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MVC Basketball: Loyola-Chicago, Drake favorites in 2019 Arch Madness

By Joey Loose

ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 4: Matt Hein #5 and Phil Fayne #10 of the Illinois State Redbirds defend against Cameron Krutwig #25 of the Loyola Ramblers during the Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Tournament Championship at the Scottrade Center on March 4, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 4: Matt Hein #5 and Phil Fayne #10 of the Illinois State Redbirds defend against Cameron Krutwig #25 of the Loyola Ramblers during the Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Tournament Championship at the Scottrade Center on March 4, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /
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ST. LOUIS, MO – MARCH 4: Members of the Loyola Ramblers hold the Missouri Valley Conference Champions trophy after beating the Illinois State Redbirds during the Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Tournament Championship at the Scottrade Center on March 4, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – MARCH 4: Members of the Loyola Ramblers hold the Missouri Valley Conference Champions trophy after beating the Illinois State Redbirds during the Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Tournament Championship at the Scottrade Center on March 4, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

Arch Madness will begin on Thursday in St. Louis; which team will walk away victorious and represent MVC Basketball in the NCAA Tournament?

In recent times, the Missouri Valley Conference has produced some pretty potent NCAA Tournament teams. The Loyola Ramblers nabbed an 11-seed and ran all the way to the Final Four. Back in 2013, Wichita State did the same as a 9-seed before moving onto the AAC two years ago. In fact, the last ten MVC Basketball teams in the NCAA Tournament have all won at least one Tournament game.

This season, things are quite different in the MVC. For the first time, the tournament champion will have at least 6 losses in conference play. Unlike Wichita State teams who have dominated the league or Loyola’s run through the gauntlet from last year, the action was tight throughout this season. On any given night, the best team in the league could lose to the worst team.

Loyola and Drake found themselves at the top of the conference this season, both ending the year at 12-6. By virtue of sweeping the Bulldogs, the Ramblers will be the 1-seed at Arch Madness for the second straight year. The Ramblers were expected to repeat their title, with Clayton Custer and Marques Townes back from the Final Four run, but the road to St. Louis was tougher than expected for Sister Jean’s favorite team.

Among a slew of surprises was the play of those Drake Bulldogs. First year head coach Darian DeVries took over a team with a roster in complete flux, then lost leading scorer Nick Norton right before conference play began. His team never panicked despite a 1-3 start in MVC play, playing better ball as the season progressed.

Another surprise was Missouri State, who were also led by a first year head coach in Dana Ford. The Bears faced similar adversity, losing senior big man Obediah Church in December and learning how to play without him. They started 2-4, losing at home to the league’s two worst teams, but rebounded, including a big sweep of Loyola. Tulio Da Silva has really emerged, and despite a lame finish to the year, this was a team that almost won the conference.

As the ten teams of the MVC head to Arch Madness, truly anything can happen on a neutral floor. The fight for seeding was a close race the last few weeks and there truly isn’t a dominant team in this league like in year’s past. Whoever wins Arch Madness is going to have their work cut out for them in the NCAA Tournament, but it’s certainly going to be a dog fight.