The Salukis will need to win the MVC Tourney to get a bid, that much we know. Bracketology has SIU on the bubble but on the wrong side of it. Drake (5 seed) and Illinois State (11 seed) look like they are going dancing, but if a third team claims the automatic bid, the MVC could be a 3-bid league in 2008.
The first round matchup against UNI is no gimmie, the Panthers beat SIU earlier this season, but Southern will be a strong favorite in this game after beating UNI by 20 just two weeks ago.
If the Salukis advance to the second round, they would probably get a rematch with Illinois State. The Redbirds have already beat the Salukis twice this year, but are they really that much better? Osiris Eldridge and his mohawk mojo give Illinois State the go-to guy that Southern seems to be lacking so he would no doubt be the x-factor once again in this match-up. It's too early to predict a winner since both teams still have to win a game to get there, but I think it would go down to the wire.
That's just one half of what could be a sensational Saturday in St. Louis. (Get your tickets early, it's gonna be a madhouse.) On the other side of the bracket, the winner of the Creighton/Bradley rematch would potentially play Drake in one of the best match-ups in the country. Drake has taken a few lumps lately but they do a great job of spreading the floor on offense and it allows them to consistently get good looks at the basket. While Drake is powered by Josh Young's 16ppg the Bulldogs are still a balanced team, and that balance will make them tough to beat.
Drake is the #1 seed for a reason and I think they have the best chance of winning the tournament. However, I think Creighton, Bradley, Illinois State, and SIU all have a shot at this thing. Creighton's depth would give them an advantage playing 3 games in 3 days but they also have an incredibly difficult draw. Bradley would be a sleeper pick but they could also be out in the first round. Overall I would give Drake a 40% chance of winning and give Creighton, Bradley, Illinois State, and SIU a 15% chance of cutting down the nets at the Scottrade Center.
