MOLINE, Ill. – The Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Women's Basketball Tournament returns to the iWireless Center -- 1201 River Drive in downtown Moline, Illinois -- for its second year March 9-12, 2017.
Tickets for the 2017 event go on sale Saturday, Dec. 17, at 10 a.m. To purchase, please visit GoRedbirds.com/tickets. Tickets are priced at $60 for reserved seat all-session tickets; $16 and $10 reserved seat tickets per session. Reserved seating all-session tickets are only $40 if purchased before Jan. 16.
The 2017 MVC Women's Basketball Tournament includes a schedule that will provide plenty of opportunities to see these athletes in action:
Thursday, March 9 Opening Round
Game 1 Â
#8 Seed vs. #9 Seed -- 4:05 p.m.
Game 2 Â
#7 Seed vs. #10 Seed -- 7:05 p.m.
Friday, March 10 Quarterfinals
Game 3
#1 Seed vs. Game 1 Winner -- 12:05 p.m.
Game 4 Â
#4 Seed vs. #5 Seed -- 2:35 p.m.
Game 5 Â
#2 Seed vs. Game 2 Winner -- 6:05 p.m.
Game 6 Â
#3 Seed vs. #6 Seed -- 8:35 p.m.
Saturday, March 11 Semifinals
Game 7 Â
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner -- 1:35 p.m.
Game 8 Â
Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner -- 4:05 p.m.
Sunday, March 12 Final
Game 9Â Championship Game -- 2:05 p.m.
All times Central and subject to change.
Ten universities compete in the MVC Women's Basketball Tournament and include: Â Bradley, Drake, Evansville, Illinois State, Indiana State, Loyola, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois and Wichita State.
For tournament information, go to www.mvcquadcities.com. Â For visitor information, go to www.visitquadcities.com.
Last year was the first in a three-year agreement to host the MVC Women's Basketball Tournament at the iWireless Center. The attendance for the 2016 tournament increased 21 percent over 2015, and it was the event's best total since 2011.
"The Missouri Valley Conference teams and fans loved being in the Quad Cities for last year's inaugural MVC Women's Basketball Tournament -- Hoops in the Heartland," said Patty Viverito, MVC Senior Associate Commissioner and MVC Tournament Manager. "Everything about it was top-notch, and this year's tournament promises to be even better. We plan to build on last year's many fun tournament activities and hope even more fans will attend."
About the Missouri Valley Conference
The MVC is one of only eight conferences where the women's basketball championship is played at a neutral site, separate from the men's championship. One of the premier women's basketball leagues in the country, the MVC has seen an average of four league teams participate in postseason play in each of the last 10 seasons. The Valley has earned multiple NCAA Tournament bids in 10 different seasons, with the last two-bid year coming in 2012-13. The league has also had two Final Four teams (Missouri State, in both 1992 and 2001), a WNIT champion (Missouri State, 2005) and three WNIT semifinal appearances (Illinois State, in 2011, 2010 and 2009).
The history of MVC women's basketball is filled with notable alumni, including the NCAA's all-time leading scorer (Jackie Stiles, Missouri State, 1998-2001) and the NCAA's all-time leader in career rebounding average (Wanda Ford, Drake, 1983-86) – both members of the league's Hall of Fame. In addition to Stiles and Ford, five other women's basketball figures have been inducted into the MVC's Hall of Fame, including Melody Howard (Missouri State), Cathy Boswell (Illinois State), Carole Baumgarten (Drake), Lorri Bauman (Drake) and Cheryl Burnett (Missouri State).
The MVC is the nation's second-oldest Division I conference, and continues to be a leader in college athletics. It is one of the nation's most progressive conferences, and celebrates its 110th season in 2016-17. The league consists of 10 diverse members across five states, which members include Bradley, Drake, Evansville, Illinois State, Indiana State, Loyola, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois and Wichita State. League members have worked together to focus on common goals and objectives, putting a high value on league harmony while continuing to invest in athletic programs to compete at the highest level. The Valley brand remains very strong, both regionally and nationally, and the great athletic tradition of The Valley remains a compelling force in recruiting student-athletes and in marketing all the MVC programs. For more information, visit www.mvc-sports.com.
