ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The first full week of March is nearing an end, and in St. Louis that usually means it's time for the annual festivities of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, better known as Arch Madness.
Heading into the tournament, expectations will high for two teams in the tournament that won't play until Friday: Indiana State Sycamores and Drake Bulldogs.
Drake continues to be a presence at the top of the conference, finishing second in the regular season conference record of 16-4 and 25-6 overall. The team, currently by most projections are just outside the bubble for the 2024 NCAA Men's Tournament, but winning their second consecutive conference tournament this weekend will help seal their third NCAA tournament appearance in the last four years.
For Indiana State, who clinched their first regular season conference title since 2000, the Sycamores will hope to end their 13 year wait and make their return to the NCAA Tournament this weekend for the first time since 2011.
There is a chance the conference could have both teams appear in the NCAA Tournament, but there would likely need to be some help. The conference has historically been a multi-bid mid-major conference over the years, with the conference last sending two teams to the tournament in 2021 (Loyola-Chicago and Drake)
Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner Jeff Jackson joined Chris Rongey and Amy Markhors on The Chris and Amy Show Wednesday to preview the tournament, a annual staple in the St. Louis-area since 1991.