2016–17 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season

2016–17 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season
LeagueNCAA Division I
SportBasketball
Teams10
TV partner(s)ESPN3, CBSSN, CBS
Regular Season
2017 MVC ChampionsIllinois State and Wichita State (co-champions)
Season MVPParis Lee, Illinois State
Tournament
ChampionsWichita State
  Runners-upIllinois State
Finals MVPConner Frankamp, Wichita State
2016–17 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Illinois State 17 1   .944 28 7   .800
No. 19 Wichita State 17 1   .944 31 5   .861
Northern Iowa 9 9   .500 14 16   .467
Southern Illinois 9 9   .500 17 16   .515
Loyola Chicago 8 10   .444 18 14   .563
Missouri State 7 11   .389 17 16   .515
Bradley 7 11   .389 13 20   .394
Evansville 6 12   .333 16 17   .485
Indiana State 5 13   .278 11 20   .355
Drake 5 13   .278 7 24   .226
2017 MVC tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll

The 2016–17 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2016, followed by the start of the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play began on December 28, 2016, and concluded in March.

Illinois State and Wichita State shared the regular season championship with matching records of 17–1. Due to tiebreakers, Illinois State received the conference's No. 1 seed in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

Illinois State's Paris Lee was named Conference Player of the Year and Dan Muller was named Coach of the Year.

The MVC Tournament was held from March 2–5 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Wichita State defeated Illinois State to win the tournament championship. As a result, the Shockers received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. No other MVC team received a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Illinois State received a bid to the National Invitation Tournament.

The season marked Wichita State's final season as an MVC member. Shortly after the end of the NCAA Tournament, the Shockers announced their departure for the American Athletic Conference, effective July 1, 2017.