Fansided

2018 MVC tournament preview and season review

By Neil Harrington

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 17: Loyola (Il) Ramblers guard Donte Ingram (0) and Loyola (Il) Ramblers guard Ben Richardson (14) celebrate after defeating the University of Illinois - Chicago Flames on December 17, 2016 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 17: Loyola (Il) Ramblers guard Donte Ingram (0) and Loyola (Il) Ramblers guard Ben Richardson (14) celebrate after defeating the University of Illinois - Chicago Flames on December 17, 2016 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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MVC
OKLAHOMA CITY – MARCH 20: Ali Farokhmanesh /

The Missouri Valley Conference in the NCAA tournament over the years

Just ask the Kansas Jayhawks about being matched up with Missouri Valley Conference foes come March Madness, losing to Bradley in the first round in 2006 and to Northern Iowa in the round of 32 during the 2010 campaign, where they were ousted as the number one overall seed in that year’s field. I dare you to mention the name of Ali Farokhmanesh in Lawrence, Kansas. You may not leave the Wheat State alive, though.

You can’t be serious with that shot!

Missouri Valley Conference notable NCAA Tournaments

National titles: 

  • Oklahoma State: 1945, 1946
  • Cincinnati:1961,1962
  • Loyola: 1963 ( Current MVC member; won NCAA tournament title as an independent)

Runner-ups: 

  • Oklahoma State: 1949
  • Bradley: 1950, 1954
  • Cincinnati: 1963
  • Memphis 1973
  • Indiana State: 1979

Final Fours: 

  • Oklahoma State: 1951
  • Cincinnati: 1959 and 1960
  • Drake: 1969
  • Louisville: 1959, 1972, 1975
  • Wichita State: 1965, 2013

Elite Eight: 

  • Oklahoma State: 1953, 1954, 1958
  • Bradley: 1955
  • Drake: 1970, 1971
  • Wichita State: 1964,1981

Other notable teams

1999: The Missouri State Bears made their only Sweet 16 in school history within their Division 1 era, beating both Wisconsin and Tennesee, before falling to number one overall seed, Duke. The Bears have not been back to the NCAA tournament since, reaching the Arch Madness finals in 2000, 2004, 2005, and 2011. They also were snubbed by the NCAA tournament Selection committee several times as an at-large selection:

  • 2000: RPI of 34
  • 2006: RPI of 21
  • 2007: RPI of 37
  • 2011: RPI of 39 and regular season MVC champs

Other Selection Sunday MVC snubs over the years

  • Creighton: RPI of 39 (2006)
  • Bradley: RPI of 36 (2007)
  • Illinois State: RPI of 38 (2008)
  • Creighton: RPI of 48 and MVC regular season co-champs
  • Illinois State: RPI of 38 (2017) and MVC regular season co-champs

2017-2018 was supposed the be THE year for the Missouri State Bears, but they’ve fallen way short of their aspirations. More on that later.

A Sweet (16) season for the Salukis

2006-07: The Southern Illinois Salukis boasted one of the top teams in recent MVC history and nearly upset Kansas after reaching the Sweet 16.

2013-14 season: Wichita State finished 34-0 heading into the NCAA tournament. They were “upset” by the No. 8 seed Kentucky in the round of 32, in one of the most thrilling non-Final Four games in NCAA Tournament history.

A collapse for the ages

Northern Iowa had another epic journey to the NCAA tournament in 2015, beating Wichita State twice in two weeks and stunning Evansville at the buzzer to punch their ticket to the big dance. After a (near) half court buzzer-beating win over Texas, the Panthers were eyeing a trip back to the Sweet 16.

Facing off against another Lone Star state opponent, Northern Iowa had the SEC champion Texas A & M Aggies dead to rights. Then the unthinkable happened. They blew a double-digit lead in the final minutes and lost in overtime. Coach Ben Jacobson and his Panthers still have not recovered from that epic collapse.

Now, with Wichita State in the American Conference, the field is wide open in 2018. Loyola is the clear favorite, but there’s not much separating any of the MVC teams regarding overall talent.

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