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Bradley, Northern Iowa title matchup a rarity in Valley history

ST. LOUIS — For the first time in Missouri Valley Conference tournament history, a top-four seed will not play for the championship.

No. 5 seed Bradley (19-14) will meet No. 6 seed Northern Iowa (16-17) in the 1 p.m. Sunday title game on CBS.

Both advanced with two-point victories Saturday over the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds — Bradley 53-51 over Loyola and UNI 60-58 over Drake.

“My goal as a freshman was to go to the tournament and get the program back to where it rightfully should be,” said Bradley guard Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye. “We have one game to do that.