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The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament final is set after No. 1 seed Bradley and No. 2 seed Drake won their semifinal games on Saturday, setting the stage for a winner-take-all showdown between the league’s top teams on Sunday. It will amount to a rubber match after the teams split their regular-season series with each team winning by double-digits on their home floor.
A win for Drake would bring program’s second NCAA Tournament appearance of the past three seasons under fifth-year coach Darian DeVries, who has five 20-win seasons to his credit. For Bradley, a win would ensure the program’s second appearance in the Big Dance of the past five seasons under eighth-year coach Brian Wardle.
Though the No. 1 seed vs. No. 2 seed matchup appears predictable, the path was anything but easy for Bradley, which won a quarterfinal matchup against No. 8 seed Northern Iowa by the score of 72-66 on Friday. Rienk Mast led the way with 30 points for the Braves. Then on Saturday, Bradley rallied from an eight-point deficit to win 71-70 over Indiana State in a game that featured eight lead changes.
Drake made it to the final with a bit less drama, leading nearly the whole way in a 74-62 quarterfinal win over Murray State. The Bulldogs followed up with a business-like 65-52 win over Southern Illinois in Saturday’s semifinal round after falling behind 9-0 to start the game.
How to watch Bradley vs. Drake live
Date: Sunday, March 5 | Time: 2 p.m. ET
Location: Enterprise Center — St. Louis, Missouri
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Bradley vs. Drake prediction, pick
Featured Game | Bradley Braves vs. Drake Bulldogs
Drake should be a bit fresher for this meeting after playing a pair of less stressful games over the past two days; Bradley had to grind out wins over Northern Iowa and Illinois State. Though the Braves are riding a 12-game winning streak that includes a 73-61 win over Drake last Sunday, the Bulldogs won the first meeting 86-61 back on Jan. 14. With this game taking place on a neutral floor, it should be a fight to the finish. But Drake’s offensive explosiveness gives it a slight edge. Prediction: Drake PK (-110)
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