ST. LOUIS – Indiana State guard Tyreke Key has been named Preseason First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference while the Sycamores were tabbed to finish ninth in the MVC Preseason Poll by a voting panel consisting of coaches, sports information directors and media.
 
A Celina, Tenn. native, Key returns for a fifth season with the Sycamores after another standout season in 2020-21 when he averaged 17.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, two assists and 1.1 steals per game. Key led the MVC with 33.9 minutes per game while increasing his scoring output to 18.6 points per game during conference action. The fourth-fastest player to join the 1,000-point club in program history, Key sits sixth all time with 1,650 career points.
 
Drake has been picked to win the Missouri Valley Conference followed by Loyola and Northern Iowa. Drake picked up 29 first-place votes while Loyola (8) and UNI (6) also received votes. Missouri State and Southern Illinois round out the top five.
 
Indiana State head coach Josh Schertz takes over after a 13-year run at NCAA Division II Lincoln Memorial University where he had a career record of 337-69 (.831) en route to four national coach of the year honors.
 
Schertz returns three starters from the 2020-21 season in which the Sycamores finished fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference. Key (17.2 ppg) will be joined in the backcourt by Cooper Neese (9.5 ppg) and Julian Larry (4 ppg).
 
2021-22 MVC Preseason Poll
School (First-Place Votes)      Total
1. Drake (29)                              411
2. Loyola (8)                               363
3. UNI (6)                                   354
4. Missouri State                        325
5. Southern Illinois                     228
6. Bradley                                  171
7. Valparaiso                              151
8. Evansville                              148
9. Indiana State                         147
10. Illinois State                         68
 
2021-22 MVC Preseason Teams
 
Preseason Player of the Year:  AJ Green, UNI 
 
FIRST TEAM
AJ Green, UNI                           
Tyreke Key, Indiana State             
Isiaih Mosley, Missouri State      
Roman Penn, Drake       
Gaige Prim, Missouri State       
 
SECOND TEAM
Marcus Domask, SIU                 
ShanQuan Hemphill, Drake        
Ben Krikke, Valparaiso  
Austin Phyfe, UNI
Lucas Williamson, Loyola            
 
THIRD TEAM
Shamar Givance, Evansville        
Ja'Shon Henry, Bradley              
Lance Jones, SIU                       
Rienk Mast, Bradley                    
Braden Norris, Loyola   
 
For the latest information on Sycamore Basketball, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from the both the App Store and the Google Play Store.