to 14 or so, the Panthers may own the Valley's best inside game. If Koch (8.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and 7-footer Eglseder (8.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 38 blocks) continue to be role players, the Panthers will struggle. Those two must improve to make up for the loss of center Eric Coleman, who led UNI in scoring (12.3), rebounds (8.8), blocks (43) and was second on the team in assists (2.0). The Panthers always play tough defense. Now, they need to liven up their offense after ranking ninth in the MVC in scoring (62.4 ppg) and eighth in 3-point shooting (33.5 percent). Senior guard Travis Brown (6.6 ppg) needs to score more after an inconsistent season. The return of point guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe (shoulder injury) should help. Junior college transfer Ali Farokhmanesh will also be counted on at point, a weak spot last season.

6. Bradley (21-17, 9-9)

The College Basketball Invitational proceeded unnoticed almost everywhere except Peoria. The Braves finished second in the first year of the postseason tournament, losing a best-of-three series to Tulsa, and Jim Les' club loved the experience. Healthy after an injury-riddled regular season, the Braves defeated Cincinnati, Ohio and Virginia and won one against Tulsa. Just as important, the Braves kept practicing and playing until April. That work may pay off this season. Bradley must replace point guard Daniel Ruffin (14.1 ppg), shooting guard Jeremy Crouch (15.8 ppg) and center Matt Salley. Guard Andrew Warren (13.2 ppg, 40.6 percent 3-point shooting) becomes the lead scorer in Bradley's up-tempo attack. Sophomore Sam Maniscalco (7.7 ppg, 114 assists) took over at the point when injuries sidelined Ruffin. Maniscalco is ready for full-time duty after a fine debut. Forward Theron Wilson plays inside and out and is one of the Valley's most versatile players. Bradley's questions are inside. Senior center David Collins (7'0") played little during the conference schedule but gave signs of hope with solid games in the postseason. Redshirt freshman forward Anthony Thompson needs to contribute.

7. Wichita State (11-20, 4-14)

The Shockers are a risky pick this high, which is evidence of the uncertainty surrounding the season. WSU returns one starter (Ramon Clemente, a 6'6" forward) and will count heavily on six players with no NCAA Division I experience. Still, the outlook has to be improved over last season, when bad luck and injuries hit coach Gregg Marshall hard in his first season in Wichita. The Shockers will be bigger, deeper and more athletic. A lack of experience, especially at guard, is a significant obstacle. Clemente (7.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg) turned into a leader in the season's final weeks. Sophomore forward J.T. Durley can be a big-time scorer if his defense improves enough to keep him in the game. Junior forward A.J. Hawkins, who sat out last season after transferring from St. Bonaventure, should give WSU an athletic scorer and defender. He was sometimes the best player in practices. Junior college transfers Clevin Hannah and Reggie Chamberlain take over in the backcourt. Freshman swingman Toure Murry needs to help WSU with his shooting — the Shockers ranked last in the Valley in 3-point shooting (.308). Freshman Garrett Stutz is perhaps the jewel of the recruiting class. He is 6'11" with good offensive skills.

8. Indiana State (15-16, 8-10)

Another coach in his second season is Kevin McKenna. The former Creighton assistant may push his team up in the standings if the Sycamores get tougher on the road (2-13 last season) and improve their rebounding. They return three starters and sophomore center Isiah Martin, who led the MVC in blocks (1.90 per game). The key loss is point guard Gabe Moore, a four-year starter who did it all for the Sycamores. Newcomers Rashad Reed, a junior college transfer, and junior Harry Marshall (10.1 ppg) are on call to replace Moore. Junior guard Marico Stinson (12.0 ppg) is one of the MVC's better scorers. Senior forward Jay Tunnell (7.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg) needs to stay healthy. Freshman guard Carl Richard should help immediately. Junior forward Josh Crawford, who started his career at Iowa, gives the Sycamores another shot-blocker. He averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds and 4.5 blocks in junior college.

9. Evansville (9-21, 3-15)

Second-year coach Marty Simmons returns five starters from the MVC's last-place team. That is good news in the backcourt, where point guard Jason Holsinger (12.3 ppg, 41.8 percent 3-point shooting), Kavon Lacey and Darin Granger return. Small forward Shy Ely (14.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg) is one of the MVC's best. The Aces need help inside, where hard-working senior forward Nate Garner (5.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg) is undersized at 6'5". Sophomore Pieter van Tongeren (5.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg) is 6'11" and started 30 games at center.

10. Missouri State (17-16, 8-10)

At least new coach Cuonzo Martin knows the expectations. Twenty wins and the NIT are not enough. Martin, a former Purdue player and assistant, replaces Barry Hinson, who coached nine seasons at MSU and won 19 or more games five times with four NITs. Martin needs to get to the NCAA Tournament, although it won't be this season. MSU's star this season is the $67 million JQH Arena, with a capacity of 11,000. The Bears don't return a player who averaged double figures, and the coaching switch slowed recruiting. Senior swingman Chris Cooks (8.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg) was MSU's top reserve last season. Junior guard Justin Fuehrmeyer (7.2 ppg, 134 assists) started 29 games.