Busting Brackets
Fansided

MVC Basketball: 2023 conference tournament preview and predictions

By Harry Schroeder

ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 9: Head coach Brian Wardle of the Bradley Braves directs his team against the Loyola Ramblers during the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament at the Enterprise Center on March 9, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 9: Head coach Brian Wardle of the Bradley Braves directs his team against the Loyola Ramblers during the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament at the Enterprise Center on March 9, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
MVC Basketball Marcus Domask #1 of the Southern Illinois Salukis (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
MVC Basketball Marcus Domask #1 of the Southern Illinois Salukis (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Friday – March 3
 
# 1 Bradley v UNI/Illinois State Winner – Noon

The champs swept these opponents during the regular season. For fifth-year senior Ja’Shon Henry to cut down the Enterprise Center nets for a third time in his career, the Braves can’t overlook this quarterfinal game.

Northern Iowa knows how to win in St. Louis and Illinois State took the Braves to overtime back in January. While Bradley plays just eight players, they are so interchangeable that none get worn down. Leons is on the cusp of Valley history. He is one block away from becoming the league’s first player to accumulate at least 50 steals and 50 blocks.

Bradley should win and move on.

# 4 Belmont v Indiana State/Evansville Winner – 2:30 PM

Since Indiana State should defeat Evansville, this will be a matchup of the league’s two best offenses. They both love to shoot threes and are extremely offensively efficient. After a little hiccup of losing three of four games, the Bruins finished the season winning three of their last four contests.

One of those games was the only matchup with Indiana State. Belmont won it 89-88 in Nashville. On a neutral floor … who knows? Six Bruins average over seven points per game and Friberg, Tyson and Sheppard are the Valley’s top three three-point shooters.

This may be the most entertaining game of the weekend.

# 2 Drake v Murray State/Valpo Winner – 6:00 pm

Drake has lost the last two Arch Madness title games to Loyola Chicago. I’m sure Darian DeVries and his players are glad to see the Ramblers leave the Valley. The Bulldogs swept these two teams in the regular season although it took them two overtimes to dispatch of Valpo the second time the two played.

Drake’s veteran roster includes the program’s all time assist leader (Roman Penn), all-time three-point-shooter (D.J. Wilkins) and its all-time leading rebounder (Garrett Sturtz). Bulldog fans want Arch Madness to be something of a culmination or coronation of all these veterans have accomplished.

They should make it to the semifinals.

# 3 Southern Illinois v Missouri State/UIC Winner – 8:30 pm

SIU loves to defend and they milk the clock offensively. If they meet Missouri State, who plays similarly, this could be a ‘first team to 50’ wins kind of game. The Salukis swept the Bears and the Flames, including Sunday’s season finale.

Bryan Mullins’ team is second only to Bradley defensively allowing 61.6 points per game. They only score 66.5 per game. SIU plays a lot of close games. Senior wing Marcus Domask can do anything you want on a basketball floor. He leads the Salukis in scoring, assists, rebounds, free throw percentage, and minutes played.

Lance Jones is the only other Saluki averaging double digits in scoring (14.0). When he is on, he is a game-breaker. He’s the kind of player that ‘can shoot you in to any game, and shoot you out of any game’. This is a veteran team, but beating Missouri State now will be more difficult than it was earlier in the season.