Championship Possibilities

(St. Louis, MO) – Two postseason championships could be days away for Missouri Valley Conference teams. The Loyola Ramblers have reached the championship round of the College Basketball Invitational and Evansville plays in the semifinals of the College Insider.com Tournament.

Both teams play at home early in the week. Loyola (22-13) entertains Lousiana-Monroe (24-12) tonight (Monday) and Evansville (22-12) hosts UT-Martin (21-12) on Tuesday.

Loyola is the third team to reach the championship round of the CBI, but no MVC team has won this tournament. Bradley (2008) and Creighton (2011) made it to the championship round. The CBI’s championship is a ‘best-of-three’ format with the Ramblers hosting the first game and the Warhawks hosting on Wednesday and Friday (if necessary).

Monroe (14-6) finished third in the Sunbelt standings.

Evansville is the third Valley team to reach the semifinals of the CIT. Missouri State won the title in 2010. Bradley lost in the championship round in 2009 and the Aces were semifinal losers in 2013.

Evansville’s semifinal opponent, UT-Martin gives the Ohio Valley Conference a semifinal participant for the second straight year. Murray State won the CIT last season.

The 22 wins for the Purple Aces are the most for any Marty Simmons’ coached team, and it is the second time Evansville has reached the 20 win plateau in Simmons’ eight years. UE’s D. J. Balentine is averaging over 30 points per game in the CIT, scoring 35 points in two of their three tournament games.

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