For those of you who are like me and eat, sleep and live for men’s college basketball 24/7, this time of year can be boring and depressing. So here is my sneak peek, six months in advance, of the Missouri Valley Conference for the 2011-12 season.

I will start from the bottom and work my way to the top.

I think the Illinois State University Redbirds will finish at the bottom of the MVC. They lose two starters from a team that went 4-14 in the MVC play a year ago. In my opinion they will be bringing in the eighth-best recruiting class in the conference, which doesn’t go a long way to helping them improve on their ninth-place finish a year ago. The one encouraging sign this team may have is that they were very young and inexperienced last year.

I think the University of Evansville Purple Aces will take a step back this year after finishing sixth in the MVC a year ago with a 9-9 conference record. They lose two starters from last year’s squad and return two great scorers in Colt Ryan and Denver Holmes. However, I ranked their recruiting class ninth in the MVC for this upcoming year. If any team on my list is projected too low, it’s probably the Purple Aces.

The Drake University Bulldogs come in as the eighth-place team on my list after going 7-11 in MVC play a year ago. The Bulldogs lose one starter in three-point sharpshooter Ryan Wedel, which will hurt. While the Bulldogs return one of the best big men in the Valley in Seth VanDeest and last year’s freshman standout Rayvonte Rice, they didn’t do much for recruiting (I ranked them last in the MVC in recruiting classes). Drake has had one of the best recruiting classes each of the past two years and with all that youth and inexperience, Drake was expected to be down. However, if the Bulldogs don’t win this year, Mark Phelps could be out of a job in Des Moines.

I’m picking the Bradley University Braves to finish seventh in the Valley this upcoming season. While the Braves finished last in the MVC a year ago with a 4-14 conference record, they were without starters Sam Maniscalco and Taylor Brown due to injuries. With those two back this winter, new coach Geno Ford at the helm and what I consider the seventh-best recruiting class in the Valley, the Braves should finish near the middle of the MVC pack.

Last year’s MVC regular season champions, the Missouri State University Bears are going to have a rude awakening this year. The Bears lost their head coach along with four of their five starters from a year ago when the team went 15-3 in MVC play. Although they return MVC Player of the Year Kyle Weems, they will not be as good as a year ago, which is why I have them projected to finish sixth. The Bears have what I consider to be the third-best recruiting class, so they could contend again in a couple years.

The Southern Illinois University Salukis could make the biggest jump this season as they return the best frontcourt in the conference in Gene Teague and Mamadou Seck along with what I think is the second-best recruiting class in the MVC. The Salukis went 5-13 in the Valley a year ago and need may need to contend for an MVC title this year if Chris Lowery wants to keep his job. On a side note, there are rumors swirling that Teague is looking to transfer from SIU. If this turns out to be true, the Salukis could be competing with Illinois State to stay out of last place.

Panther fans may be a little disappointed to see their team this low, but I think next year will be another rebuilding year for the University of Northern Iowa Panthers. UNI loses two starters in Kwadzo Ahelegbe and Lucas O’Rear, but brings in what I have tabbed as the best recruiting class in the Valley, which should help some. I think UNI will finish around 10-8 in MVC play like they did a year ago and will finish in fourth place back-to-back years. However, don’t be discouraged; I believe UNI will return to the top of the MVC in 2012-13.

I think Wichita State University will finish near the top of the Valley for a third consecutive year. I have them tabbed as the third-best team coming off a second-place finish and 14-4 MVC record a year ago. The Shockers lose two starters in Graham Hatch and J.T. Durley, as well as Gabe Blair, who was a great player off the bench. However, they return plenty of players with experience as well as an average recruiting class that I have ranked as the fifth-best in the MVC.

Last year’s surprise team, the Indiana State University Sycamores, won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year. The Sycamores return four starters from a team that went 12-6 in the MVC a year ago, including one of my favorite players outside of UNI in point guard Jake Odum. Odum showed great poise as a freshman last year and could be something very special in the years to come for the Sycamores. While I have their recruiting class ranked as the sixth-best in the Valley, they return plenty of talent and experience from last year’s team that won three games in three days in St. Louis.

We have finally reached the final team in my 2011-12 preview and as much as it pains me to say it, the Creighton University Bluejays are my favorite to win the MVC this year. The Bluejays lose two starters from a year ago in Kenny Lawson and Kaleb Korver. However, both of them underachieved for most of the year last year, so neither is a huge loss for the Bluejays. Taking that into consideration, along with the return of Doug McDermott and Greg Echenique and a decent recruiting class, which I have as the fourth-best in the MVC, the Bluejays should be the runaway favorites to win the conference.

Please remember that these are just projections and the college basketball season is still six months from tipping off. A lot can change between now and then pertaining to injuries and transfers, not to mention I’m sure I will change my mind on this subject a handful of times between now and then.

To every diehard Panther basketball and college basketball fan out there, I hope this helps fight your urge to see college basketball players on the hardwood for a little bit longer.