MVC – Three Other Teams Can Win Arch Madness

Dangerous Teams Coming to St. Louis

(St. Louis, MO) – Loyola and Drake are the top two seeds at Arch Madness, but three other teams can win this week’s tournament. In this wild Missouri Valley Conference season which teams have the best chance at knocking off the co-champions?

There are dangerous teams coming to St. Louis. In a season where the champions set a record for most losses and where road teams made history with improbable road victories, anything can happen at the Enterprise Center.

Three other teams can win Arch Madness

Drake and Loyola have been the best Valley teams this season. Drake’s 23 wins and Loyola’s pedigree make them the odds on favorites, but Bradley, Missouri State and Southern Illinois could all earn the Valley’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Bradley Braves – 17-14 (9-9)

Despite the Braves’ season ending loss at Loyola, Bradley won nine of their last 13 Valley contests. They split with the Ramblers and Southern Illinois, and swept Illinois State.

Guard Darrell Brown has been spectacular for weeks and after a mid-season slump, forward Elijah Childs has been one of the Valley’s best front court performers. Adding Nate Kannell to the starting line up seemed to spark Brian Wardle’s team to greater efficiency.

Childs’ game is growing. During a recent three-game stretch, the 6’7 lefty averaged 18.3 points and ten rebounds. He has recorded three double-doubles during league play.

Brown had a three-game flurry of his own. The 5’11 junior went off for 29 points at Northern Iowa, 26 against Indiana State and then 21 points during a win over Loyola.

Rookie Ja’Shon Henry is emerging. After failing to record a double-digit scoring game until early February the 6’6 Canadian has turned the trick three times in seven outings.

Bradley has won six of its last eight games. Their only two losses were AT Drake and AT Loyola.

Southern Illinois – 17-14 (10-8)

The Egyptian Dawgs have won eight of their last 12 games including their current three-game winning streak. Armon Fletcher (this week’s Player of the Week) has elevated his game in recent weeks and the rest of the Salukis are fitting in nicely.

The Edwardsville, Illinois native finished second to Marques Townes in the conference scoring race and over the final six games of the season averaged 22.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Head coach Barry Hinson told me he believes, when properly motivated, Fletcher can be the Valley’s best player.

 

 

SIU’s inside duo of Kavion Pippen and Thik Bol has been effective offensively and defensively and Barry Hinson employs a wave of interchangeable players on the wings and handling the ball. Point guard Aaron Cook runs the offense, but three different Salukis are ranked among the league leaders in steals.

Hinson’s team leads the Valley in offensive rebounds, they’re second in scoring, assists, field goal percentage and blocked shots. In short, the Salukis are playing team ball and playing well at the right time.

Missouri State – 16-4 (10-8)

This may not seem like a logical choice. Dana Ford’s team has lost two straight and three of four, but that follows a streak where the Bears won seven of eight.

Newcomer of the Year candidate Tulio Da Silva is a unique blend of athleticism in the post and Jarred Dixon can take over games. Keandre Cook has the knack for raising up during difficult times and Ryan Kreklow is dropping threes and point guard Josh Webster runs the show.

Since Ford slowed down his offense the team has responded well. Webster leads the league in assists and is among the league leaders in blocked shots.

MSU leads the league in blocked shots and turnover margin. They do the little things.

The Bears share a negative statistic with the Salukis. Missouri State and SIU are the Valley’s two worst free-throw shooting teams.

Missouri State and Bradley meet in the Arch Madness quarterfinals and the winner would presumably play Loyola in the semifinals. The Bears swept both the Ramblers and the Braves in the regular season.

What About the Leaders?

Of course Loyola and Drake are the favorites to take home the Arch Madness trophy, but these three other teams can win Arch Madness.

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