2018 MVC tournament preview and season review

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 17: Loyola (Il) Ramblers guard Donte Ingram (0) and Loyola (Il) Ramblers guard Ben Richardson (14) celebrate after defeating the University of Illinois - Chicago Flames on December 17, 2016 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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BOISE, ID – NOVEMBER 28: Guard Clayton Custer /

2018 Missouri Valley Conference, All-Conference team

Coming into the season, Alize Johnson was the heavy favorite to take home the MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year, but, Clayton Custer had other plans. The MVC specialty awards, mostly, are dominated by the Ramblers.

Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year: Clayton Custer, Loyola

Newcomer of the Year: Milik Yarbrough, Illinois State

Freshman of the Year: Cameron Krutwig, Loyola

Defensive MVP: Ben Richardson, Loyola

Sixth-man of the Year: Tyler Smithpeters, Southern Illinois

2018 All-Missouri Valley Conference Team

First Team

Clayton Custer, Loyola: Junior. Guard
Alize Johnson, Missouri St.: Senior. Forward
Ryan Taylor, Evansville Junior. Guard
Reed Timmer, Drake: Senior. Guard
Milik Yarbrough, Illinois St.: Senior. Forward

Second Team

Jordan Barnes, Indiana St.: Sophomore. Guard
Phil Fayne, Illinois State: Junior. Forward
Armon Fletcher, S. Illinois: Junior.
Donte Ingram, Loyola: Senior. Guard/Forward
Donte Thomas, Bradley: Senior. Guard

Third Team

Darrell Brown, Bradley: Sophomore. Guard
Bennett Koch, Northern Iowa: Senior. Forward
Cameron Krutwig, Loyola: Freshmen. Center
Kavion Pippen, S. Illinois: Junior. Center
Brenton Scott, Indiana St.: Senior. Guard

All-Newcomer Team

Bakari Evelyn, Valparaiso: Sophomore. Guard
Cameron Krutwig, Loyola
Tywhon Pickford, Northern Iowa: Freshmen. Guard
Kavion Pippen, S. Illinois
Milik Yarbrough, Illinois St.

All-Freshman Team

Elijah Childs, Bradley: Forward
Tyreke Key, Indiana State: Guard
Cameron Krutwig, Loyola
Tywhon Pickford, Northern Iowa: Guard
Lucas Williamson, Loyola: Guard

All-Defensive Team

Obediah Church, Missouri St.: Junior. Forward
Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye, Bradley: Junior. Guard
Sean Lloyd, Southern Illinois: Junior. Guard
Ben Richardson, Loyola: Senior. Guard
Tevonn Walker, Valparaiso: Senior. Guard

Even with Custer as a runaway favorite in the POY voting, the rest of the first team boasts an elite group of student-athletes. We’ve already discussed the attention Johnson’s generated, but Timmer may be a late round/ NBA free agency pickup, with his ability to shoot the ball. He’s also beefy enough to play at the professional level, so don’t sleep on the Drake product.

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