2013 College Basketball Picks: Missouri Valley Conference Tournamant Odds, Free Picks and Predictions – MVC Tournament Schedule and Tournament Bracket: Arguably one of the best mid-major conferences in the country, the Missouri Valley Conference had multiple teams ranked in the top 25 nationally during the course of the year. As a result, at least two teams are going to be headed to the NCAA Tournament, and depending on the outcome of the MVC Tournament, that total could rise to three. After all, the only thing that has been consistent with the MVC all year has been upsets. The top four teams were all within one game of each other, and the MVC regular season title wasn’t decided until the final game. Plain and simple, the conference has several good teams, and an unpredictable conference tournament could be on tap. In order to bring a little clarity to a very competitive conference, here is a closer look at the top contenders for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament crown.
2013 MVC Tournament Odds, Free Picks and Predictions
The Contenders
They emerged from a fairly deep conference with the regular season title, and now, the Creighton Blue Jays (24-7, 13-5 MVC) will set their sights on the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament crown. Creighton is led by one of the best scorers in the country in Doug McDermott. The power forward is averaging 23.4 points on 56.0 percent shooting, including 48.1 percent shooting from beyond in the arc. His efficient scoring ability is a big reason why the Blue Jays lead the country in field goal percentage and lead the MVC in scoring. Throw in two excellent assist men in the backcourt, and Creighton definitely has enough offensive firepower to win the MVC Tournament.
Although a loss in the regular season finale cost the Wichita State Shockers (24-7, 12-6 MVC) the conference crown, they can get their revenge in the MVC Tournament. An inconsistent offense has hampered the Shockers at times, but this team wins and loses with its nasty, physical defense. Wichita State owns the conference’s stingiest defense, and the Shockers also rank in the top 40 nationally in defensive efficiency. Forward Cleanthony Early is the team’s best offensive weapon, but at the end of the day, the Shockers will only win the conference tournament if they control the tempo and make each game a defensive battle.
Despite an offense that is average at best, the Northern Iowa Panthers (18-13, 11-7 MVC) are able to keep almost every game close thanks to a defense that is allowing less than 62 points per game. Senior guard Anthony James is the closest thing to a go-to scorer the Panthers have, but despite an ugly team field goal percentage, Northern Iowa doesn’t give opponents many easy scoring looks. In a way, the Panthers almost make opponents play down to their ugly style. Considering Northern Iowa knocked off Creighton and Wichita State in the last month, it is tough to argue with the results and tough to count out the Panthers.
While the Evansville Aces (18-13, 10-8 MVC) finished fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference during the regular season, they were a few baskets away from being serious contenders. After all, the Aces went 3-3 against the three teams that finished ahead of them, and two of those losses came by a combined seven points. Evansville has a game-changing combo guard in Colt Ryan, along with two other players that can knock down shots from the perimeter. Ryan is averaging 20.0 points on the season, and if he and his teammates can get hot at the right time, those close regular season losses could turn into MVC Tournament victories.
Bottom Line
Part of the reason that the Missouri Valley Conference was so unpredictable during the regular season was that the top teams all have different styles of play. Depending on which side controls the tempo, the results between the same two teams can vary drastically from game to game. As competitive as the conference has been, the fact that Creighton and Wichita State are basically going to make the NCAA Tournament either way can’t be overlooked. Sure, every team wants to win a conference tournament title, but there is a difference between wanting to win the tournament title and needing to win it to keep a season alive. Northern Iowa needs to win the MVC Tournament in order to extend its season, and the Panthers have shown all year they can hang in every game. Aside from two early road losses to Creighton and Wichita State that Northern Iowa later avenged, the Panthers haven’t lost a MVC game by more than six points. Add a little desperation to the mix, and the Panthers will find a way to claw out enough close wins to pull off the upset.
Prediction: Northern Iowa Panthers Win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament
Odds to Win 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament
Creighton +100
Wichita State +285
Illinois State +550
Northern Iowa +1000
Evansville +1200
Indiana State +2500
Drake +10000
Southern Illinois +17500
Bradley +17500
Missouri State +30000
2013 MVC Tournament Schedule
First Round – Thursday, March 7 (all times central)
No. 8 Bradley Braves vs. No. 9 Drake Bulldogs – 6 p.m., MVC TV
No. 7 Missouri St. Bears vs. No. 10 Southern Illinois Salukis – 8:30 p.m., MVC TV
Quarterfinals – Friday, March 8
No. 1 Creighton Bluejays vs. Game 1 winner – 12 p.m., MVC TV
No. 4 Evansville Aces vs. No. 5 Indiana St. Sycamores – 2:30 p.m., MVC TV
No. 2 Wichita St. Shockers vs. Game 2 winner – 6 p.m., MVC TV
No. 3 Northern Iowa Panthers vs. No. 6 Illinois St. Redbirds – 8:30 p.m., MVC TV
Semifinals – Saturday, March 9
Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner – 1:30 p.m., MVC TV
Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner – 4 p.m., MVC TV
Championship – Sunday, March 10
Semifinal 1 winner vs. Semifinal 2 winner – 1 p.m., CBS
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