By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL For the first time since the 2009-2010 season, No. 5 seeded Bradley earned a first-round bye to the MVC Tournament Quarterfinals. The Braves relished that opportunity and played like a top-five seeded team, especially in the second half. Down 35-27 at halftime, Bradley got exactly what they needed, a 12-0 run…

By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL At halftime of the first game of MVC Quarterfinal Friday, Clayton Custer, the MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year and No. 1 seed Loyola’s leading scorer was held scoreless at the half. That may have been worrisome for the Ramblers, but Porter Moser’s team still led 25-21 at the break…

By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL In the Thursday prime-time tilt between No. 7 Missouri State and No. 10 Valparaiso, something had to give. Missouri State senior and NBA prospect Alize Johnson’s college days are almost coming to a close, and the Valparaiso Crusaders were making their MVC Tournament debut. It has been a disappointing season to…

By: Sammy Stava @StavaOnSTL Northern Iowa head coach Ben Jacobson was in unfamiliar territory Thursday night in St. Louis at the Scottrade Center. For the first time in his 12-year career at UNI, his Panthers team was playing in the first round at the MVC Tournament. Though playing under that scenario didn’t seem to rattle…

  By: Sammy Stava               The Missouri Valley regular season came to a close on Saturday, and now it’s on to the MVC Tournament, where 10 teams will play for their postseason lives to earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. There were five games played on Saturday, most notably top-seeded Loyola winning their…