Full Breakdown
2026 MVC and ASUN Tournaments: Key Matchups and Predictions
3/6/2026, 9:34:11 PM
Drake Bulldogs vs. Belmont Bruins: MVC Quarterfinals Overview
The ninth-seeded Drake Bulldogs (13-19, 6-14 MVC) are set to face the top-seeded Belmont Bruins (26-5, 16-4 MVC) in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament. This matchup will take place on Friday at 1 p.m. ET at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Drake enters the game after a narrow 67-63 victory over Southern Illinois, while Belmont is looking to rebound from an 81-74 loss to Illinois State in their regular-season finale. Belmont is favored by 11.5 points, with an over/under set at 158.5 points.
Historically, Drake leads the all-time series against Belmont 5-4, but the Bruins swept the season series, including a significant 103-90 win on February 3. The Bulldogs are aiming for their fourth consecutive MVC Tournament title, while Belmont seeks its first-ever MVC Tournament championship.
Central Arkansas Bears vs. Bellarmine Knights: ASUN Quarterfinals Overview
In the 2026 Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Tournament, the eighth-seeded Bellarmine Knights (13-18, 7-11 ASUN) will compete against the top-seeded Central Arkansas Bears (20-11, 15-3 ASUN) on Friday at noon ET at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Bellarmine recently secured an 82-79 win over Jacksonville, while Central Arkansas triumphed over Queens 84-79 in their regular-season finale. Central Arkansas is favored by 6.5 points, with an over/under of 155.5 points.
The all-time series favors Bellarmine, which leads 5-3, but the teams split their two regular-season meetings this year. Central Arkansas is looking for its first ASUN title, while Bellarmine last won the tournament in 2022.
Key Player Projections
For the Drake vs. Belmont matchup, the SportsLine Projection Model forecasts that Jalen Quinn will lead the Bulldogs with approximately 20.7 points, while Tyler Lundblade is projected to score around 16.6 points for the Bruins. In the Central Arkansas vs. Bellarmine game, Jack Karasinski is expected to score 23.5 points for Bellarmine, and Camren Hunter is projected to lead Central Arkansas with 21 points.
Betting Insights and Trends
In the Drake vs. Belmont game, the over has hit in six of the last ten games for both teams. Drake has struggled against the spread, going 2-8 in its last ten games, while Belmont has performed better, with a 7-3 record against the spread in the same timeframe.
For the Central Arkansas vs. Bellarmine matchup, the model indicates that the over has cleared in five of the last seven games for Bellarmine and five of the last ten for Central Arkansas. Bellarmine has a strong recent performance against the spread, going 7-3 in its last ten games, while Central Arkansas holds an 8-2 record against the spread in the same period.
Conclusion
Both the MVC and ASUN tournaments are set to showcase competitive matchups as teams vie for their respective titles and a chance at the NCAA Tournament. The outcomes of these games will significantly impact the trajectories of both the Bulldogs and Bruins, as well as the Bears and Knights, as they aim to secure their places in the postseason.
