- Top Seeds: Drake, Bradley, Northern Iowa, and Belmont get a first-round bye. Drake leads with a 36.6% chance of winning.
- Tournament Format: 12 teams compete, with the top 4 seeds starting in the quarterfinals. The championship airs on CBS.
- Key Matchups: Watch for Illinois State and Murray State as potential upset contenders in the opening round.
- Strategies: Use team stats, past performance, and upset picks to gain an edge. Drake, Bradley, and Northern Iowa are strong semifinal and championship contenders.
Pro Tip: Use platforms like BettorEdge for automated scoring, secure pools, and tools to track your picks in real time. Dive in and get your bracket ready for this fast-paced tournament!
2025 MVC Tournament Details
Dates and Location
The 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament is set for March 6-9, 2025, at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. This tournament decides which team earns the conference's automatic spot in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. Knowing the schedule and seeding can help you make smarter bracket choices.
Teams in the Tournament
All 12 Missouri Valley Conference teams will compete, with seeding determined by their regular-season conference records. Here's how the 2025 Tournament Seeding looks:
Seed | Team | First Game |
1 | Drake | Quarterfinals |
2 | Bradley | Quarterfinals |
3 | Northern Iowa | Quarterfinals |
4 | Belmont | Quarterfinals |
5 | Illinois State | Opening Round |
6 | UIC | Opening Round |
7 | Murray State | Opening Round |
8 | Evansville | Opening Round |
9 | Indiana State | Opening Round |
10 | Southern Illinois | Opening Round |
11 | Valparaiso | Opening Round |
12 | Missouri State | Opening Round |
The top four seeds automatically advance to the quarterfinals, while the other eight teams start in the opening round. This format plays a key role in shaping predictions and strategies for the bracket.
2024 Tournament Results
Looking back at last year can offer helpful context for this year's picks. The Drake Bulldogs are entering the 2025 tournament as the reigning champions after defeating Indiana State in the 2024 championship game. Their performance last year could be a strong indicator when deciding how to fill out your bracket.
Bracket Completion Guide
Team Analysis
When evaluating teams, go beyond just their seeding and focus on key performance metrics. For example, Drake leads the pack with a 36.6% likelihood of winning, followed by Bradley at 23.2% and Northern Iowa at 16.8% .
Here are some factors to consider:
- Conference Performance: Look at head-to-head matchups that influenced seeding.
- Quality Wins: Check for victories against tough opponents.
- Efficiency Ratings: Analyze offensive and defensive efficiency metrics.
- Current Form: Pay attention to recent trends and any significant injuries.
These insights can help you make better decisions as the tournament progresses.
Pick Selection Methods
Use a mix of statistical probabilities and bracket dynamics to make your picks.
- First Round Matchups: Illinois State (68.40%) and Murray State (65.80%) are strong contenders to advance from the opening round .
- Quarterfinal Projections:
- Drake: 79.97% chance of reaching the semifinals
- Bradley: 71.54% chance
- Northern Iowa: 67.17% chance
- Belmont: 51.01% chance
- Championship Path: Later rounds can be guided by these probabilities:
Team | Semifinal % | Championship % |
Drake | 79.97 | 59.14 |
Bradley | 71.54 | 42.76 |
Northern Iowa | 67.17 | 34.14 |
Belmont | 51.01 | 16.17 |
Illinois State | 33.27 | 12.44 |
- Upset Strategy: While higher seeds often win, teams like Illinois State and Murray State have the potential to outperform expectations. Choosing them could give you an edge in bracket pools .
BettorEdge Platform Guide
Accessing MVC Brackets
Head to bettoredge.com/conference/missouri-valley-tournament-bracket to get started with your MVC bracket. If you're new to BettorEdge, you can sign up using your phone number and email. Once registered, you'll gain instant access to the bracket for the March 6-9 tournament happening in St. Louis. After signing up, take a moment to explore BettorEdge's features to get the most out of your bracket experience.
Platform Features
BettorEdge provides several tools designed to improve your bracket experience:
Feature | What It Does |
Automated Scoring | Tracks scores in real-time, ensuring accurate updates throughout the tournament. |
Secure Payments | Offers trusted payment providers for safe and reliable transactions. |
100% Winner Payout | Ensures the entire prize pool goes to the winners - no platform fees deducted. |
Mobile Access | Lets you follow your brackets via the website or the dedicated app. |
Multiple Entry Options | Play for free or join real-money competitions - it’s your choice. |
With automated scoring, you can sit back and enjoy the tournament action without worrying about manual updates.
Creating a Bracket Pool
Want to run your own bracket pool? BettorEdge makes it easy:
- Go to bettoredge.com/ncaa-bracket-pool
- Click "Create Competition" and set your tournament preferences.
- Choose between free entry or setting a custom buy-in.
- Share your unique pool link with friends or participants.
The platform handles everything for you - payments, score updates, and prize distribution are all automated. For private pools, you control the entry rules while enjoying the platform’s secure tools and streamlined management. Plus, with BettorEdge’s commitment to full payouts, your winners get every dollar they’ve earned.
How To Watch Missouri Valley Conference Tournament 2025
Bracket Strategy Guide
Want to improve your bracket game? Combining team analysis, smart upset picks, understanding scoring systems, and diversifying your entries can give you an edge.
Upset Selection
Picking upsets wisely can make your bracket stand out. With all 12 teams competing over just a few days in St. Louis, the fast-paced schedule often leads to surprising outcomes. Identifying potential underdog wins could be your ticket to success.
But it doesn’t stop there - knowing how scoring works is just as important.
Point Systems
BettorEdge uses different scoring formats that can shape your approach:
Scoring System | Characteristics | Best Strategy |
1-2-4-8-16-32 | Later rounds are worth more points | Focus on picking winners in later rounds |
1-2-3-4-5-6 | Points are more evenly distributed | Aim for accuracy in early rounds |
1-1-1-1-1-1 | All rounds have equal value | Consistency is key throughout the tournament |
The 1-2-4-8-16-32 format is the most popular, used in about 65% of pools. In this system, picking the tournament champion is worth 32 times more than a first-round pick . Adjust your picks based on the scoring format to maximize your chances.
Pair these insights with multiple entries to cover different strategies.
Multiple Entry Tactics
Entering multiple brackets can increase your odds of success. Try creating a mix of brackets - some based on favorites, others driven by stats, and a few focused on bold upset predictions.
The size of your pool also matters. Smaller pools usually reward safer picks, while larger pools encourage riskier, high-reward strategies . Historical data shows that spreading your entries across different approaches often pays off.
Wrapping Up
Get ready for your 2025 MVC bracket by using data-driven insights and BettorEdge's tools to improve your chances.
Here’s what to focus on as you finalize your picks: tournament trends, platform features, and smart strategies.
Tournament Trends: Conference records don’t always tell the whole story about a team’s potential. Pay attention to matchups and how bracket dynamics might play out .
Platform Features: BettorEdge offers tools like automated scoring, secure entry options, and pools with 100% payouts to winners. Their power ratings break down tournament paths, giving you an edge in making informed choices.
Smart Strategies: Use team performance data along with BettorEdge's analytics to spot possible upsets and strong championship contenders. The platform’s tracking tools also help you stay on top of your picks during the tournament.
Winning a bracket pool isn’t just about following projections - it’s about finding the right balance between favorites and potential surprises. With all 12 teams in the mix, analyzing matchups and applying the strategies discussed earlier is key.
Combine these insights with your research and the tools BettorEdge provides to create a solid, competitive bracket.