2009 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Preview

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

03/03/2009 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Missouri Valley Conference will have a different top seed for the fourth straight year, as the Northern Iowa Panthers claimed the No.1 spot by virtue of its tie-breaker with the Creighton Bluejays. Both the Panthers and Bluejays shared the regular season crown at 14-4 and each will begin play in the quarterfinal round on Friday.

The Illinois State Redbirds were defeated by both Northern Iowa and Creighton in their last two games, as the team had to settle for third seed with an 11-7 finish. The Bradley Braves went 10-8 during the season and they are the fourth and final team to post a winning league mark.

The Evansville Purple Aces, Wichita State Shockers and Southern Illinois Salukis all ended up with 8-10 marks and the tie-breaker rules were needed to separate the teams. After all was worked out, SIU landed the fifth spot followed by Evansville at six and WSU at seven. The Shockers really lost out on the deal, as they are now forced to play an opening round game. The Indiana State Sycamores and Drake Bulldogs had identical 7-11 league ledgers and will meet each other in an opening round game as well, while Missouri State rounds out the field with the 10th-seed.

The MVC Tournament gets underway on Thursday with ninth-seeded Indiana State taking on eighth-seeded Drake in the opening round. The Sycamores lost twice as many games as they won overall, but they came to life down the stretch, capturing victories in six of their final seven bouts after winning just four their first 23 contests. Indiana State is 17-26 all-time in this event and has won two titles, with the last coming in 2001. As for Drake, it was the darling of the MVC last season, winning both the regular season and tournament titles. The Bulldogs, though, struggled to find consistency this season and will now look for an unlikely run to salvage the campaign.

The opening round wraps up when the 10th-ranked Missouri State Bears lock up with seventh-seeded WSU. The Bears were clearly the league's worst team during the regular season, finishing with just three wins against 15 losses. Despite a 23-17 record in this tourney, Missouri State has won just one title and that came all the way back in 1992. Since that championship, the Bears have reached the finals five times, losing out on each occasion. WSU, on the other hand, is 2-1 all-time in title games in this tourney, but it hasn't brought home the hardware since 1987. The Shockers played well over the second half of the season, but their 2-12 mark away from home leaves a lot to be desired.

The top seeded Panthers await the winner of the Indiana State/Drake match in the first quarterfinal bout on Friday. UNI, which was tabbed sixth in the preseason poll, captured a share of their first-ever MVC regular-season title and went 20-10 overall. The Panthers highest finish prior to this season was a second place tie in 2004, the same year the program won their only title in this event. The top seed in this tourney has only won the title once since 1998, as Drake accomplished that feat last season.

The fifth-seeded Salukis and fourth-seeded Braves clash in the second quarterfinal round match on Friday. SIU had one of its most disappointing campaigns in some time, but it has enjoyed a lot of success in this tourney, going 31-24 all-time. The Salukis' five championships are second most among current members and they last took home the title with a victory over Bradley in the 2006 finals. Speaking f the Braves, they won four of their last five games down the stretch to finish in sole possession of fourth place. Bradley has captured two tourney crowns, most recently in 1988, and is 26-27 lifetime in this event.

The second-seeded Bluejays make their first appearance in the tourney against the winner of the Missouri State/Wichita State affair in the quarterfinals on Friday. With 10 straight wins down the stretch, Creighton earned a share of its 14th regular season title. The Bluejays are the most decorated team in the MVC and have won this tournament a record 10 times, with their last coming in 2007. At 25-6, Creighton owns the league's best overall mark, as it reached the 20-win plateau for the 11th consecutive season.

Quarterfinal round play will come to an end when the sixth-seeded Purple Aces duel with the third-seeded Redbirds. Evansville went from 3-15 in league play last season to 8-10 this year, a drastic improvement. The Purple Aces though, are the only current league member without a title in this event, where they have gone just 4-14. On the flip side, ISU has gone 32-23 all-time in the MVC Tournament and has captured four titles. The Redbirds opened the season with 14 straight wins, but went just 8-8 down the stretch and enter the postseason riding a three-game slide.

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Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

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