Missouri State and Illinois Chicago will tip off in the opening round of the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
The winner will play the third-seeded Southern Illinois Salukis at 8:30 p.m. in Friday's quarterfinals. The Salukis were one of four teams to earn an automatic bye to the quarterfinal round.
The game will be the first between the Bears and Flames on the MVC Tournament stage. During the regular season, the Bears swept the Valley newcomers with a 66-51 victory on Nov. 30 in Chicago and a 63-59 win on Jan.