Two weeks into the regular season, most Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball teams are still finding their footing in the early parts of the 2026-27 season.
While four teams are looking for their first win this year, only one has managed to stay undefeated: the Illinois State Redbirds.
With conference action still over a month away, there is plenty of time to work out any kinks discovered during non-conference play.
That said, it’s time to dive into the updated power rankings.
1. Illinois State
Illinois State is undefeated in four games. They scored over 90 points in three of them. Right now, this is the hottest team in the MVC.
They opened things by destroying Chicago State 106-69. They then won a high-scoring overtime match with Dayton by four points, beat Augustana by 42 and won by nine against a Green Bay team that went to the NCAA tournament last year.
If they keep this up, they are in a great position to win the entire conference.
2. Murray State
The last time the Racers started their season 1-2 was in 2020-2021. Could it be a sign of change in the MVC?
Not likely.
Their two losses came by a combined seven points, and senior all-star Halli Poock is tied for eighth in the nation with 69 points.
For the Racers, the early part of the season will test their potential as they try to dominate the Valley for the third year in a row.
3. Northern Iowa
One of two MVC teams to play only two games as of Nov. 11, the Panthers showed both sides of the coin.
After winning their opener by 12 vs. St. Thomas, they dropped their next matchup at South Dakota State by 22.
With a string of well-known competitors coming up in the form of Iowa, Creighton and Iowa State, the Panthers have their hands full until Thanksgiving week.
4. Drake
Drake started the year strong, demolishing Eastern Illinois 76-54. However, that game was immediately followed by a 25-point loss to Kansas, where Drake couldn’t even reach 50 on the scoreboard.
They bounced back, winning a close one against Cleveland State, but questions remain about whether they are simply too inexperienced as a team to be competitive. As long as the team stays healthy, they won’t have many excuses for another loss like last year.
This season is make-or-break for them.
5. UIC
The 17th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes hosted the Flames and tore them apart, winning 81-34. However, UIC has bounced back, winning three games in a row. Two of their wins were comfortable affairs against Robert Morris and Chicago State.
Their five-point win against Northwestern was the biggest bright spot of them all. To beat a Big 10 team is always an accomplishment, and UIC is putting itself in a strong position early in the year.
6. Belmont
It’s a rough start to the season, as Belmont has dropped all three of their games so far. The most agonizing was at home against the University of South Florida. The score was tied 66-66 with three seconds left before USF hit a crucial game-winning layup.
They had a tie game heading into the fourth quarter against Princeton, but got outscored 24-13 in the final stretch. Meanwhile, they lost by over 20 points to Columbia in a game that never felt close.
Whether it’s choking in the fourth, last-second losses or blowouts, Belmont can only find ways to lose right now.
7. Bradley
First-year head coach Chaia Meier started her first campaign on the hilltop by taking on two Big 10 teams in the Wisconsin Badgers and the Indiana Hoosiers, within the first three games of the season.
After pushing the Badgers to the limit in a season-opening loss, the Braves bounced back by crushing the Northern Illinois Huskies by 15 for Meier’s first Division I victory.
The Hoosiers proved to be a tougher Big 10 opponent, as they cruised to nearly a 30-point victory this past Monday. This Big 10 experience will serve the Braves well once we reach the conference portion of the season.
8. Indiana State
No longer winless, the Sycamores collected their first win of the 2026-27 season with a 12-point win over IU Indy this past Tuesday.
After losing their first three games, Indiana State was happy to find the win column again, dropping the previous two games by a combined 49 points.
Defense still seems to be an issue, as the Sycamores once again lead the conference in points allowed at 82.8 per game in the early going.
9. Valparaiso
The celebration rides on as Valparaiso won their first game since March 6, 2025. A 42-point blowout gives head coach Courtney Boyd her first win as a Beacon.
After a 54-point drumming by the Michigan State Spartans, Valparaiso came inches away from rebounding in their second game vs. Detroit Mercy. However, the Beacons shone brightly in their third game, with five scorers hitting double digits.
A much-needed confidence boost, Valparaiso got the first one out of the way early in the 2026-27 season.
10. Southern Illinois
SIU’s defense has been torn to shreds so far this season. In their first two games, they allowed 171 points combined.
One of those games was against an Indiana team that was a heavy favorite, but the other was against Division II squad Illinois-Springfield. It’s an embarrassing start for a team trying to climb out of the basement of the MVC.
11. Evansville
Evansville’s defense has given up 90 or more points in a game twice this year. In week two of the season, Evansville has already put up three atrocious performances.
They lost 65-90 to DePaul to start the year and continued to struggle against Lindenwood, losing 49-62. The biggest embarrassment was yet to come, as they put up a pitiful 30 points against Kentucky while the Wildcats scored an astronomical 98.
Losing games by 68-point margins isn’t going to cut it.
