Busting Brackets
Fansided

MVC Basketball: Recap of Day 1 of 2023 conference tournament

By Harry Schroeder

CHARLESTON, SC - NOVEMBER 21: Head coach Dana Ford of the Missouri State Bears looks on during a first round Charleston Classic basketball game against the Miami (Fl) Hurricanes at the TD Arena on November 21, 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
CHARLESTON, SC - NOVEMBER 21: Head coach Dana Ford of the Missouri State Bears looks on during a first round Charleston Classic basketball game against the Miami (Fl) Hurricanes at the TD Arena on November 21, 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Day one of the MVC Basketball Tournament followed the ‘chalk line’. All four higher-seeded teams won. Day two features the Valley’s top 8 teams.

Day one of Arch Madness is in the books and all of the higher (better) seeded teams won their opening-round games. The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Louis followed the chalk line and in convincing fashion.

Valley winners put up higher-than-average scoring totals and set up a quarterfinal round that includes only the league’s top eight teams. The top four seeds await opposing teams that are riding some momentum.

Northern Iowa had to hold off a determined Illinois State team to earn an opportunity to face regular season champion Bradley. The Panthers led by 20 points early in the second half, only to see the Redbirds fight back within six points with under eight minutes left.

UNI would pull away behind Bowen Born’s 23-point, five-assist performance. 75-62 was the final. Panther (14-17) coach Ben Jacobson’s personal record at Arch Madness improved to 19 and 11. Friday’s noon (Central) game with Bradley is a matchup of the Valley’s last two regular season champions.

Bradley swept its two games with UNI this season. The Braves (23-8) won back-to-back Arch Madness trophies in 2019 and 2020.

Game two saw Indiana State roll Evansville by a score of 97-58, setting a tournament record for largest margin of victory. Five Sycamores reached double figures in scoring with freshman Robbie Avila leading the way with 21 points. Indiana State (21-11) made thirteen three-pointers and handed out 29 assists.

Friday’s game with Belmont (21-10) is a rematch of the two teams’ second-to-last game, won by Belmont 89-88 in Nashville. The league’s top two scoring teams put on an offensive show as five players from each team scored in double figures.

Game time is set for 2:30 pm.

Murray State’s first-ever Arch Madness appearance was highly successful as the Racers (17-14) handled Valparaiso 78 to 50. Jamari Smith led Murray with 19 points and Quincy Anderson added 18. The Racers delivered 24 assists and held Valpo to a 32.7 percent shooting night.

Second-seeded Drake swept Murray in their two regular season games and neither contest was close. The Bulldogs (24-7) are led by ‘Player of the Year’ Tucker DeVries and fellow all-Valley member, Roman Penn. This is a 6:00 pm tip.

Missouri State has won three straight games after Thursday’s 74-57 win over Illinois Chicago. The Bears turned a four-point, halftime lead into a 17-point victory. Dana Ford’s team was relentless in attacking the glass. Fourteen offensive rebounds turned into numerous dunks, forty points ‘in the paint’ and 20 second-chance points.

Sophomore guard Alston Mason (17), freshman guard Damien Mayo (13) and junior Jonathan Mogbo (15) reached double figures in scoring. Mogbo exploded with five dunks.

Next. 2023 MVC Tournament preview. dark

The Bears (17-14) face third-seeded Southern Illinois (22-9) and for the eighth straight Arch Madness game, this is a matchup where the higher-seeded team swept their underdog opponent during the regular season.

This final game of the Arch Madness quarterfinal round starts at 8:30 pm.