Arch Madness Championship - Sunday

[bradley_townie]

Congrats to Drake on the complete beatdown. They are one of those teams where if you let them get hot, everything starts clicking and they seem to feed off that. Saw it in Des Moines and saw it in St. Louis. Bradley needed shooters today and no one showed up. Not sure it would have mattered, but certainly did not help that Ville was out with a concussion.

Now go make the MVC proud and win a couple games in the tournament.

[DUBulldog]

First time in five seasons that DeVries has had all his starters available for an MVC tourney. Glad the team stayed relatively healthy after a season that started with 4 starters missing the first exhibition game with injuries.

I know every team's fans say this, but this is a really good group of guys. Really friendly, intelligent young men.

It was cool to see a truly old-school MVC finals. Drake and Bradley are, by far, the oldest members of the MVC.

[Bulldog2323]

The official attendance was 6706, but the fans there made it seem like double that especially the Drake fans. I was in the middle of the Drake section and my Apple Watch gave me warnings about prolonged loud noise exposure throughout the game.

On another note, I talked to some Murray State fans who stayed through the weekend. They loved the tournament and are so glad to be out of the dumpster fire of the OVC, which got less than 1700 for their champ game. They like that games outside of Belmont mean something.

Finally, the Ballpark Village hangout was something I've been skeptical about from TV ads as more of a marketing ploy, but it does work and I think has become a key part of the Arch Madness experience.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

The official attendance was 6706, but the fans there made it seem like double that especially the Drake fans.

I wonder if they’re undercounting attendance this year. There’s no flipping way there was only 8483 on Saturday when the whole lower bowl was sold out and they had to throw a few hundred in the upper deck in the second game. The lower bowl + suites hold more than 8483.

2022 Final right before tip that was “5164”:


2023 Final right before tip that was “6706”:

[acepurple84]

congradulations to the Bulldogs. Now go a kick more butt in the NCAA tourney. Play like you did Sunday and you will go far. Hope Bradley also makes it.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

2022 SF that was “6731”:







2023 SF that was “8483”:

[Mikovio]

Congrats to the Bulldogs and their fans! BU had the bigger crowd but DU’s was loud (granted, they had more to be loud about!) I expect a sweet-spot 12 seed. Still damn proud of my Braves and hope they get up for the NIT. Motivation and pride will be a big factor and I expect we won’t be short on those.

[SalukiWorld]

I thought there were more people there on Saturday than Sunday. A lot of the neutral fans high-tailed out when their teams lost. The MVC really needs a final with 2 of Bradley, SIU, Illinois State in the future (or even Murray). This was a great outcome for the Valley though in the end because I think Drake is gonna make a run that Bradley wouldn't make.

[tribecalledquest]

I thought there were more people there on Saturday than Sunday. A lot of the neutral fans high-tailed out when their teams lost. The MVC really needs a final with 2 of Bradley, SIU, Illinois State in the future (or even Murray). This was a great outcome for the Valley though in the end because I think Drake is gonna make a run that Bradley wouldn't make.

I agree with all this.

Drake has the tools (mostly really good guard play) that helps in the NCAA's. Wilkins and Penn are 25 and have started a million games. Bradley's guards were/are its achilles heel. To win the league without an all conference type guard is tough to do - but Bradley pulled it off.

[hot nuts]

I think there are a lot of fans out there that still aren't comfortable with electronic ticketing. It's tough enough for them to buy and use the tickets electronically, but figuring out how to sell them scares the hell out of them. Will probably continue putting a damper on attendance for Sunday for a while longer.