Drake vs Bradley Odds, Lines & Predictions for MVC Title Game
By Chris Amberley in College Basketball
Published:
- The Bulldogs are laying 1 point in the Drake vs Bradley odds in Sunday’s MVC Championship Game
- Bradley has won 12 straight, including a 73-61 decision over Drake in the regular season finale
- Don’t miss the latest Drake vs Bradley odds below, plus predictions
Before the MVC Tournament tipped off, oddsmakers were banking on a Drake vs Bradley Championship Game. Turns out they were right.
The top-two seeds will square off on Sunday with a spot in the March Madness Bracket on the line. These two teams are incredibly even matched, but online sportsbooks on slightly more bullish on the Bulldogs in the college basketball odds.
Drake vs Bradley Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drake Bulldogs | -1 (-110) | OFF | O 132 (-110) |
| Bradley Braves | +1 (-110) | OFF | U 132 (-110) |
Drake is currently a 1-point favorite, in a contest with a total of 132. Tip-off is set for 2 pm ET at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO, with CBSSN providing the coverage.
Odds as of Mar 5 at DraftKings sportsbook.
Drake vs Bradley Betting Trends
Drake is trying to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. The Bulldogs cracked the top-68 back in 2021, despite losing in the MVC title game to Loyola. That was their first appearance since 2008, while Bradley hasn’t been dancing since 2019.
The Braves entered the tournament in slightly better form, and beat Drake to close out the regular season 73-61 at home. However, the Bulldogs have looked like the more worthy NCAA Tournament participant during Arch Madness.
𝐁𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐃𝐎𝐆𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐍!
Drake will return to Championship Sunday and will face Bradley for the MVC Tournament Title.
Brodie | 10 points, career-high 17 rebounds
Penn | 16 points, 5 assists
Sturtz | 12 points
DeVries | 12 points, 5 rebounds#DrakeALLIN #DSMHometownTeam pic.twitter.com/TcXQGYfZye— Drake Basketball (@DrakeBulldogsMB) March 5, 2023
Drake opened up the tournament with a 12-point victory over Murray State. The Bulldogs got 27 points from leading scorer Tucker DeVries and shot 54% from the field. They followed up that victory with a convincing 65-52 semifinal win over Southern Illinois, building a 16-point halftime lead and never looking back.
Drake was slightly less efficient in the semis, shooting 47%, but ramped up the defensive intensity. They held the Salukis to 33% from the field, and 26% from beyond the arc.
Just two points separated the Bulldogs and Braves in offensive, defensive, and Net rating over the regular season, but it’s been a struggle so far for Bradley at the MVC Tournament. The Braves snuck by Northern Iowa by six points in their first matchup and squeaked out a 71-70 victory over Indiana State in the semis.
The Arch Madness Championship is set‼️
#1 @BradleyUMBB vs. #2 @DrakeBulldogsMB
🗓️ Tomorrow
🕑 1:00 PM CST
📍Enterprise Center#ValleyHoops pic.twitter.com/KYuGDewdrQ— MVC Basketball (@ValleyHoops) March 5, 2023
Bradley shot below 45% in both outings, and that simply won’t cut it against Drake. The Braves led the conference in scoring defense and opponent field goal percentage during the regular season, but so far both Arch Madness opponents have exceeded Bradley’s season long averages.
That spells bad news for the Braves versus the Bulldogs on Sunday, as Drake is a much better offensive team that any program Bradley has faced in the MVC Tournament.
Drake vs Bradley Predictions
The Braves’ 12-game winning streak has been a major talking point this week, but what’s being overlooked is the roll the Bulldogs are on.
Drake has won 12 of 13, with their only loss during that stretch coming at Bradley. The Bulldogs destroyed the Braves 86-61 in Des Moines back in January, and have posted double-digit victories in four of their past five contests.
Drake grades out higher than Bradley in KenPom’s overall efficiency metric, and is absolutely loaded with experience. The Bulldogs rank 27th nationally in D-1 experience after returning nearly 70% of its production from a season ago.
Drake vs Bradley H2H Results This Season
| Date | Away Team | Home Team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 26, 2023 | Drake Bulldogs | Bradley Braves | BRAD, 73-61 |
| Jan. 14, 2023 | Bradley Braves | Drake Bulldogs | DRKE, 86-61 |
They take care of the basketball extremely well, leading the conference in turnover percentage, while ranking second in free throws. Those are typically things experience-laden, well-coached teams do, and it translates into victories.
Drake is the better offensive team, and so far during Arch Madness they look like the more complete program. Count on that being the case again on Sunday, earning the Bulldogs a second March Madness trip in the last three seasons.
Pick: Drake Bulldogs -1 (-110)
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
