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March Madness is finally here, and while the NCAA tournament doesn't start for a few weeks, for the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) the intensity starts before that with its conference tournament.
The MVC hosts its tournament in St. Louis, Missouri and thanks to the Gateway Arch, the conference tournament is affectionately marketed as "Arch Madness."
Belmont was the regular-season champion, finishing with an overall 26-5 record, going 16-4 in conference play. The Bruins earned the conference's No. 1 seed, which gives them a bye into the quarterfinals.
The 2026 MVC men's basketball tournament begins on Thursday, March 5 and brings four days of exciting action, with the championship game being held on Sunday, March 8. The winner of the conference tournament will automatically get a berth in the men's NCAA tournament.
The Sporting News has everything you need to know about watching the 2026 MVC men's basketball tournament, including TV and live stream information for every game.
MVC basketball tournament bracket 2026
The current seeding, bracket and regular season records for the 2026 MVC men's basketball tournament are listed in the table below. The MVC has 11 teams in the conference, and all 11 teams make the conference tournament.
| Seed | Team | Record (MVC) |
| No. 1 | Belmont | 26-5 (16-4) |
| No. 2 | Bradley | 20-11 (13-7) |
| No. 3 | Illinois State | 20-11 (12-8) |
| No. 4 | Murray State | 20-11 (12-8) |
| No. 5 | UIC | 17-14 (12-8) |
| No. 6 | Northern Iowa | 19-12 (11-9) |
| No. 7 | Valparaiso | 17-14 (11-9) |
| No. 8 | Southern Illinois | 16-15 (10-10) |
| No. 9 | Drake | 12-19 (6-14) |
| No. 10 | Indiana State | 11-20 (4-16) |
| No. 11 | Evansville | 7-24 (3-17) |
Where to watch MVC men's basketball tournament
- TV channel: DirecTV, CBS Sports
- Live stream: ESPN+, Paramount+
The early games in the tournament will air on the MVC TV Network, which can be viewed with DirecTV. The two semifinal games and the MVC championship game will air on CBS Sports.
Cord-cutters can catch all of the MVC TV Network games on ESPN+. The semifinals and the championship game will air on Paramount+.
MVC men's basketball tournament schedule 2026
- Dates: Thursday, March 5 - Sunday, March 8
- Location: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri
The 2026 MVC men's basketball tournament begins on Thursday, March 5 and concludes with the championship game on Sunday, March 8.
All games will be played at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The tournament being held in St. Louis is why the MVC tournament is also known as "Arch Madness."
For a complete tournament schedule, see below.
Thursday, March 5
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 1: No. 9 Drake 67, No. 8 Southern Illinois 63 | — | — |
| Game 2: No. 7 Valparaiso 63, No. 10 Indiana State 62 | — | — |
| Game 3: No. 6 Northern Iowa 68, No. 11 Evansville 59 | — | — |
Friday March 6
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 4: No. 1 Belmont vs. No. 9 Drake | 1 p.m. | MVC TV, ESPN+ |
| Game 5: No. 4 Murray State vs. No. 5 UIC | 3:30 p.m. | MVC TV, ESPN+ |
| Game 6: No. 2 Bradley vs. No. 7 Valparaiso | 7 p.m. | MVC TV, ESPN+ |
| Game 7: No. 3 Illinois State vs. No. 6 Northern Iowa | 9:30 p.m. | MVC TV, ESPN+ |
Saturday, March 7
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 8: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 | 3:30 p.m. | CBS Sports, Paramount+ |
| Game 9: Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7 | 6 p.m. | CBS Sports, Paramount+ |
Sunday, March 8
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
| Game 10: MVC Championship Game | 12 p.m. | CBS Sports, Paramount+ |
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