Loyola and Bradley split the regular season series, with each winning at home and Loyola's win coming in OT. I think Bradley's competitiveness in this series stems from 6-9 big man Rienk Mast, who helps lead a MVC-leading effort on both the offensive and defensive glass. Loyola has cooled off since its 14-2 start while Bradley is playing some of its best basketball (won 9 of the last 12) so I like the Braves to keep it close in this Arch Madness opener for both teams.