What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 3/3/2021

Bradley meets S. Illinois in MVC tourney--Associated Press
NCAA basketball takeaways: Baylor falls, Duke’s last stand, Big Ten tournament teams--Fansided

Games of the Week: Big Ten, Arch Madness spotlight the key action
There is also a big conference tournament this week with the Missouri Valley set to stage Arch Madness once again. Loyola-Chicago should be safely in the field even if they lose in this event but Arch Madness could be a must-win for Drake, which enters the conference tournament minus two key starters and with a thin resume outside of a season split with the Ramblers.

College basketball conference tournaments: Schedules and matchups for Illinois, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Loyola and more state and area Division I teams--Chicago Tribune

Men

Horizon

Ongoing through March 9, at campus sites and Indianapolis (semifinals and final)

UIC

The 11th-seeded Flames (9-13, 6-10) were eliminated in the first round with a 74-58 loss to No. 6 seed Youngstown State on Feb. 25 in Youngstown, Ohio.

Missouri Valley

March 4-7, St. Louis

Loyola

The top-seeded Ramblers (21-4, 16-2) won their third regular-season Valley title in the last four years. They open play in Arch Madness with an 11 a.m. Friday quarterfinal against the Bradley-Southern Illinois winner. Loyola likely doesn’t need to win the MVC Tournament to earn an NCAA Tournament berth: Joe Lunardi’s latest bracket projection for ESPN has the Ramblers as a No. 8 seed.

Loyola guard Marquise Kennedy tries to maintain control of the ball in the second half. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

Valparaiso

Sixth-seeded Valpo (10-17, 7-11) will take on No. 3 seed Missouri State in Friday’s last quarterfinal at 8 p.m. Valpo handed second-seeded Drake its first loss of the season on Feb. 7, and the teams would meet in Saturday’s semifinals if both advance.

Bradley

The Braves (12-15, 6-12) — seeking their third consecutive MVC Tournament title — are seeded eighth and will face in-state rival Southern Illinois in the tournament opener at 5 p.m. Thursday, with the winner advancing to play Loyola.

Southern Illinois

The ninth-seeded Salukis (11-13, 5-13) meet Bradley in Thursday’s first round. The teams split a pair of games Feb. 6-7 in Peoria.

Illinois State

The Redbirds (7-17, 4-14) came in last in the 10-team Valley and will face No. 7 seed Northern Iowa in Thursday’s second game at 8 p.m. The winner moves on to meet Drake.

Women

Horizon

Ongoing through March 9, at campus sites and Indianapolis (semifinals and final)

UIC

The 11th-seeded Flames (3-16, 1-13) were eliminated in the first round with a 69-43 loss to No. 6 seed Cleveland State on Feb. 25 in Cleveland.

Missouri Valley

March 11-14, Moline, Ill.

Illinois State

The Redbirds (13-6, 10-6) are in third place with two games remaining Friday and Saturday at Loyola.

Bradley

The Braves (12-11, 8-8) are tied for fifth with two games remaining Friday and Saturday against Indiana State.

Loyola

The Ramblers (10-10, 8-8) are tied for fifth with two games remaining Friday and Saturday against Illinois State.

Valparaiso

Valpo (11-10, 7-7) is tied for fifth with two games remaining Friday and Saturday against Drake.

Southern Illinois

The Salukis (8-13, 5-11) are in eighth place with two games remaining Friday and Saturday against Northern Iowa.