2020 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament: Matchups, players to know & more
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 2020 Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball tournament will determine which team gets an automatic bid to get the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament beginning on March 17.
The first round of the tournament is slated to begin on March 5 and will run through March 8, at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis -- earning the name Arch Madness.
Each of the conference’s 10 teams makes the tournament.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CLICK HERE FOR MORE COLLEGE BASKETBALL COVERAGE
Here is the schedule for the Missouri Valley tournament.
MARCH 5 - OPENING ROUND
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}No. 8 Drake def. No. 9 Illinois State, 75-65.
No. 7 Valparaiso def. No. 10 Evansville, 58-55.
MARCH 6 - QUARTERFINALS
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}No. 8 Drake def. No. 1 Northern Iowa, 77-56.
No. 4 Bradley def. No. 5 Southern Illinois, 64-59.
No. 7 Valparaiso def. No. 2 Loyola (IL), 74-73.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}No. 6 Missouri State def. No. 3 Indiana State, 78-51.
MARCH 7 - SEMIFINALS
No. 4 Bradley def. No. 8 Drake, 76-66
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}No. 7 Valparaiso def. No. 6 Missouri State, 89-82.
MARCH 8 - CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 4 Bradley def. No. 7 Valparaiso, 80-66.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}**
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
5 PLAYERS TO KNOW
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}AJ GREEN, NORTHERN IOWA: A.J. Green, a sophomore at the University of Northern Iowa, was awarded the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year award after helping the Panthers earn their first regular-season championship since 2010. He leads the league in scoring with a 19.7 average.
MARCUS DOMASK, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Marcus Domask was named both Newcomer of the Year and Freshman of the Year, marking the eighth time in conference history that a player has received both awards. He leads the conference’s freshmen this season with 428 points making him the 15th-best all-time in MVC history for a freshman.
ISAIAH BROWN, NORTHERN IOWA: Isaiah Brown, a senior at the University of Northern Iowa, was named Defensive Player of the Year. With Brown leading the pack, UNI surrendered just 64.7 points per game and ranked second in MVC contests in field goal percentage defense. Brown also averaged 9.2 points per game, 38 three-point goals and 70 assists.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MARQUISE KENNEDY, LOYOLA: Marquise Kennedy, a freshman at Loyola Chicago, was awarded the Sixth Man Award after averaging 9.3 points per game after just six starts in 31 games. He also completed 38 steals and 41 assists in his first year.
TYREKE KEY, INDIANA STATE: Tyreke Key got some Player of the Year votes. The junior guard averaged 15.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
**
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2019 CHAMPION
Bradley won its first title since 1988. The Braves beat Northern Iowa, 57-54. Elijah Childs was named tournament MVP.