The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, also known as “Arch Madness” due to its traditional home of St. Louis’s Enterprise Center, will run from Thursday, March 7 through Sunday, March 10.
This is a single-elimination tournament. Indiana State earned the No. 1 seed and is the favorite to win this year, but the conference could potentially sneak a second at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament as well with Drake close behind.
2024 MVC Tournament
MVC Tournament Bracket
*All times ET
Thursday, March 7 (First Round)
Game 1: No. 9 Missouri State 60, No. 8 Murray State35
Game 2: No. 5 Belmont 86, No. 12 Valparaiso 61
Game 3: No. 10 Evansville 59, No. 7 Illinois State 53
Game 4: No. 11 Illinois-Chicago 84, No. 6 Southern Illinois 82
Friday, March 8 (Quarterfinals)
Game 5: No. 1 Indiana State 75, No. 9 Missouri State 59
Game 6: No. 4 UNI 67, No. 5 Belmont 62
Game 7: No. 2 Drake 79, No. 10 Evansville 58
Game 8: No. 3 Bradley 74, No. 11 Illinois-Chicago 47
Saturday, March 9 (Semifinals)
Game 9: No. 1 Indiana State 94, No. 4 UNI 72
Game 10: No. 2 Drake 72, No. 3 Bradley 67
Sunday, March 10 (Championship)
Game 11: No. 2 Drake 84, No. 1 Indiana State 80
Drake wins the MVC and an NCAA Tournament automatic bid
Odds to win
Indiana State +170
Drake +210
UNI +1100
Belmont +1500
Southern Illinois +2200
Murray State +4000
Missouri State +9000
UIC +20000
Evansville +25000
Valparaiso +50000
MVC March Madness Bids
This is one of the few mid-major conferences in 2024 that has a chance of receiving multiple bids. Indiana State at 26-5 (17-3 MVC) sits at No. 29 in the NET, but has just a 1-3 record vs. Quad 1 teams. They’ve also got a brutal loss at home to Quad 4 Illinois State.
Drake sits at 25-6 (16-4 MVC) could also find a path forward, and they’re at 3-1 vs. Quad 1 teams including a blowout win over Nevada on a neutral floor. But their NET is just 48, and they have a 1-3 record vs. Quad 2.
If either of these teams isn’t in the tournament as an automatic bid, the men’s basketball committee will certainly have to discuss both as a potential at-large team.