History:
Once a multi-bid league, the Missouri Valley has become a 1-bid conference in recent years. In 2024, an argument was made for Indiana State to earn an at-large, but they were amongst the first four teams excluded. The last time they received an at-large bid was Drake in 2021.
Drake has won back-to-back championships and has made the finals four straight years.
Former member Loyola Chicago is the last team to win an NCAA Tournament game (Sweet 16 in 2021). Their run to the Final Four in 2018 is forever legendary.
Returning Champion:
Drake squeaked past Indiana State by four in the championship. The Bulldogs played in a 7-vs-10 game, which they lost to Washington State by five.
Format:
Every team (12) makes the field, with the top four seeds earning byes to the second round.
Contenders:
Drake (27-3, 17-3) was supposed to have a down year this year, given a new coach and the transfer of most of their roster. Star player Tucker DeVries took his talents to West Virginia. Ranked 60th in the NET, the Bulldogs won the Charleston Classic, defeating Vanderbilt in the title game. Unfortunately, that was their only Quad 1 game (their road conquest of Kansas State is Quad 2) and they own three Quad 3 losses, which hampers their shot at an at-large bid. One fun feature of this squad is they are last in the country in adjusted tempo, which can throw impatient opponents off their game. They are 61st in defensive efficiency and allow a paltry 59.2 PPG (3rd in the nation).
Bradley (24-7, 15-5) shouldn’t be taken lightly. The Braves own a Quad 1 win (Drake on the road) and knocked out San Francisco in a home Quad 2 game. Like Drake, Bradley doesn’t like to play fast, though they average a decent 78.2 PPG. Their 41% success rate from 3-point range leads the nation, making them dangerous to everyone in their path.
The third team in the NET Top 100 is Northern Iowa (20-11, 14-6). Decent offensively and defensively, the Panthers try to beat you with their frontcourt, where 6’6″ forward Tytan Anderson (15.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG) and 6’10” center Jacob Hutson (11.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG) reside.
Belmont goes against the grain of the top three, as they play an uptempo style that has allowed them to score 80.4 PPG. The Bruins love to heave 3-point attempts (27.7 per game) and are successful in converting them (9th best rate in the nation). Their uptempo style leaves them vulnerable on defense. When they faced Drake this season, the Bulldogs forced their style on Belmont, winning 65-46.
Sleeper:
Illinois – Chicago (17-13, 10-10) in dangerous as a #6 seed. The Flames won four Quadrant 2 games (Bradley, Drake, Yale, Illinois State) and played Northwestern within nine in a Quad 1 contest.
How it should play out:
The Missouri Valley Tournament is an anticipated event every year. Nicknamed “Arch Madness,” bracket mavens across the country await their NCAA Tournament pairing. This year, Drake and Bradley look good for a championship run, though Belmont’s different style could cause problems.
Winner:
Drake wins their third straight conference title.