Arch Madness has arrived, and Thursday's opening round features a high-stakes rubber match between the Drake Bulldogs and the Southern Illinois Salukis (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
With a spot in the Missouri Valley Conference quarterfinals on the line, both teams enter St. Louis with plenty to prove after splitting their regular-season series in dramatic fashion.
Drake (12-19) took the first meeting in a 76-73 overtime thriller back in January, led by the scoring prowess of Jalen Quinn, who has averaged nearly 20 points per game this season.
However, the Bulldogs have struggled down the stretch, entering the tournament on a losing skid.
Conversely, Southern Illinois (16-15) is the hotter team in this matchup.
The Salukis have won four straight games, including a 66-61 road victory over Drake just two weeks ago.
While Drake has the offensive edge, the Salukis' defensive grit and momentum make them a dangerous out in the Enterprise Center.
Updated college basketball odds show Southern Illinois as a 4.5-point favorite against Drake, and it's the spread quietly landing smart money from the market's sharpest bettors.
College Basketball Odds, Sharp Drake vs. Southern Illinois Pick
*Odds as of Thursday morning
Fifty-three percent of spread tickets are laying the points with the Salukis, suggesting very balanced betting to this point.
