Bradley vs. Drake is the Valley's latest winner-take-all game. Here's the full list

Wes Huett, Journal Star
·4 min read

Bradley and Drake will decide the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball champion this weekend, on the court in Peoria.

No better way.

The two preseason league favorites enter the final day of the regular season each at 15-4 in the Valley. They are scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. Sunday at Carver Arena — in front of a national audience on ESPN2.

Missouri Valley basketball: MVC standings | MVC schedule | MVC bracket | MVC tiebreaker explanation

This is only the eighth time in MVC history that the conference regular-season title will be decided on the final day of the season with two contenders facing one another. Only one road team has won these matchups.

Here is a look at the seven previous matchups and how the teams fared in the MVC tournament and beyond — including the previous time Bradley was involved in one such game.

Mar 5, 2022; St. Louis, MO, USA; Northern Iowa Panthers is introduced before a game against the Loyola Ramblers in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 5, 2022; St. Louis, MO, USA; Northern Iowa Panthers is introduced before a game against the Loyola Ramblers in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

2022 — Northern Iowa 102, Loyola Chicago 96 (OT)

  • When: Feb. 26, 2022

  • Final MVC records: UNI (14-4), Loyola (13-5)

  • What happened next? UNI (20-12) went on to lose in the MVC tournament semifinals to Loyola (25-8), who then defeated Drake, 64-58, for the title and NCAA berth. In the NCAAs, Loyola got a No. 10 seed and lost to No. 7 seed Ohio State in the first round, 54-41.

2015 — Wichita State 74, Northern Iowa 60

  • When: Feb. 28, 2015

  • Final MVC records: Wichita State (17-1), UNI (16-2)

  • What happened next? Wichita (30-8) was upset in the MVC semifinals by Illinois State — which then lost to UNI (31-4) in the tourney title game, 69-60. Both Wichita and UNI won NCAA tournament games, with No. 7 seed Wichita making the Sweet 16 and losing to No. 3 seed Notre Dame, 81-70. UNI ended the season ranked No. 11 nationally and Wichita was No. 14.

'Part of history':Catching up with Bradley's last Missouri Valley basketball champion

2013 — Creighton 91, Wichita State 79

  • When: March 2, 2013

  • Final MVC records: Creighton (13-5), Wichita State (12-6)

  • What happened next? Creighton (28-8) beat Wichita State (30-9) again in the MVC tournament title game, 68-65. Both made the NCAAs, with No 9 seed Wichita advancing to the Final Four before losing to eventual national champion Louisville, 72-68. Creighton, which earned a No. 7 seed and lost to Duke in the Round of 32, ended the season ranked No. 22 nationally.

2011 — Missouri State 69, Wichita State 64

  • When: Feb. 26, 2011

  • Final MVC records: Missouri State (15-3), Wichita State (14-4)

  • What happened next? Missouri State (26-9) went on to lose in the MVC tournament title game, 60-56, to Indiana State (20-14) — which defeated Wichita State (29-8) in the semifinals. Indiana State earned a No. 14 seed and lost to No. 3 seed Syracuse in the first round, 77-60. Missouri State was considered an NCAA snub.

1985 — Tulsa 67, Wichita State 66

  • When: March 2, 1985

  • Final MVC records: Tulsa (12-4), Wichita State (11-5), Illinois State (11-5)

  • What happened next? While Tulsa (23-8) defeated Wichita State (18-13), Bradley (22-8) also played spoiler this day with an 82-69 win over contender Illinois State. Wichita State went on to avenge this loss in the MVC tournament title game, 84-82, vs. Tulsa. All three contenders made the NCAAs, with only No. 9 seed ISU advancing out of the first round. No. 6 seed Tulsa, which ended the year No. 18 nationally, was upset by No. 11 seed UTEP, while No. 11 seed Wichita lost to No. 6 seed Georgia.

Who's going to win?The MVC basketball awards race is tight. Here's how coaches think it'll shake out

A look at the front of the Journal Star sports front page from Feb. 28, 1982, the day after the Bradley men's basketball team defeated Tulsa to win the Missouri Valley Conference on the final day of the regular season.
A look at the front of the Journal Star sports front page from Feb. 28, 1982, the day after the Bradley men's basketball team defeated Tulsa to win the Missouri Valley Conference on the final day of the regular season.

1982 — Bradley 82, Tulsa 79

  • When: Feb. 27, 1982

  • Final MVC records: Bradley (13-3), Tulsa (12-4)

  • What happened next? Bradley (26-10) went on to lose a 55-50, double-overtime MVC semifinal to Illinois State, which then lost to Tulsa (24-6) in the final, 90-77. Tulsa earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAAs and lost 78-74 in the first round to No. 6 seed Houston, an eventual surprise Final Four team. Bradley went on to win the NIT.

1978 — Creighton 62, Southern Illinois 56

  • When: Feb. 25, 1978

  • Final MVC records: Creighton (12-4) Southern Illinois (11-5)

  • What happened next? Top seed Creighton (19-9) received a triple-bye to the MVC tournament championship game, where it defeated Indiana State, 54-52, to earn the NCAA bid. SIU (17-10) was upset by last-place Drake in the MVC quarterfinals. Creighton earned a spot in the 32-team NCAA tournament and lost its first game to DePaul, 80-78.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: History of winner-take-all games in Missouri Valley men's basketball

Recommended Stories