Drake will be hard pressed to win Arch Madness for a fourth straight year. Belmont is your 2026 favorite.
2026 Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics
Format
Traditional bracket
Site
As is traditional, Arch Madness is set for the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo., its home since 1995, though the tournament has been held in St. Louis since 1991.
Participants
All 11 teams will play in this season’s event. There will be one fewer first-round game going forward, since Missouri State decamped for FBS and CUSA.
Schedule
Downloadable PDF Bracket
TV/Streaming Info
First Round (Thurs. 3/5)
Gm. 1: (9) Drake (12-19, 6-14) vs. (8) Southern Illinois (16-15, 10-10), 4:30
Road split: Bulldogs 76-73 (OT) (away) on 1/14 and Salukis 66-61 (road) on 2/18.
Gm. 2: (10) Indiana State (11-20, 4-16) vs. (7) Valparaiso (17-14, 11-9), 7*
The Beacons swept: 76-72 (OT) (away) on 1/31 and 76-75 (home) on 2/15.
Gm. 3: (11) Evansville (7-24, 3-17) vs. (6) Northern Iowa (19-12, 11-9), 9:30*
The Panthers swept: 62-48 (away) on 1/4 and 71-55 (home) on 1/31.
Quarterfinals (Fri. 3/6)
Gm. 4: Gm. 1 winner vs. (1) Belmont (26-5, 16-4), 1
Gm. 5: (5) UIC (17-14, 12-8) vs. (4) Murray State (20-11, 12-8), 3:30*
The Racers swept: 81-77 (away) on 1/1 and 81-74 (home) on 2/3.
Gm. 6: Gm. 2 winner vs. (2) Bradley (20-11, 13-7), 7
Gm. 7: Gm. 3 winner vs. (3) Illinois State (20-11, 12-8), 9:30
Semifinals (Sat. 3/7)
CBSSN will air both games.
Gm. 8: Gm. 4 winner vs. Gm. 5 winner, 3:30
Gm. 9: Gm. 6 winner vs. Gm. 7 winner, 6*
Championship (Sun. 3/8)
Gm. 10: Semifinal winners, 12 (CBS)
Mayhem Potential
Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitterin 2020 with my own additions for the seasons beyond.
- 1 seed (5): 2013, 2014, 2018, 2021, 2025
- 2 seed (5): 2012, 2015, 2017, 2023, 2024
- 4 seed (3): 2016, 2020, 2022
- 3 seed (1): 2011
- 5 seed (1): 2019
Since the NCAA field expanded to 68 in 2011, the top 2 seeds have claimed 10 of the 15 Arch Madness titles on offer. Drake’s 2023 and 2024 titles had given the 2 seed the edge over the 1, until the Bulldogs three-peated as the top seed last season. Curiously, the winner of the first semifinal (1 vs. 4/5) has claimed nine of 15 titles since the NCAA field expanded to 68.
NCAA Seeding Record In The 68-Team Era
Years with an NCAA win are in bold.
- 1 seed (1): 2014
- 5 seed (2): 2012 (automatic), 2015 (automatic)
- 7 seed (2): 2013 (automatic), 2015 (at-large)
- 8 seed (1): 2012 (at-large), 2021 (automatic)
- 9 seed (1): 2013 (at-large)
- 10 seed (3): 2017, 2022, 2024
- 11 seed (4): 2016 (automatic and at-large), 2018, 2021 (at-large), 2025
- 12 seed (10): 2023
- 14 seed (1): 2014
- 15 seed (1): 2019
The Valley has consistently been a one-bid league since Wichita State left for the American Athletic Conference after the 2016-17 season. The Shockers’ departure, that of Creighton to the Big East, and Loyola Chicago (the Bluejays’ replacement) to the Atlantic 10 has seriously limited the Missouri Valley’s chances at earning multiple bids.
The 2021 NCAA Tournament was the last time (and only time since Wichita State’s departure) that the Valley secured two bids—Drake earned an at-large First Four berth (where they eliminated the Shockers) and the Ramblers made it to the Sweet 16 as an 8 seed with the auto bid.
Even though Belmont has only five losses, the Bruins aren’t an at-large contender. They are likely to end up on seed line 12 with an Arch Madness title. Seven of the top eight teams are in the NET Top 125, with Belmont, UNI, Illinois State, and Murray State all in the Top 100. Seventh-seeded Valpo is 154th. There’s a good chance any non-Belmont winner ends up on seed line 13, provided they come from that group.
Last NCAA Tournament Appearances
Drake: 2025 (11 seed, 2nd Round)
Murray State: 2022 (7 seed, 2nd Round, OVC member)
Belmont: 2019 (11 seed, 1st Round, OVC member)—2020 OVC Tournament Champion
Bradley: 2019 (15 seed, 1st Round)—2020 Missouri Valley Tournament Champion
Northern Iowa: 2016 (11 seed, 2nd Round)
Valparaiso: 2015 (13 seed, Round of 64, Horizon member)
Indiana State: 2011 (14 seed, Round of 64)
Southern Illinois: 2007 (4 seed, Sweet 16)
UIC: 2004 (13 seed, 1st Round, Horizon League member)
Evansville: 1999 (11 seed, at-large, 1st Round)
Illinois State: 1998 (9 seed, 2nd Round)
All 12 current Valley members have qualified for at least one NCAA Tournament.
Category: General Sports
