2019 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Odds: Loyola-Chicago Favored

• A late-season surge lifted Loyola-Chicago to the top of the MVC standings
• Drake and Southern Illinois represent serious obstacles to the Ramblers’ bid to repeat as champs
• Drake is peaking at right time, but will hope to avoid a tournament clash with Loyola

It has been far from an easy road back to the top of the Missouri Valley Conference this season for the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (12-6 MVC), the 2018 NCAA Tournament darlings.

After losing four of seven contests to start the month of February, the Ramblers closed out their schedule with victories in a pair of games they were expected to win to claim top spot in the conference standings.

Now the defending champs enter the MVC Tournament (a.k.a. “Arch Madness”) as favorites, sporting short +160 odds.

Odds to Win 2019 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament

Ironically, there are currently no Missouri sports betting apps available to MVC fans in actual Missouri, but bettors can make their MVC title wagers in nearby Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana.

Ramblers Struggling to Regain Cinderella Form

The Ramblers’ campaign has paled in comparison to a year ago, when they marched to a 15-3 conference record on their way to a Cinderella run at March Madness that ended with a heartbreaking 69-57 loss to the Michigan Wolverines in the Final Four.

Loyola University is the first team of the 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournament to reach the final four #tictocnews pic.twitter.com/uyk1HiG2ny

— Bloomberg Originals (@bbgoriginals) March 25, 2018

Loyola has struggled at times while compiling a 12-6 straight-up record in conference play, and looked to be in tournament form while wrapping up their schedule with a decisive 81-68 win over the Bradley Braves on Saturday.

Loyola has struggled at times while compiling a 12-6 straight up record in conference play

The squad is now enjoying a well-deserved six-day break before returning to action to face the winner of Thursday’s clash between No. 8 Indiana State and No. 9 Valparaiso, two teams they have dominated with a combined 11 SU wins in 14 meetings.

Braves, Bears Offering Value on Tournament Odds

The road could get tough in a big hurry in the tournament quarter-finals, with either Bradley or Missouri State. Both teams enter the MVC Tournament on a losing note. While the Braves’ loss to Loyola marked their second straight road loss, the Bears have lost three of four.

However, despite those struggles, both squads continue to provide considerable value in the MVC Tournament odds, with the Bears at +575, followed by the Braves at +800.

10 thoughts on Missouri State men's basketball heading into Arch Madness https://t.co/nKNBRplKfv

— Wyatt Wheeler (@WyattWheeler_NL) March 4, 2019

Winners of just seven conference contests a year ago, Missouri State has emerged as one of the surprises of the Missouri Valley Conference season, tallying 10 wins for the first time in eight years, including a pair of upset victories over Loyola-Chicago.

Missouri State has emerged as one of the surprises of the MVP season, tallying 10 wins … including a pair of upset victories over Loyola

Meanwhile, the Braves have emerged as a model of consistency late in the season, avoiding consecutive defeats during a 9-4 SU run that has featured six outright wins as betting underdogs, including victories over Loyola-Chicago, Southern Illinois, and Illinois State.

Surprising Salukis Emerging as Intriguing Dark Horse

Over on the other side of the bracket, it is hard to ignore the Southern Illinois Salukis, who enter the tournament with the third-best odds at +450. They have won and covering in three straight. Once again, the Ramblers were among the teams on the losing side, falling 63-53 as one-point road chalk two weeks ago.

SIU Men's Basketball | Saluki senior trio matches Illinois State offensive output https://t.co/Sfwzw0z6ic

— Southern Illinoisan (@thesouthern) March 3, 2019

The Salukis also strengthened their case in the final game on their schedule with a 72-63 win over Illinois State, a squad that has played for the MVC Tournament title in three of the past four years.

The victory provides Southern Illinois with a shot of confidence while rewriting the narrative dictated by the seven losses in their eight previous meetings with the Redbirds.

Bulldogs Aim to Avoid Tournament Matchup with Loyola

Of course, no survey of the Arch Madness landscape would be complete without a close look at the Drake Bulldogs, who finished alongside the Ramblers with a 12-6 record, and are pegged as +375 second favorites on the MVC Tournament championship odds.

The Bulldogs have won and covered in six of their past seven contests, capped by dominating wins over the Bears and Indiana State by double-digit margins.

After a slow start to the MVC season, Drake coach Darian DeVries spoke to his team about how they could climb the standings. On Tuesday night, they climbed the ladders to cut down some nets. https://t.co/cuXdlbrcfr

— Tommy Birch (@TommyBirch) March 6, 2019

Drake has produced mixed results against each of their potential semi-final opponents, taking four of five from Southern Illinois, and losing eight of 10 to sixth-seeded Northern Iowa.

They will be rooting for an early tournament exit by the Ramblers, who have beaten them SU and ATS in five straight, including a pair of wins by double-digit margins earlier this season.

SBD’s NCAA conference tournament coverage:

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• 2019 Horizon League Tournament Odds: Northern Kentucky Favored
• 2019 Big South Tournament Odds: Radford Favored
• 2019 MAAC Tournament Odds: Iona & Rider Listed as Co-Favorites
• 2019 Colonial Conference Tournament Odds: Hofstra Given Edge Over Northeastern
• Saint Francis Red Flash Favored to Win 2019 Northeast Conference Tournament
• Belmont Favored Over Murray State in Ohio Valley Conference Tournament
• 2019 West Coast Conference Tournament Odds: Should You Bet Against Gonzaga?
• 2019 Summit Conference Tournament Odds: South Dakota St Heavily Favored
• Wofford Listed as Odds-On Favorite in 2019 Southern Conference Tournament